Porto

Porto made its fortune shipping port down the Douro, and the river still runs the show: barrel lodges across the water in Gaia, terraced vineyards upstream, and a tiled old town tumbling to the quay.

Skip the queue at the famous lodges and take the valley train instead, where family quintas pour the same wine with nobody else around.

Fly into:

• Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport OPO

Porto is compact and walkable, with trams and a metro for the hills. For the Douro, take the scenic Linha do Douro train from Sao Bento station to Regua or Pinhao, 5 to 10 EUR and 1.5 to 2.5 hours, with river cruises from either town.

Porto eats late and slow in its tascas, where a francesinha and a small draught beer beats any tourist menu. Cross the Dom Luis bridge to Gaia at golden hour, when the lodge terraces light up across the river and the port comes out.

Best in Spring

Spring: mild around 18 to 24C, cool evenings, sun broken by the odd Atlantic shower.

• broken-in shoes for steep cobbled streets
• light layers for changeable days
• a packable rain jacket
• a daypack for the Douro day-trip
• a refillable water bottle