The Porto Region in Portugal - An overview of the municipality of Porto

As Portugal's second largest city, Porto is perhaps much underrated as a tourist destination.

Partly due to its location in the north of the country, in the eyes of the sun-loving traveller, it cannot compete with the likes of the Algarve and resorts such as Lagos or Faro.

However, if you take the opportunity to visit this vibrant city, you will see that Porto has much more to offer than just sun, sand and golf courses.

The municipality of Porto is divided into 15 districts or departments which are centred around the main conglomerate of Porto itself. Each district has its own character and some are more developed than others.

To the north of Porto is the busy industrial port area of Matosinhos, which is a hub of activity. Although this area is quite built up, there are many pretty little coves along the coastline and the region is famed for its excellent seafood served in the majority of restaurants.

Further down the Atlantic coast, 18km south of Porto is the fashionable beach resort of Espinho. As well as good food and huge expanses of sandy beaches, this region is renowned for its great surfing and world-class beach volleyball tournaments that attract thousands of visitors from all over the world.

Amarante, a picturesque 17th century inland town along the River Tâmega, is situated 56km east of Porto yet falls under the wider Metropolitan Area. It is steeped in history, evident from the many historic buildings and monuments in the town. Of particular interest is the impressive Sao Gonçalo bridge and the Renaissance church of the same name. Saint Gonçalo is said to have been born in Amarante at the end of the 12th century and became revered for his healing feats.

The centre of Porto itself is a charming historical city with a thriving commercial and industrial sector that is contrasted by its medieval appearance and character. Lavish churches and magnificent architectural structures sit side by side with trendy bars, nightclubs and restaurants, many of which are located within the Ribeira district at the edge of the Douro River.

This riverfront area of colourful houses and narrow, winding, cobbled streets together with the rest of the historic quarter, has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In this part of the city you will find many of its most important monuments including the Sao Francisco Church, a Gothic building with a lavish gold leaf-gilded interior with a museum and catacombs on site, the Palacio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) and the Sao Bento Station.

Probably the most emblematic architectural structure of the city is the Ponte de Dom Luís I bridge, a magnificent piece of ironwork designed by Teófilo Seyrig, one of Gustave Eiffel's protégés, that crosses the Douro River and connects the two areas of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia situated on the other side.

Vila Nova de Gaia is the centre of Porto's winemaking region and is where the majority of the renowned Port wine is produced. Much of the area comprises the typical red-roofed Port lodges, of the many companies that operate there, where the wine is blended and aged. Many of the Port lodges offer guided tours and visitors can see the exact steps involved in the port-making procedure, often with numerous samples of the different varieties to try.

As Porto was bestowed the crown of European Capital of Culture in 2001, it has since undergone a massive regeneration and rejuvenation of many of its run-down areas, owing to the considerable amount of money awarded to Porto on receiving this title. A share of the money has been invested in preserving some of the charismatic medieval buildings, particularly in the historic quarter whilst other parts of the funds have been used in creating some spectacularly unique and modern new buildings in the city.

The metro or underground network is relatively new and is in fact the longest system in the whole of Portugal. It services not only the centre of Porto but also towns in the Metropolitan Area much further away, as well as stopping directly at the Franciso Sá Carneiro airport, situated some 12km north of the city.

There is so much to see and do in Porto that if you want to make the most of your visit, it is worth buying a Porto Card. This discount card, which can be valid for either one or three days, gives big discounts or in some cases free entrance into many of the city's biggest tourist attractions and sites.