Orientation

Porto’s insane maze of steep streets can be very difficult to navigate; at times it seems a topographic map would be more useful than the one available at the tourist offices. At the center of town is a massive, sloping plaza formed by Praça da Liberdade, Avenida dos Aliados, and Praça do General Humberto Delgado. East of this plaza is the Rua de Santa Catarina, Mercado de Bolhão, and the main shopping district; just off the southeast corner is the São Bento train station, and to the west is Vitória, a hilly, trendier area. The oldest part of town is the Ribeira district, which lies to the south of the city center and goes down to the banks of the Río Douro, where confusing streets contain many historic sights and much of Porto’s nightlife. The two level Ponte de Dom Luís connects Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia on the other side of the river, where the port wine cellars can be found. The Foz district, several kilometers west of the center where the Douro meets the Atlantic, is a popular nightlife neighborhood, as is the industrial area 4-5km northwest of the center.