Porto is the second largest city in Portugal, being located on the West coast of this country; Porto has its own sandy beaches. This city is well known for fine food, good wine and alcoholic beverages and an entertaining atmosphere. The weekend getaway market is something that this small city caters for and offers the usual activities of cafes, restaurants and clubs. The national museum of art of Portugal is found in Porto and a much visited tourist attraction of Porto. If you are a wine enthusiast then why not visit the cities Caves Ramos Pintos, the local wine producer to visit his grape vineyard and take a peek at their wine cellar. Porto is served by the local airport Francisco de Sa Carneiro airport, or Porto airport, giving easy access to this town in Portugal from all over Europe as a weekend getaway spot. The range of accommodation ranging from budget to high end means that most needs will be catered for. If you want to hire a car for the weekend to get the most out of your break then this available direct from the local airport.
Porto Airport information
The main airport in the city of Porto is called Francisco Sa Carneiro - OPO and is located to the north of the city, aptly named after a former prime minister who died in a plane crash in 1980. Even with such a strange choice of name it has held today even though there were objections some times in the past. The airport is located some 11 kilometers northwest of Porto and it can be said to be the third largest airport in Portugal.
It may appear that there are no train connections as yet to Oporto airport though there are plans to establish a new subway system that will make it easy for passengers to get to and from the airport with out a hassle. Transport from the airport and back is by means of an Aerobus that shuttles to the center of Porto every half an hour. The bus is so convenient because it makes a stop at the doorstep of all the major tourist hotels in Porto. You can also look for cheap car hire in Porto to get you to the airport or back and pay just a little more than the bus passengers.
To hire a car in Porto you will have a wide choice because of the availability of major car rental companies that include Hertz, National, National Car Rental, Budget as well as Sixt. Reservations are also possible through a unique service called EasyTerra which compares very positively with other competitors. There are also taxis that make it very easy to hire a car in Porto that are found outside the arrival halls which are equipped with a meter making it easier for guests to know exactly how much they need to pay for the service. The airport has a lost and found luggage counter in the halls of arrival all for your convenience.
Places to visit around Porto
There is plenty to do and see in Porto beginning with an ancient museum that opened its doors way back in 1840 and dedicated to a well known sculptor who was born and bred in Porto, Soares dos Reis. There is a rich art gallery featuring great works from major artists from Italy, Holland, as well as France. The works collected here go back as far as the 19th century Portugal which includes glassware, ceramics, gold, silverwork and furniture. With car hire in Porto city you can quickly visit other famous places such as the Church of St. Frances which dates back to 1383. You will no doubt admire its pillars and columns which are decorated with gold glided cherubs and garlands which becomes a real feast for your eyes as well as camera.
If you never heard about the port of wine in O Porto then you will be in for a pleasant surprise, you will get to sample the finest wines that are produced in the region. The renowned Solar Vinho do Porto is one such modern tasting room where dedicated staff with so much knowledge on wine will treat you to glasses or bottles of the best wine you have tasted anywhere. These usually come along with accompanying complimentary snacks.
The other must see place is the Vila Nova de Gaia which is a unique Oporto on southern banks of the Douro River representing a modern fortified village hosting more than 50 wine companies that have their own lodges downtown. All these lodges are known to be centers of wine tasting that tourists must visit. One other place that is featured is a 16th century monastery which has unique circular cloisters as well as a terrace where the ancient Duke of Wellington organized his attack on the French in the year 1809.
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