Ribeira Riverside Walk

The Ribeira is the riverside heart of old Porto and the place most visitors picture when they think of the city: tall, narrow houses in faded colours stacked up the slope, laundry at the windows, and the iron arch of the Dom Luís I Bridge framing the view upriver. It sits inside the Historic Centre of Oporto, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, and a slow walk along the quay is the best introduction to the city.

Porto's history begins here. The Romans called the settlement Portus, and for centuries the riverfront was where ships loaded and unloaded goods. A good route starts at Praça da Ribeira, the square opening onto the river, and follows the Cais da Ribeira east towards the bridge. Along the way look for the stretch of old wall known as the Muro dos Bacalhoeiros, the cod merchants' wall, built into the line of the 14th-century Fernandine walls that once enclosed the medieval town, and for the arcaded houses that now hold restaurants and bars.

From the quay you can see the port wine lodges on the opposite bank in Vila Nova de Gaia, their names painted on the roofs, and the traditional flat-bottomed rabelo boats that once carried wine barrels down from the Douro valley. Several companies run short river cruises from the Cais da Ribeira, including the Six Bridges trip operated by Douro Azul. Cross the lower deck of the bridge to continue on the Gaia side, or turn uphill through the steep lanes of the Barredo district to reach the cathedral.

The quay is free and open at all hours, but the character changes through the day. Early morning is quiet and good for photographs, the middle of the day is busy with tour groups and terrace diners, and the evening brings the best light as the sun drops behind the city. Expect cobbles and steps; comfortable shoes help, and pushchairs will find the back lanes hard going. Terrace prices on the quay are higher than a few streets back.

Nearby are the Palácio da Bolsa and the Church of São Francisco, a few minutes west, and the Guindais funicular, which climbs from the riverside near the bridge to the Batalha area. Adega São Nicolau, a traditional restaurant on a side street just off the quay, is an easy lunch stop.