Portugal · The north
Porto is Lisbon's soulful northern counterpart, a smaller, steeper city that tumbles down to the Douro in a jumble of granite, tile and terracotta. Its old waterfront, the Ribeira, is all color and clatter beneath the great iron arch of the Dom Luis I bridge, and it is one of the most atmospheric corners in the country.
Cross the river to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the historic port lodges line the bank and a tasting is practically obligatory. Back in the center, the city rewards slow wandering: the jewel-box Livraria Lello bookshop, the tiled grandeur of Sao Bento station, and bakeries turning out the city's hearty take on the pastel de nata.
Two or three nights gives you time to settle in, and Porto makes the natural gateway to the Douro wine country just upriver. Pair it with Lisbon by fast train and you have the two halves of Portugal in one trip.
