Oporto, Portugal
Yet another rich cultural feast lay ahead of us as we docked in the early morning at the harbor of Leixoes, the main port of Porto. This facility was constructed to accommodate large vessels which could not make it further up the Douro river because of frequent silting of the estuary. With a population of almost one and a half million, Porto is Portugals’ second largest city and is the commercial center of the northern region of the country. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its varied and many surviving medieval and historic buildings and other architectural features. Prince Henry, who organised and brought to fruition a number of early expeditions of exploration and discovery, was born here. Portos’ shipyards fashioned many of the caravels which were to sail to uncharted waters all over the World and the city prospered from the spoils brought back during this ‘Golden Age.’
Traveling through the busy city, our first stop was at its’ Cathedral perched high on a granite outcrop. From here we had a panoramic vista of the Douro River, the famous port houses and the varied styled buildings. One of the highlights was a tour of the Palacio da Bolsa or Stock Exchange which was built on the site of a medieval Franciscan monastery. The main downstairs room where the commercial dealings took place occupies the area of the original cloisters and took 68 years to complete. The building is made of local granite which has been finely carved. A mosaic on the floor is a replica of one discovered during archaeological excavations at Pompeii in Italy. Upstairs is the Arabian Room which has been described as the most beautiful room in Portugal. Its design was inspired by the Moorish Alhambra in Granada and 80 years of work and craftsmanship were expended on its completion. The room can be hired for private functions for 80,000 dollars for four hours! Just around the corner is the Church of Sao Francisco a medieval foundation with many 18th century additions including the ‘Tree of Jesse,’ a wondrous sculpture carved from a single piece of wood.
Crossing the Douro we arrived on the south bank in the area known as Vila Nova de Gaia, the center of the port wine industry. There are about 60 lodges here many of which are open to welcome visitors to join in a guided tour of the warehouses and sample their particular fortified wines. Each springtime, the new wines are brought down from the area of the Upper Douro by tanker trucks. In the lodges they are matured and blended to produce the rich array of ports for which this city is world famed. We visited Sandemans.’ Outside a number of the traditional flat-bottomed sailing boats known as barcos rabelos, which were once used to transport the wines, were moored by the river bank alongside the warehouses. Following lunch we returned to the Endeavour and set our course for Lisbon.
Yet another rich cultural feast lay ahead of us as we docked in the early morning at the harbor of Leixoes, the main port of Porto. This facility was constructed to accommodate large vessels which could not make it further up the Douro river because of frequent silting of the estuary. With a population of almost one and a half million, Porto is Portugals’ second largest city and is the commercial center of the northern region of the country. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its varied and many surviving medieval and historic buildings and other architectural features. Prince Henry, who organised and brought to fruition a number of early expeditions of exploration and discovery, was born here. Portos’ shipyards fashioned many of the caravels which were to sail to uncharted waters all over the World and the city prospered from the spoils brought back during this ‘Golden Age.’
Traveling through the busy city, our first stop was at its’ Cathedral perched high on a granite outcrop. From here we had a panoramic vista of the Douro River, the famous port houses and the varied styled buildings. One of the highlights was a tour of the Palacio da Bolsa or Stock Exchange which was built on the site of a medieval Franciscan monastery. The main downstairs room where the commercial dealings took place occupies the area of the original cloisters and took 68 years to complete. The building is made of local granite which has been finely carved. A mosaic on the floor is a replica of one discovered during archaeological excavations at Pompeii in Italy. Upstairs is the Arabian Room which has been described as the most beautiful room in Portugal. Its design was inspired by the Moorish Alhambra in Granada and 80 years of work and craftsmanship were expended on its completion. The room can be hired for private functions for 80,000 dollars for four hours! Just around the corner is the Church of Sao Francisco a medieval foundation with many 18th century additions including the ‘Tree of Jesse,’ a wondrous sculpture carved from a single piece of wood.
Crossing the Douro we arrived on the south bank in the area known as Vila Nova de Gaia, the center of the port wine industry. There are about 60 lodges here many of which are open to welcome visitors to join in a guided tour of the warehouses and sample their particular fortified wines. Each springtime, the new wines are brought down from the area of the Upper Douro by tanker trucks. In the lodges they are matured and blended to produce the rich array of ports for which this city is world famed. We visited Sandemans.’ Outside a number of the traditional flat-bottomed sailing boats known as barcos rabelos, which were once used to transport the wines, were moored by the river bank alongside the warehouses. Following lunch we returned to the Endeavour and set our course for Lisbon.
