Oporto » City Info

Located along the Douro river estuary in northern Portugal, Oporto is a registered UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The city's actual name is Porto, but when preceded by a definite article 'O' in Portuguese meaning 'the' in English, it is written as 'o Porto' meaning 'the port' in English. As a result, the English name evolved from oral evolution, is now referred to as 'Oporto' in modern literature.

Along with being the second-largest Portuguese city after Lisbon, Oporto is also one of the most prominent urban areas in Southern Europe. Its rich history which dates back to many centuries enriches its cultural wealth as the city is one of the oldest European centers. Varied historical monuments including the cathedral with its Romanesque choir, neoclassical Stock Exchange and the typical Portuguese Manueline-style Church of Santa Clara depict cultural richness.

Right from its historical days Oporto's shipbuilding industry has seen continuous growth. Its ports have been responsible for the production and export of the fortified wine to great extents. 'Port Wine', a gift to the world is named after the city of Oporto.

Apart from Portuguese, people in Oporto speak English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Russian as well as Chinese.