|
Porto (known also
as the Port) gave its name not only to port wine but also to
Portugal and its language. The name derives from the Roman
settlement of Portus Cale. The Douro, which comes from Rio do Ouro
(River of Gold), has always been Porto's lifeblood. The city perches
on a rocky gorge that the Douro cut out of a great stone mass.
According to the writer Ann Bridge, "The whole thing looks like a
singularly dangerous spider's web flung across space."
Porto's most interesting neighborhood is Ribeira. The steep, narrow
streets and balconied houses evoke Lisbon's Alfama, though the
quarter has its own distinctive character. Ribeira preserves the
timeless quality of many of the old buildings and cobbled streets
lining the riverbank. |
 |
