11 Little Known Things About Porto, Portugal

Artistic spirit? Check. Yesteryear appeal? Check. Architectural grandeur? Check. Porto, Portugal is a magical concoction of a place that aptly blends the old with the new.

While Porto is almost always likened to Lisbon (though the former is laid-back and quieter than the latter), in the last few years, owing to its evolving design scene, the Portugal's capital city has been a good run for its money.

Porto scores high in all four quadrants—authenticity, food, arts, and culture. If the idea of sipping the ubiquitous port wine whilst feasting your eyes of the gorgeous views of the Douro river sounds like your thing, we are sure you'll love to know a lot more about the creative force field that Porto is.

#1: While Porto's au courant vibe is all that is enthused about, what many may not know is that it's a very old city once known as Portus Cale, which eventually segued into Portugal.

#2: Porto, which is also most commonly referred to as Oporto, is a result of mispronunciation. Natives call the city "O Porto" which literally means "The Port", however, early foreigners unwittingly ended up clubbing o and Porto together, leading to Oporto.

#3: Inhabitants of Porto, Portugal are also known as Tripeiros—a moniker they gained owing to the generosity of their forefathers.

Back in the 15th century, when Henry the Navigator entreated the citizens of Porto to supply the Portuguese navy with meat for the Conquest of Ceuta, which the good people did, and all that was left to eat was tripe, and hence, the name.

#4: The fabled port wine which is made on the banks of the Douro river, was a product of a happy accident.

The story goes that Portuguese wine producers who extensively exported wine to England began adding little brandy to fortify and extend its shelf life.

By doing so, they gave birth to a new type of wine that was sweet, robust, and had more alcohol content.

#5: Porto, Portugal is also popularly known as Cidade Invicta, which translates as "The Unvanquished City".

The seaside city withstood a civil war that broke out between the liberalists and Miguelists in the 18th century, thereby earning the said appellation.

#6: Although Porto's topography is adorned with 6 stunning bridges spanning the Douro, the one that's talked the most about is the Dom Luis I Bridge.

Eiffel Gustav is often thought of as the originator of the bridge but it was actually his student, Théophile Seyrig who completed the project. However, Eiffel was the brainchild behind Porto's Maria Pia Bridge.

#7: A hearty iteration of "croque-monsieur", Francesinha—which literally means little Frenchie, is Porto's iconic go-to food.

A multi-layered meat extravaganza, Francesinha comes submerged in a spicy beer-tomato sauce and a generous serving of French fries.

#8: Porto has hosted two editions of the world's most celebrated motor sports event, Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix in 1958 and 1960.

#9: J.K. Rowling, the literary doyenne behind the Harry Potter series lived in Porto from 1991 to 1993. She taught English at a private school and wrote 3 chapters of the Philosopher’s Stone during her stay in Porto.

#10: Porto holds a dominant place in Portugal's football scene. Futebol Clube do Porto or FC Porto is one of the Os Três Grandes or Big Three decorated sports clubs in Portugal that has won numerous domestic and international competitions.

#11: Porto also hosts one of the largest and most exciting street festivals in all of Europe—the São Joã or St. John's Festival.

Celebrated from the 23rd to 24th June every year, the festivities are characterized by fun traditions like playfully hitting passers-by with a plastic hammer for good luck and lively fireworks.