Porto Portugal: The Ribeira District
The Ribeira district is the oldest part of the city, where slender colorful houses shelter winding cobbled streets, descending to the banks of the Douro. This picturesque neighborhood bustles with bars, cafes, restaurants, and small shops, crowded with locals and tourists alike.
In the middle ages, this area was the center of Porto, center of the city’s busy river trade and local manufacturing activities. Today, it is still regarded as the cultural core of the city, the most traditional and cultural part of Porto. At the heart of the district is charming Ribeira Square (Praça da Ribeira), surrounded by beautiful arcades and holding a famous fountain.
What to do in the Ribeira District
The best thing to do in the Ribeira district is to do what the locals do: get a cone of gelato and walk around, listening to the street musicians, window shopping, and enjoying the scenery. But if you have more on your mind, here are our favorite suggestions:
Dining
Restaurante Portu’s: This tiny spot off of Ribeira Square is a world favorite for delicious local food and warm, friendly service at a moderate price. Famous for their Francesinha com batata e ovo, a Porto traditional sandwich generally made with ham, sausage, and other meats, topped with a thick beer sauce and, in this case, a fried egg, and served with french fries, Portu’s is a favorite for locals and tourists alike.
Jimão: Jimão combines Spanish tapas-like portions and presentation with traditional Portuguese ingredients and flavors, and is an exceptional restaurant. With a wine list based in local wines from the Douro region, it’s a great place to explore the flavors and experiences of local cuisine without committing to an entree-sized plate. With terraces that face the Douro river on one side, and the Praca do Cubo on the other, it’s a fantastic dining experience in the heart of the Ribeira district.
Shopping
Portosigns: Of course you have to bring home souvenirs, but don’t get cheap mementos that are actually made in China. At Portosigns, they want to not just sell, but exhibit and showcase Portuguese products, design, craftsmanship, and arts. Portosigns has furniture, photographs, ceramics, shoes, housewares, in an ever-changing array of local art and craft. Even if you aren’t buying, it’s a fascinating place to explore the diversity of design in Portugal.
Nightlife
The Ribeira district is teeming with bars and clubs of every size and with every kind of ambience, and many are open all night long. The party atmosphere in Porto is casual and fun, and drinks overlooking the Douro with the lights of the city is an enchanting way to spend and evening. Hard Club is a local favorite for cultural events, dance parties, and concerts. Pinguim Cafe has poetry nights. Foz offers dancing all night long. It’s worth remembering at this point that port has 2-3 times as much alcohol as a glass of wine, although you wouldn’t know it from how freely it is poured, and it’s best to pace yourself. Fortunately, taxis are abundant and inexpensive.
The Ribeira District is the cultural and historic heart of Porto, and it is rich with sights, sounds, and experiences of a city lived-in and loved, not simply a relic for tourists. Enjoy this fascinating part of a fascinating city.
