Porto, PortugalPorto's most iconic structure — a double-deck iron arch bridge designed by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel and completed in 1886. The upper deck (pedestrian) connects Porto directly to the port wine lodges of Gaia; the view from the deck at sunset is one of Europe's finest urban panoramas.
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The most beautiful bookshop in the world — a 1906 Neo-Gothic library that inspired J.K. Rowling's Hogwarts library with its crimson staircase, stained glass ceiling, and carved wooden shelves. Book a timed ticket online; the €8 entry fee is redeemable against a purchase.
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Porto's most distinctive skyline landmark — an 18th-century Baroque church by Nicolau Nasoni with a 75-meter tower that served as the tallest building in Portugal for over 200 years. The 225-step climb to the top provides the finest bird's-eye view over the city's roofscape.
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Porto's oldest monument — a Romanesque fortress-cathedral begun in the 12th century with a Gothic rose window, a beautiful 14th-century cloister lined with azulejo tiles, and sweeping views over the city from its elevated position. The cloister alone justifies the entry fee.