Porto, PortugalUNESCO-listed waterfront district and Porto's most atmospheric neighborhood — layers of medieval, Baroque, and 19th-century architecture stacked up the steep hillside from the river's edge. Colorful laundry between the buildings, tile-covered facades, and the smell of grilled sardines define the Ribeira experience.
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Porto'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.