Porto

Capital of the north, Porto (sometimes called "Oporto" in English) is very different from Lisbon - unpretentious, inward-looking, unashamedly commercial. As the local saying goes: "Coimbra sings; Braga prays; Lisbon shows off; and Porto works." The attraction of the city lies largely in the contrast between the prosperous business core and the timeless charm of its Ribeira area, where the cobbled warren of steep alleys and passages appears to have changed little in centuries.