| "Oporto is one of the oldest cities in Europe and a World Heritage site" | |
Although the two cities were twinned in 1984, the ties date back hundreds of years.
Trade links based around the supply of Port wine date back to the 17th Century.
Oporto is the origin of Harveys Bristol Cream, developed in Bristol in the 19th Century.
Bristol and Oporto, or Porto as the Portuguese call the city, have many similarities.
They are roughly the same size, are ports, have large manufacturing bases and are considered regional 'capitals'. Both are football-loving cities - Oporto was one of the venues for this year's European Championships.
But the Portuguese city's team, FC Porto, have enjoyed much more success than their West Country counterparts - they are the current holders of the European Cup.
Oporto, on the north west coast, is Portugal's second city after the capital Lisbon.
It is one of the oldest cities in Europe and a World Heritage site. The medieval old town slopes down to the River Douro, which is spanned by bridges, including the Maria Pia Bridge, built by Gustavo Eiffel in the 1870s.
Wine lodges and seafood restaurants line the banks of the river.
Visitors to Porto are well catered for. Tours include specially organised walks based on themes such as Baroque and Neoclassical styles. Among architectural highlights are the 19th Century Stock Exchange Palace and the city's 12th Century Cathedral.
A visit to Porto need not be a totally cultural experience.
As well as its renowned wine lodges, the city has a bustling cafe, bar, restaurant and nightclub scene.
The travel guide Lonely Planet highlights nightspots including the "trendy" Clube Mau Mau, which offers house music and guest DJs; Industria, "a beachside club with soul, funk and house" and Armipin, which "has DJs spinning oldies, commercial and Latin".
Although there are no flights from Bristol International Airport to Porto, British Airways and Iberia have direct flights from Gatwick to the Portuguese city. |
