5 good reasons to live in Porto

Porto, or Invicta (the Unvanquished City), as the Portuguese sometimes call it, is more alive than ever. The charms of Portugal’s second city weren’t overlooked by the British newspaper the Financial Times, which recently listed five reasons why living in the city of Porto was worthwhile. These include architecture, investment, landscapes, gastronomy and culture. Here are the reasons why Porto is the most fashionable city of the moment.

FT began by praising the city, arguing that it has "much to offer beyond its famous port wine". Porto, says the Financial Times, offers history, spectacular scenery and some of the best dishes of Portuguese cuisine.

1. Architecture

The newspaper underlined the fact that the city of Porto was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996 thanks to its medieval buildings and baroque churches. A stroll through the streets of the city "can take you to the Lello & Irmão bookshop", one of the oldest bookshops in Portugal, founded in 1881. The bookstore, which combines art nouveau and art deco styles and sometimes feels more like a library, was designed by 19th-century engineer Francisco Xavier Esteves and "attracts tourists and local residents".

The FT emphasises that the “city is far from stuck in the past”, referring to the “recent and impressive” Casa da Música, the modern concert hall in Porto.

2. The best city to invest in

"The Portuguese housing market did not fully recover from the post-economic crisis slump," writes FT, but explains nonetheless that house prices in Portugal are rising. They quote data from Confidencial Imobiliário, indicating that the Portuguese market will grow by 5% over the next 12 months and is focused on Porto, where prices are expected to rise further this year.

The broadsheet noted that the city is still cheaper than Lisbon and that the average price per square metre is attractive to those who want to invest.

3. A stroll along the coast

"Unlike Lisbon … Porto's beaches are within easy reach," the FT also notes. The publication gives as an example the beaches of Foz do Douro, 10 minutes by bus from the centre, and the neighbouring city of Matosinhos, ideal for "a scenic coastal walk".

4. A view to a thrill

The British newspaper also highlights the different viewing points scattered throughout the city – the streets, the Douro River and the Dom Luis I iron bridge, which connects Porto with the city of Vila Nova de Gaia. All of them are places with excellent views for a busy metropolitan centre and dazzling landscapes.

5. Gastronomy

Finally, the Financial Times couldn’t not refer to the exquisite food of Porto, in particular the city’s typical dish, tripas à moda, which is a “mix of tripe, white beans, sausages and even a pig’s ear”. They haven't made a pig’s ear of it, though – believe it or not the city’s traditional dish is actually delicious. The newspaper highlights the Escondidinho Restaurant as one of the pearls that can be found in the city centre where you can try the surprising delights of Portuguese cuisine.

From the original English article: Five reasons to live in Porto, Portugal (Financial Times)