Porto, Portugal

Porto is located on Portugal's west coast along the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of around 1.7 million, it is the second-largest city in Portugal. One of Portugal's establishments is its wineries; the Douro River, which flows throughout Portugal and ends at Porto heading west, is a major hub for wine exporting. For centuries past, the Douro River has been used to transport wine and export other goods and services between Portugese and Spanish cities.

Porto was originally called Portus Cale in Roman times. There were many religious wars around Porto, including Roman Christians capturing the city near the year 1000 and taking over Portucalense (north of the Douro River). The city was captured by the French in 1809 when Arthur Wellesley led British forces into town. Porto gained full independence and became Portugal's second-largest city in the late 19th century.

Porto is well-known for its architecture as seen inside its train station, and on both residential and community buildings. The more modern city lies on Portugal's north end, on the right side of the Douro River when looking toward the Atlantic Ocean. When living in Porto, communal living is more common, with many apartments and bed-and-breakfast setups. The official language spoken is Portugese, with many residents also speaking English. The euro is Portugal's currency, and 1 euro equals $1.13 USD.

Job Opportunities

Porto is well-known for its Port Wine manufacturing, hence the many wineries seen both near Porto and along the Douro River. With wine producing being the largest industry in Porto, there are opportunities ranging from manufacturing and packaging to being a sales representative to farming port wine in a vineyard; there are various jobs within the port wine industry alone.

Port wine is certainly not Porto's only industry, though. Porto is full of the textile industry, producing clothes, cotton, shoes, and other textiles. The fishing industry is also abundant, with Porto being one of Portugal's many coastal towns popular for fishing. One other main industry is construction, covering indoor and outdoor projects from home improvement to maintaining Porto's architecture. From the wine industry to textile and construction industries, Porto is a thriving city for its employment opportunities.

Cost of Living

Renting an apartment is far more common in Porto than owning a house. For renting a one-bedroom apartment, city center prices average 700 euros ($810 USD), while units outside the city come in around 500 euros ($575 USD) per month. For larger, three-bedroom units, city center prices average 1,210 euros ($1,410 USD), while those in the suburbs come close to 875 euros ($1,010 USD) for monthly rental.

Utilities, including heating, air conditioning, water, and electricity, average around 110 euros ($127 USD) per month. Driving a car is hard to come by, with average prices for brand-new small cars starting around 26,000 euros ($30,000 USD); gas prices also average 6.07 euros ($7 USD) per gallon. Taking public transit is the most convenient option around Porto.

Transportation

Porto has a variety of public transportation, ranging from city buses and trains to cable cars. For short commuting for business or leisure, buses are a great option. The fare costs about 1.2 euros ($1.35 USD) and is valid for hours at a time; places covered include business and residential districts, the city center, and a coastal ride along the Atlantic Ocean. Another option is to hop on Porto's Cable Cars! These are also relatively inexpensive and will eliminate having to walk up Porto's massive hills to see the entire city.

For day-long excursions into the Portugal countryside, trains are highly encouraged. These trains are used by a variety of people, from students travelling to and from Porto for college or tourists in a nearby town. Trains throughout and Portugal provide stunning views, including the Douro River and wineries throughout the country. Overall, take advantage of Porto's variety of public transit, from daily commuting to viewing the Portugal countryside.

Recreation

Porto offers a great variety of recreation, ranging from performing arts to sightseeing tours. Tour the Casa da Musica, Porto's renowned concert hall, and possibly see some world-famous pianists and orchestras perform. Porto is also a big city for soccer with its hometown team, FC Porto. Soccer is very popular, and the hometown stadium Estadio do Dragao (Dragon Stadium) seats over 50,000 people. Other popular recreational sports include roller hockey, rugby, volleyball, and basketball.

Porto also offers great day trips. If interested in seeing the Portugal countryside, take a day trip along the Douro River! Arrive at the Porto train station in the early morning and take a 2 to 3-hour ride along the Douro river. Sights include port wineries and small towns. After leaving the train, a boat ride back along the Douro River awaits. Enjoy a wonderful lunch and meet fellow travelers all while taking in the sights of the Portugal countryside and unique architecture.

Climate

Porto has a temperate oceanic climate, consisting of rainy winters and warm, sunny summers. This warm climate caused by the Atlantic Ocean currents blowing inland. During the Summer months, highs average around the mid 70s (23 to 25 degrees Celsius), with low temperatures around the low 60s (15 to 16 degrees Celsius). During the Winter, Porto's more precipitous season, high temperatures average between the mid 50s and mid 60s (14 to 18 degrees Celsius), with lows between the low and high 40s (6 to 9 degrees Celsius). The cooler months, between October and May, see the significant amount of Portugal's annual rainfall; monthly totals average from 3 to 8 inches, whereas Summer months only average between 1 and 2 inches of precipitation.