I've been cruising since the mid-'90s, and after two upcoming cruises later this year, I'll have completed 18 sailings.
30.07.2023 - 14:51 / lonelyplanet.com
Whether you’re jetting into town for a long weekend or looking for an atmospheric place to write that best-selling novel, Porto is a fascinating city to explore. You’ll find cutting-edge art, medieval streetscapes and an overflowing bounty of great food and wine.
Porto is a fairly easy-going place, but you can help ensure your trip is a success by learning a few essentials – like how to get around on public transport and what to wear for the weather. You’ll also learn that asking someone if they are a tripe-eater is OK, but saying "gracias" is generally not. Below are our top 13 tips for a successful trip to Porto.
Near the riverfront, the Ribeira is a popular choice for its historic architecture and lively dining and drinking options. However, it can feel a bit touristy and places tend to book up months in advance. Just up from Ribeira, the neighborhood of Aliados puts you in the heart of the city center and has great lodging and dining.
As with Ribeira, you’ll have to move fast to book your preferred spot. For more of a seaside feel, consider Foz do Douro, which lies near beaches on the Atlantic and is an easy hop (by bus or tram) from the center.
Porto has some excellent dining rooms, including over a dozen places listed in the Michelin guide. If you hope to enjoy a meal at Pedro Lemos, Antiqvvm or one of Porto’s other celebrated restaurants, reserve several weeks in advance – or at least one month ahead if booking during the high season (May to September).
Porto’s narrow, one-way streets, heavy traffic and challenging parking situation can be quite nerve-wracking even for local drivers. Add in hills, trams, lots of pedestrians and bikes, plus the odd construction zone with detours, and you have the makings of a stressful day indeed. If you’re arriving by car, it’s best to park on the outskirts and take a metro into the center of town.
Porto has an efficient public transportation network with six metro lines that link districts across town. You can also take the metro out to the beach and get to, and from, the airport (violet line E). In addition, there are buses, trams and even one funicular. For convenience, purchase an Andante Card (€0.60) and load it with credit for use on the metro and buses.
Trams have a special rate (€3.50/6 one-way/return) and tickets can be purchased on board. The Funicular dos Guindais, also charged separately (€3.50 one-way), runs from the riverfront near the base of the iconic Luís I bridge up to Rua Augusto Rosa near the Igreja de Santa Clara.
Porto’s hills and uneven pavements will give your legs a workout. Make sure you bring good walking shoes so you don’t twist an ankle. Save the heels for dining out and nightclubs.
Footwear aside, locals tend to dress in
I've been cruising since the mid-'90s, and after two upcoming cruises later this year, I'll have completed 18 sailings.
Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines recently launched a brand-new monthly “all-you-can-fly” pass that promises customers unlimited flights for 30 days for just $149.
Germany is the world’s fourth-biggest economy, has a history that’ll take you a lifetime to unpack, a capital city that seems to be crawling into the future and a population of more than 80 million people, almost one-fifth of whom have an immigrant background – that makes it almost impossible to form any generalisations about a singular Germany. Instead, expect a country full of bewildering contradictions, quirky social norms and, in the capital especially, stereotypes turned on their head.
This summer, Norwegian plans to fly from New York to Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Shannon—and for these flights, “New York” means Stewart International Airport (SWF), also called Stewart Field.
With rules updating on a constant basis, you’ll need to know these eight new things if you want to travel to Cuba in 2016.
The winner of the Super Bowl usually says they’re going to Disney World. But even the Magic Kingdom would have a hard time competing with the pomp and circumstance in the Bay Area during the week leading up to this year’s big game.
The recent headline-grabbing virus made travelers stop in their tracks, prompting many to cancel their trips to the tropics. While the Zika virus is mainly a concern for expectant mothers, it should be a reminder to all travelers that soon after booking that international itinerary they make a very important call: the travel clinic.
One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the Lost City of Petra hides coyly behind Southern Jordan’s pink sandstone cliffs. The rock-cut ruins of the lost Nabatean Kingdom feature Corinthian pillars, Hellenistic urns, and, in the case of the Treasury, classical relief sculptures fit for a king. The contrast between the jagged desert cliffs and the grand edifices that adorn them is as jarring as a crop circle perfectly etched into a field of corn.
Hurricane season starts June 1 and runs through November 30, with a peak activity period from late August through September. So if you’re considering taking advantage of shoulder-season resorts or cruise deals in the Caribbean this year, you’d be smart to keep the forecast for hurricane season 2019 in mind and weigh the risk versus the reward—plus travel insurance.
So, you’re planning a vacation to Disney World. Congratulations! If this is your first time visiting the popular Orlando theme parks, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve put together this step-by-step guide on how to plan a Walt Disney World vacation. Keep reading for planning advice and all kinds of Disney World tips.
These days, the post-security departure areas of most big international airports look more like shopping malls than transit hubs. Often, you can’t avoid a long trek past a meandering duty-free shopping area before you get to your departure gate.
The complete shutdown of Primera Air and now WOW Air are examples of the reality that an airline can abruptly fail. Without notice, even a large airline can shutter, leaving some passengers stranded away from home and others responsible for out-of-pocket costs for worthless tickets.