Porto, the second urban area of the country in terms of population after Lisbon, is shaped by its double heritage. Its industrial heritage is tied to geographical location of the city, a major harbor in Europe which used to be a platform of exchanges –mainly of wine barrels– with the key global cities of the 18th and 19th centuries (London, Antwerp…).
Key figures
2 618 chambres
Offre de chaînes intégrées au 1er Janvier 2017 (chambres)
Porto’s cultural heritage, the mirror of the Portuguese soul, expresses through the rich baroque and neoclassical architecture of the city. The most renowned monuments of Porto (the Dom Louis I bridge or Serra do Pilar monastery) are classified as UNESCO World Heritage sites. In addition, the Clerigos Church, the Soares dos Reis national museum and the Serralves Foundation welcome numerous tourists each year. The city of Porto is also a gateway for visitors to the famous Portuguese wine area.
Porto is also a business pole with an international dimension. The city hosts the headquarters of many Portuguese firms, subsidiaries or startups: Efacec, Porto Editora, or Grupo RAR, among others, are based in Porto. Activity is also supported by two centres for upper education, the University of Porto and University of Aveiro.
The amount of visitors hosted in Porto significantly rose in recent years, notably thanks to improving transportation infrastructure. The city boasts direct flights to New York and many key European destinations, mainly through low cost companies. In 2016, Porto’s airport recorded 9.4 million passengers.
As of January 1, 2017 Porto’s chain hotel supply reached 2,618 rooms.
