Jeanine Barone provides the lowdown on Portugal's second city.

09.00: Head to the upscale seaside district of Foz for breakfast at Al Forno Café (Rua de Gondarém, 487). Inside a fashionable interior that’s tinged with whimsy (a colourful painting of a watermelon hangs on the wall), you can join locals sipping coffee or fresh papaya juice and nibbling croissants with fig jam.

10.00: Hardcore shoppers and nature lovers alike will delight in the options in the Foz neighbourhood, where the Atlantic meets the Douro River. It’s an easy seaside stroll towards the 17th-century Castelo do Queijo along the Foz geological walk, a signed path past vast outcrops of ancient metamorphic boulders spread along a series of beaches. Alternatively, prowl among the designer emporia, such as 66 Avenida Brasil (www.66avenidabrasil.com) along Rua de Gondarem and Avenida do Brasil. Either way, consider walking 10 minutes from the fortress along Avenida da Boavista to Parque da Cidade, the city’s largest green space, with a network of wooded trails.

12.00: Either the 502 bus from the park or the 203 from the Castelo takes
203 from the Castelo takes you near the Serralves Contemporary Art Museum
(www.serralves.pt) that displays an ever-changing medley of edgy works by Portuguese and international artists. The minimalist museum designed by Portugal’s native son, Alvaro Siza Vieira, is snuggled amongst sprawling gardens that showcase some quirky sculptures, such as a giant trowel. When you’ve had your creative fill, head to the museum’s sun-drenched restaurant for a casual lunch of cod with cornbread and beef in red wine.

14.30: The 203 bus brings you close to Rua Miguel Bombarda, a style-focused street that’s perfect for lazy gallery hopping. It’s lined with more than a dozen contemporary art establishments, such as Galeria Quadrado Azul that simultaneously change their exhibits every six weeks.
(www.quadradoazul.pt)

16.00: If fatigue hasn’t set in, climb the 200 steps to the top of the iconic Clerigos Tower for panoramic views of the old town. For a more laid back activity, visit one of the world’s most stunning bookstores, Livraria Lello (144 Rua das Carmelitas). In this magnificent art nouveau-inspired space, the stained glass skylight and elaborate ornamental staircase are sure to captivate your attention.

16.30: Take a break at Café Majestic (www.cafemajestic.com), another art nouveau environ, and former bastion of artists and intellectuals when it first opened almost 90 years ago. In this glittering atmosphere replete with marble, cherubs, and chandeliers, order an espresso and a slice of apple pie, or afternoon tea that includes scones.

17.00: Take a taxi to Taylor’s (www.taylor.pt), one of Porto’s oldest Port producers in Vila Nova de Gaia, a suburb on the other side of the Douro.
You’ll learn the difference between ruby, white and tawny ports. Make time to sip a glass of a silky 20-year-old tawny on the terrace overlooking their verdant gardens.

18.30: At the Estiva Wharf in the Ribeira district, board a flat-bottomed boat for a leisurely Douro River cruise with Via D’Ouro (www.viadouro-cruzeiros.com). These boats ¬ rabelos ¬ once brought wine barrels from the Douro vineyards. On your 50-minute cruise, you’ll see the Ribeira’s tumble of tiled-roofed buildings and centuries-old spires as well as Porto’s six Douro-spanning bridges, including one designed by Gustave Eiffel.

21.00: Dine at Clube 3C (www.clube3c.pt). This restaurant in Clerigos transforms into a club near midnight. This former culinary cultural space has a casual industrial feel where your best bet among the Mediterranean-Portuguese offerings is the risotto with lamb. Save room for the lemon meringue pie.

23.30: After checking out the vibrant nightlife along Galeria de Paris, a narrow street that’s mobbed after midnight, you can always return to Clube 3C for its DJ scene. Your first stop should be Casa do Livro (www.casadolivro.pt), a former bookstore that retains its classic literary flavour. Among the floor-to-ceiling shelves of books you can sip a fine wine from the Alentejo or Douro region while sitting under a gilt-framed mirror and listening to live jazz.

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