(97 Rua Jorge Reinel. Tel. 22 610 0825) Good-value traditional Portuguese lunches in a friendly atmosphere. Fast food, Portuguese style.

  (87 Rua de Belmonte. Tel. 22 208 6987) Traditional Portuguese food, in a rustic setting, with the emphasis on meat. The roasted goat is delicious.

  (141 Esplandad Do Castelo, Foz do Douro. Tel. 22 615 4178) Chef Mario Gomes provides six- or nine-course menus, as well as à la carte options. Fish and meat dishes change according to the seasons. The Iberian pork loin is recommended.

  (13-15 Cais de Ribeira. Tel. 22 200 4307) Frequented by visiting politicians and cultural figures, Don Tonho is near the medieval city wall. By the river, with a beautiful view, the seafood comes highly recommended: especially the roast octopus.

  (85 Avenida dos Aliados. Tel. 22 332 1272) Beautifully restored art-deco café on the main street, offering occasional live music performances, but also stop by if you just want a slice of chocolate cake or club sandwich.

  (13 Rua do Outeirinho. Tel. 22 208 1319) Enjoy six hours of live Portuguese folk music (mostly guitar) from 9.30pm. Delicious food is also available at this very lively and fun venue.

  (911 Avenida da Boavista. Tel. 91 494 3039) An energetic restaurant/bar with daily DJs playing a variety of music and attracting a mixed young crowd.

The Miguel Bombarba and Cedofeita roads offer a large variety of shoes, leather goods and accessories. The latter is a pedestrian zone brimming with cafés and restaurants, too.

If you're driving in Porto you're sure to meet parking assistants, whose job it is to help you find a space. They shout out instructions and motion where you should park. Most locals tip them 50 cents.

Head to Rua Nova de Alfandega, past the old customs building. There are various cafés and museums, including the Port Wine Museum.

The Palácio da Bolsa offers a variety of temporary and permanent exhibitions, including a piano recital by Andrei Diev on 13 May. The building itself is very impressive (Rua Ferreira Borges. Tel. 22 339 9000. www.palaciodabolsa.pt).

 – Why not take a river cruise up the Douro river to the bustling port of Regua? The area is known for its good wines. Along the way you'll see countless interesting sites and many beautiful buildings—some in ruins. For details, contact the Douro Azul cruise line (www.douroazul.pt).

At one time, Porto had its own Crystal Palace (Palácio de Cristal) that was closely modelled on the London original. Unfortunately, the building—part of an 1865 international exhibition—no longer exists, although the park bearing this name is beautiful and worth a visit.