Wandering Porto

》Praça da Ribeira

This is one of the oldest squares in the city, situated on the bank of the Douro River on the Porto side.

It is of mediaeval origin and has always been a very busy area, due to the significant economic activity and its proximity to the port, a few kilometres away. That is why it was an important point of entry and exit for people and goods.

Over time it underwent various urban alterations, when Rua de São João was created and when the sculpture of José Rodrigues was erected, 'the cube of Ribeira', which can still be seen today, practically in the middle of the square. Excavations that took place during the 1980s revealed the existence of a 17th century fountain.

In 2000, a statue of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the city, was inaugurated in Ribeira and in 2001, new urban works were carried out to remodel the paving and it was fitted out with new urban furniture.

If you want to get to know the award-winning Historical Centre of Porto, then make sure that Praça da Ribeira is on your list of places to visit. The picture postcard buildings right next to the river and the fantastic view of the Douro River, Vila Nova de Gaia and the two bridges that cross the river, make it without a doubt a uniquely beautiful spot.

》Rio Douro River

The Douro is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish province of Soria, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the northern part of the Meseta Central in Castile and León into northern Portugal.Read more