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Porto, regarded as the cradle of the Portuguese nation, is one of the oldest towns in Europe, its history stretching back some 4,000 years.
Nowadays, it is a booming industrial city situated on the River Douro with splendid four and five star hotels with excellent conference facilities, quality restaurants ideal for groups, and historic venues such as the Tram Museum and the old Customs Building (Alfandega) that are perfect for special events. The city, served by its international airport, boasts a vibrant nightlife, sumptuous regional cuisine, a charming old quarter and a waterfront ideal for sightseeing. It is also the home of port wine and on the south side of the river in Vila Nova de Gaia are the wine lodges and headquarters of the famous port companies – Taylor, Graham, Sandeman, Burmester, Calem, Ferreira, Ramos Pinto. These are also wonderful venues for group visits. You can wander through the ancient cobwebbed corridors of the warehouses walled with barrels of port ageing in oak, learn the history of the trade, visit the cellars and finally taste the many different styles of port: full bodied rubies, white aperitif ports, light amber coloured tawnies, and the venerable vintage ports, declared only in exceptional years.

One of the great pleasures of this region is a group trip from Porto by steam train or boat along the River Douro to explore the beautiful mountainous wine-growing regions of the Douro Valley. You can tour the wine farms, sample vintage ports, lunch together on the delicious regional cuisine, and stay overnight in an old country mansion. Such a journey is guaranteed to foster team spirit among company colleagues.

Conveniently some of the region's most interesting cultural attractions are within easy striking distance of the river – the 18th century Baroque Palace of Mateus in Vila Real which gave its name to the famous sparkling wine, the picturesque town of Lamego being just two typical examples. The rugged nature of this stunningly beautiful valley also makes it possible to organize more unusual sporting activities such as rafting.

To most visitors the heart of Porto is in its old town on the north bank of the river where dense clusters of red tiled houses spill down from the city centre to the Ribeira district on River Douro quayside where you will find restaurants, cafés, handicraft shops, and an open air market. The view across the river to the double-decker Dom Luis I bridge is spectacular. This old quarter, consisting of alleys and walkways, some of them tortuously steep, winding through labyrinths of homes and artisans' workshops, is full of bustle and life. Women in flowering skirts sell fruit and vegetables and fish and a colourful array of sheets and clothing hang from hundreds of washing lines overhead.

Porto´s ancient trams are an enjoyable way to explore the town though most sightseeing can be done within a comfortable walk of the centre though stamina is needed for some of the steep gradients.

Porto´s main museum, the Museu de Soares dos Reis, houses a collection of 19th and early 20th century art, porcelain, exotica from overseas, some fine German altar chalices, and English furniture. Once an 18th century home of the nobility, it served as the headquarters of the Napoleonic forces during the Peninsular War and it is said that Wellington and his officers dined there after the defeat of the French in 1809 and the ousting of Marshall Soult.