All throughout its history, Oporto has been above all a commercial area. The river Duero and its port on the Atlantic Ocean have made this a city with a huge potential for maritime commerce. No wonder the Greeks did their first business deals in this area. Since then, and up till today, we have witnessed an incredible evolution.

The first civilizations in the zone, the Greeks, Phoenicians, and Carthagians, settled on the left side of the river, but it was the Romans who decided to settle on the right hand side, due to the favourable conditions for a port.

The Alanos and the Suevos settled in the region in the early centuries of the current era, displacing the Romans, and building several castles. After them came the Moors, after which the Kindgom of Leon took control of the area.

In the middle ages, wine was one of the most treasured products of the region. Oporto wine became more and more important, and began to be exported, creating wealth for the city. A close relationship formed between the city and the interior of the country, the countryside and the agricultural sector; the economical development of which went hand in hand with the wine industry.

This, together with industrial development and the industrial revolution prompted an incredible boom in the city. Roads, railways and other key infrastructures were built, converting Oporto in the richest city in the country, which it remains today, ahead of the capital Lisbon


Its bridges from many different eras, its buildings and its monuments are the legacy of the past, and the main attraction of the city of Oporto.