Oporto, or briefly Porto (‘harbour’) in Portuguese, is a busy commercial town of 172,400 inhab., the industrial capital of N. Portugal, and the place from which the famous wines of the upper valley of the Douro are chiefly exported. It lies 3½ M. from the sea, on the lofty right bank of the Douro, which has forced its passage here through the granite rock. The old town, with its quaint balconied houses, whose walls are often faced with coloured tiles, rises in terraces on the rocky slopes. The new town lies on a lofty plateau to the N., E., and W. of the old.

To the N. of the Rua do Infante Dom Henrique is the Exchange (Bolsa), with its showy hall in the Moorish style. To the E. of it stands the Monument of Prince Henry the Navigator (p. [5]). Adjoining the exchange is the Gothic church of São Francisco (entrance on the W. side), containing elaborate gilt wood-carving of the 17–18th centuries. Near the E. end of the Rua do Infante Dom Henrique is the so-called English Factory House (Associação Britannica), an imposing building erected by an Englishman in 1785 and now used as a kind of club. The nearest tramway-car conveys us to the Praça de Dom Pedro, the business centre of the city, with an Equestrian Statue of Pedro IV. (p. [11]) commemorating the granting of the constitution (1826). We ascend to the W. by the steep Calçada dos Clérigos to the church of Igreja dos Clérigos (427 ft.), the tower of which (246 ft.; ticket of admission 100 rs.) commands a panoramic view of the city, the river, and the coast. Adjoining the church on the W. is the Campo dos Martyres da Patria, with the beautiful grounds of the Jardim da Cordoaria. We next proceed by the electric tramway ‘Palacio’ to the Crystal Palace (adm. 20, 50 or 100 rs.) with its beautiful pleasure-grounds and superb view of the city, the river, and the sea. The same electric tramway, now entitled the ‘Praça de Dom Pedro’, returns viâ the Rua da Cedofeita to the Praça de Dom Pedro; we, however, change tramway-cars in the former and proceed by the tramway ‘Campanha’ viâ the Praça de Dom Pedro to the pretty Jardim de São Lázaro. From the S.W. angle of the garden the Rua das Fontainhas descends to the Passeio das Fontainhas with a view of the river, its S. bank, and both bridges. Following this promenade to the W. we reach the Largo da Policia with a fountain, where remains of the City Walls are to be seen. Hence the Rua de Saraiva de Carvalho leads us, before it descends in an abrupt curve to the left, into the vicinity of the Sé, or Cathedral, now almost entirely modernized. We may now traverse the upper roadway (toll 5 rs.; tramway-car if desired) of the magnificent Ponte de Dom Luiz Primeiro, spanning the Douro with a single iron arch of 564 ft. On the S. bank, on an eminence immediately to the left, lies the ruinous Augustine convent of Nossa Senhora da Serra do Pilar where Wellington effected his celebrated passage of the Douro against the French (1809). The view, especially from the dome of the church, is very fine. We make our way, at first by steps, then by a steep descent, to the lower roadway of the bridge. Returning to the N. bank of the Douro we follow the Rua Cima do Muro to the Praça da Ribeira which affords an insight into popular life and commands a striking retrospect of the Ponte de Dom Luiz. In the neighbourhood we may take the electric tramway ‘Leça’ which conveys us back to Leixões. In the reverse direction we regain the Praça de Dom Pedro.—Comp. Baedeker’s Spain and Portugal.

While the greater Ocean Steamers rarely sight the land, those bound for Lisbon skirt the flat Portuguese coast for some 150 M., from Oporto to Cabo Carvoeiro, steering past the Berlengas Islands (lighthouse), and then rounding the Serra de Cintra (p. [15]), which ends in the Cabo da Roca (472 ft.), the westmost point of Europe, with its great lighthouse. Passing the Cabo Raso, we now steer due E. into the Bay of Cascaes, the ‘Riviera’ of Portugal, and enter the month of the Tagus (Tejo), where the lighthouses of Torre de São Julião and Torre de Bugio rise conspicuously. On the left we next observe the Torre de Belem and the extensive streets of Lisbon (see R. 2).

Leaving Lisbon, several of the great liners steer due W. across the Atlantic to America. Other vessels head to the S.W. for Madeira (p. [17]), and others again due S., past the Cabo de Espichel, on their way to Gibraltar or Tangier. About 120 M. to the S. of Lisbon we are off *Cape St. Vincent (Cabo de São Vicente), the ancient Promontorium Sacrum. This huge rocky plateau, with its reddish-brown precipices rising sheer above the sea, presents an imposing appearance. Just beyond it are an old monastery and a lighthouse and then the Cabo Sagres. Between these capes we obtain a glimpse of the dreary and sunburnt interior of the country, with its few poor villages. Beyond the Cabo Sagres lies the little town of Sagres, founded by Henry the Navigator (1421) as headquarters for his voyages of exploration. Both before and after rounding these two capes we sometimes obtain a pleasant view of the Serra de Monchique (2963 ft.), and before leaving the coast of Algarve we may distinguish the little towns of Lagos and Albufeira and the Cabo de Santa Maria. Steering now due E., the smaller trading-vessels call at Huelva, a little beyond the Spanish frontier, noted as the shipping-port for the great Tharsis and Rio Tinto mines, and as the starting-point of Columbus (pp. [115], 64) for his voyage to America in 1492, while other vessels call at Cadiz (p. [58]); all the larger steamers however proceed direct across the Bay of Cadiz to the S.E. to the Straits of Gibraltar, and either call at Gibraltar itself, or pass it on their eastward voyage without stopping; a certain number touch at Tangier (p. [98]).

The *Straits of Gibraltar, anciently called Fretum Gaditanum or Herculeum (comp. Map, p. [49]), from Gades (p. [58]) or from the Pillars of Hercules (p. [54]), date from the pliocene age, when the action of tides and waves forced a passage from the Atlantic into the great inland cavity of the Mediterranean. The straits are widest at the W. entrance, between Cape Trafalgar (p. [58]) on the left, and Cape Spartel (p. [102]) on the right. The narrowest part (8 M.) is between the Punta Canales (p. [6]) and Cape Ciris (p. [123]). The E. entrance, between Europa Point (p. [55]) and the Punta Santa Catalina (p. [123]), is 12½ M. in breadth. Between the ocean and the inland sea run strong currents, the upper and lighter, from W. to E., sometimes setting at the rate of 5 M. an hour, while the lower, being more strongly impregnated with salt and therefore heavier, flows in the opposite direction. These currents, coupled with the conflict of winds at the meeting of the waters, often cause serious trouble to sailing-vessels.

To the right, far to the S.E. as we steer into the straits, appears the lighthouse on Cape Spartel, to the E. of which opens the bay of Tangier (p. [98]), bounded on the E. by Cape Malabata. To the left, on the treeless coast of Andalusia enlivened only by the numerous ancient watch-towers, lies the town of Tarifa, preceded by an isthmus ending in the Punta Marroquí, the southmost point of the mainland of Europe (36° N. lat.).

The steamers then pass the Punta Canales and Punta del Fraile, round the Punta Carnero, the southmost spur of the Sierra de los Gazules, and enter the broad Bay of Algeciras or Gibraltar, where they usually anchor in the open roads of Gibraltar (p. [52]), to the N.W. of the government harbour.

From Gibraltar to Tangier and Mogador, see RR. 6 b and 14; to Genoa, see R. 15; to Naples, see R. 16; to Marseilles, see R. 17.

2. Lisbon.[[4]]

Arrival by Sea. Steamers arriving from Europe (comp. R. 1) usually anchor in the Tagus (Tejo) near the custom-house (Alfándega; Pl. F, G, 5). Landing or embarking by boat (bote) ca. 500 rs., and 100–200 rs. for each trunk or package, including transport to the custom-house (bargaining necessary). Steamers from the South (Madeira and Brazil), cast anchor opposite the quarantine station (Posto Maritimo de Desinfecção; Pl. B, 5); passengers are landed in tenders (1600 rs.); for conveyance of luggage to the custom-house each piece 200 rs. As soiled linen is sometimes asked for, it should be packed in a separate bundle and given up in exchange for a metal token. A declaration has to be filled up at the custom-house (100 rs.); tobacco and unused articles only are dutiable. In the case of the larger liners the through-passengers (passageiros em transito) are conveyed without luggage to land, and thence back, by tender; the place and time of return should be ascertained. Special tenders are provided for the landing of travellers going no farther, and for their luggage. As a rule, fully half a day is spent in landing and other formalities prior to settling down in a hotel. Hotel-employés are not permitted to convey passengers from the steamers. As the custom-house is closed at sunset, passengers arriving by steamer in the evening must stay on board till next morning.