Business Class Flights to Porto, Portugal

The second-largest city in Portugal after Lisbon, the country’s capital, Porto and its metro area are home to approximately 1.7 million people. It is one of oldest cities in Europe, with origins dating back to the 8th century. Porto’s historic city center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, making it a must-see destination for tourists and travelers the world over.

Business class flights to Porto, Portugal, arrive at Francisco de Sa Carneiro International Airport (OPO), which is located in the Porto suburbs of Maia, Matosinhos, and Vila do Conde, about seven miles north of the center of the city. Francisco de Sa Carneiro is the second-busiest airport in the country after Humberto Delgado International Airport in Lisbon. Flights to Porto are available from most major European cities and from many airports in North America and Asia. One of the more popular flight paths is from Newark (EWR) to Porto, which sees plenty of tourists passing through each year. 

Located on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Douro River in the northern part of the country, Porto has been an important port city throughout its history. (The name Porto is derived from the Latin “portus,” which was given to the city’s port by the ancient Romans.) The city’s port was a center for shipbuilding in the 12th and 13th centuries and is today a major Western European center for the import and export of goods.

Many of the people who book flights to Porto come to the area to tour Portugal’s famous wine region. Much of the country’s wine production is based in the Douro River valley including one of Portugal’s most well-known exports, Port wine, which takes its name from the city of Porto.

The agricultural region along the Douro River also produces olive oil, nuts, and various types of fruit that are both consumed within Portugal and exported to other countries.

Flights to Porto, Portugal, are also booked by business travelers. The city is home to the offices of a large number of Portuguese and multinational corporations. These mainly include companies involved in manufacturing and heavy industry, agricultural firms, and companies in the financial space, such as the Portuguese Commercial Bank; Cerealis, a Portuguese grain processing company that manufactures pasta and other products; and the Super Bock Group, one of Portugal’s largest beer breweries.

Tourism is also an important part of Porto’s economy. Nearly 3 million tourists book flights to Porto each year. Visitors to Porto come to the city to see its historic sites and to enjoy its traditional food and wine. Because of its long history, Porto is home to a number of historic buildings and monuments. Among the most well-known is the Romanesque-style Porto Cathedral, located in the city center. The massive church took more than 600 years to build and was finally completed in the early 18th century.

Other popular historic sites include the Bolsa Palace, built in the 19th century, which is today home to the city’s stock exchange; the Monastery of Serra do Pilar, a former monastery and Portuguese National Monument built in 1672 that is now open to the public; and the Gothic-style Monument Church of Saint Francis, built in the 15th century and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the unique features of the buildings in Porto, as well as in other parts of Portugal and in Spain, is the elaborate painted tile work that often decorates their interiors and exteriors, known as Azulejo in Portuguese. This tradition dates back to the 13th century when Portugal and Spain were ruled by the Islamic Moors who brought Arabic tile mosaics to the region.

Whether they are visiting the city for business or on vacation, most of the travelers who book cheap flights to Porto enjoy the city’s traditional cuisine. Local specialties include sardinha assada, grilled fresh sardines; francesinha, a type of hot sandwich made with meat; and rojoes, a popular dish made with fried pork.