in its old storage cave, where you can dine surrounded by hundreds of barrels filled with the precious nectar. Travel upriver on one of the numerous tourist boats and within minutes you are in the wine country of Alto Douro and some of Portugal’s most appealing countryside. This is a place of dramatic landscapes, terraced vineyards, whitewashed estates and delightful quintas (country homes). The recently departed Anthony Bourdain remarked once that the cheese served with his small glass of port from the region “smelled like a dirty foot but tasted like heaven”. True port can only ever come from this part of the world — the rest are all just fortified wines. When the hills in Porto’s old city become too much, it’s easy to escape to any one of the numerous beaches on the Atlantic or to amble through one of several parks that dot the city. Taking the quaint No.1 tram in front of the Church of St Francis will take you on a meandering journey through the city’s outer suburbs. Once you reach the end of the line, a brisk walk along the boardwalk next to the ocean is an escape from the summer heat where the Atlantic breezes bring a welcome relief. A point of interest regarding the Porto trams is that many of these rattling wardrobes were transported to the city of San Francisco where they happily carry tourists and citizens up and down that city’s steep inclines. At the end of the boardwalk is the vast Jardim Passeio Alegre park, which is not to be missed. Fortunately, city authorities have invested heavily in such vast swathes of green spaces. Tree-lined avenues, open meadows and thick undergrowth offer a tranquil escape from the day-to-day lives of the citizens of this delightful part of the world. A visit to Porto should never be rushed, as the longer one stays the more one discovers. Walking the cobbled streets, there always seems to be a hidden laneway or path that takes you to another delightful gem away from the hustle and bustle of the more popular tourist areas. MERCEDES-BENZ PARRAMATTA 28 DESTINATION