Most people come to Porto for the port wine, and they leave wishing they'd stayed longer. This compact city on Portugal's northwest coast (you'll sometimes see it called Oporto) packs in history, culture, beaches and some of the best food and drink in Europe.

Porto is known as the City of Bridges, with six spans crossing the Douro River along its southern edge. Head out onto the Dom Luis I Bridge for the classic view: the colorful, UNESCO-listed old town stacked up the hill on one side, and the wine lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia on the other, where you can tour the cellars and taste port where it's aged. Back in the city, explore the contemporary art at the Serralves Foundation, the Se Cathedral and the ornate Church of Sao Francisco, then unwind in a riverside park or out at the beach.

A long weekend gives you a taste. A week lets you really settle in. Either way, I'll set up the cellar visits, the right hotel and the pacing, so you come home with great photos and a bottle or two worth sharing.