Steves: Porto is Portugal’s salty ‘second city’

Porto, the hub of northern Portugal, is a prime example of a national “second city.”

Over several generations, many of Europe’s Industrial Age powerhouses fell into decline — not unlike America’s Rust Belt — while their elegant “first city” counterparts enjoyed the luster of the Information Age. But over the last decade or so, the rust has become a trendy accessory in places like Porto, and industrial ruins have turned bohemian chic.

Just three hours from Lisbon by train, Porto is fiercely proud of what distinguishes it from the national capital as it ages happily along the Douro River — along with most of the world’s port wine.

Porto seems entirely made of granite — even its Romanesque cathedral is stout and stony. But the city’s inviting shopping streets are ornamented with playful ar