Descobertas Boutique Hotel ★★★★

You'll be wowed from the moment you arrive at the four-star Descobertas Boutique Hotel. Housed in what was once the old Mercantile Industrial Society, hints of its past are interwoven into the hotel's very foundations, with its bold wooden and iron beams and statement stone walls. The timeless contemporary décor feels warm and enticing, with its calming earthy tones throughout.

Expect an intimate ambience with just eighteen rooms available – each with décor reflecting different periods in Portuguese colonial history. Make yourself at home in your spacious and luxuriously comfortable room, the perfect base for your Porto adventures. Wake up well-rested, feast on your inclusive buffet breakfast and pull out your city map to start plotting your day.

Set on one of the oldest pedestrianised streets in Ribeira, all you need to do is step out of the hotel's front door and find yourself at the centre of this characterful neighbourhood. Porto is best to explore on foot, soaking up the atmosphere. Close by, you'll find the iconic Luis I Bridge, and if you walk across the dazzling Duoro River, you'll soon reach Vila Nova de Gaia, the central hub of the famous Port Wine industry, where you can visit the wine cellars and book tours and tastings.

If history and architecture are more your thing, the impressive neoclassical Palácio da Bolsa and the stunning Igreja de São Francisco (Church of St. Francis) are also nearby. And, of course, no trip to Porto would be complete without watching the incredible sunsets from one of the city miradouros (viewpoints); there are so many you can choose a different one each night. The best way to appreciate the charms of this fantastic city.