In the old days, you went to Porto simply for the famous fortified wine, that sweet, dark, and engaging shot of history and culture in a glass. Now the city itself is the draw: resurgent neighborhoods, packed and port-soaked bars, blocks of galleries and multifangled arts/retail spaces. I wanted to lose myself for a few days in the anti-grid of crazy hills, winding vertical lanes paved in black and white tiles, architecture layered in various stages of glory and decrepitude.

How to Get There: Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport
Where to Crash: The Yeatman (go big) or The Four Rooms (go budget)
How to Kill an Afternoon: The galleries, cafés, and design shops along Rua de Miguel Bombarda
Insider Info: Port lodges are all the same. Pick one.