When planning our spring break vacation this year, we weighed many options. We had unique choices because we spent this year living in Valencia, Spain, rather than our home in San Francisco, CA. Our son has been asking us to take a cruise since he was four, and we were excited to be able to cruise again. We decided to take a Princess Cruise out of Barcelona, which had four ports of call in the Mediterranean. Because his spring break was extended here (11 days!), we tacked on two nights in Barcelona before the cruise, and two nights in Bologna, Italy, after the cruise.

Portugal's second city is a culturally rich destination that, unlike many other cities in its place, confidently seduces its visitors with all the charms you look for in Europe. While others beg for your attention, Porto quietly draws you down to the river and invites you to sit and marvel at her centuries of evolution. Stone buildings, colorful homes, and charming eateries nestle up to one another along the banks of the Douro.