Waters that take today’s history: the Douro River

From the Mount of Urbión, in Soria, Spain to Foz, in Porto, Portugal, the Douro River bathes the lives of the ones who have the pleasure of living with this charm of nature. From west to east, with fertile soils, watered by its waters and six bridges that cross it, the Douro River is more than a landscape, it is history.

During the Middle Age the river route located in Porto, specifically in the region of Ribeira was the focus of the commercial life on the city. By then, throughout the fourteenth century, the settlement expanded and reflected its importance on merchants and sailors. Later in the fifteenth century, commercial activities became even more intense and thus continued throughout the eighteenth century, when the city started to live by the river: the entire social and economic center was established in its vicinity . After the nineteenth century the infrastructure was changed considerably. Once the river bridges were built, it dispensed the mandatory passage through Ribeira.

In the meantime, an intensive recovery and revitalization plan for Ribeira emerged in the 1970s. The development of the Ribeira / Barredo Area Urban Renewal Commissariat (CRUARB) project was essential for Ribeira to be considered as World Heritage by UNESCO. Thus, with the rebirth of the banks on the third largest river on the Iberian Peninsula, numerous bars and restaurants were opened.

"Ribeira is a place that makes a lot of reference to history. All that has been conserved, the valorization of nature, direct contact with the river, it makes the experience unique, " says Andrey Augusto, a Brazilian, who is in Portugal due to a mobility program at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. "It is gratifying to be able to appreciate this place." The river, flowing as it flows, makes this part of Porto a must-stop for anyone who has never been there or even for those who go there often, because there are always new things to discover. It is a postcard of Porto.

Written by: Larissa Previato Nogali

Translated by: Rita Lopes

Photos by: Larissa Previato Nogali