Pool with a view. The Brits have long had a penchant for port, but the vineyards where the fortified wine is created and the eponymous city of Porto are, in themselves, a delight.

Wander at will

Portugal's second city, Porto is a gem that is largely free from the tourist hordes. While there are a couple of sites worth seeking out specifically, the best way to spend a day is wandering around the maze of cobbled alleys before ending up in one of the port warehouses across the Douro river.

Pool with a view

The warehouses on the waterfront were built to house port barrels brought down the river by barge, kept cool in the summer months by a breeze coming of the nearby sea, and there are few more enjoyable ways of spending an evening than sampling some of city's most famous export while watching the sun set over the Porto old town and Dom Luis Bridge - one of the world's most iconic cityscapes. Even better there's finally a decent hotel - the Yeatman - that is set right among the warehouses so you can enjoy the view from your bedroom terrace (or the snazzy decanter shaped pool) instead.