Pestana Vintage Porto

They call Porto the Cidade Invicta for its reputation for withstanding any and all invasion throughout its history. That near-mythical sense of permanence resonates with Portugal at large, the country the wars skipped, treating visitors to a wistful glimpse of the Mediterranean Europe that might have been. That old-world appeal reaches its zenith at Ribeira Square, the city’s historic core, an architectural Magnifico fronting the lazy Douro with construction stretching back to the 16th century.

Thanks to a series of renovations to scrupulous World Heritage standards, Pestana Vintage Porto truly lives up to its name here, straddling two blocks with enviable views of the Dom Luís I bridge and, on the Douro’s south shore, the “caves” in which the city’s namesake wine traditionally develops its sweet, fortified character. Indoors, a refreshingly contemporary style asserts itself in the public spaces, balancing stonework with sun-brightened wood accents, mirrors, and recessed lighting. The dining spaces — a terraced restaurant with steak specialties and a bar-bistro — invite you to linger over artfully prepared regional plates and mixological concoctions, resting your gaze on the plentiful framed artwork and your body in Fernando Távora chairs.

That’s urban Portugal in a nutshell: an immortal backdrop places contemporary topnotes in sharp relief, enhancing your appreciation of both by juxtaposition. A new expansion will bring capacity to 103 rooms, each of which leverages a warm, sultry palette to draw you in. Fresh flowers and French doors lend appreciable romance without sacrificing the furnishings’ mid-century suaveness or the tech necessities of an LCD flatscreen and wi-fi. Reception can set you up with a river cruise or bike rental if you wish, though the sheer poignance of a nighttime stroll is more than rewarding enough on its own, what with the reflected shimmer of lamplight on the river and the city’s noble silhouette pulsing with nightlife on its banks.