Praça da Liberdade

Like many european cities, Porto has many squares. The most important one, however, is Praça da Liberdade (or Liberty square, in English). It is located in the heart of the city and it is surrounded by the greatest monuments of Porto. 

Right in the middle of it you'll find D. Pedro IV statue, a tribute to the portuguese king who declared Brasil's independence and became the country's emperor. He also helped ending absolutist monarchy in Portugal, when he came back to the country years later. Therefore, he is a very important figure for both countries, and he in honored in the square. 

Also, right in front of Praça da Liberdade, you'll find Porto's town hall and a statue of the portuguese writer Alemeida Garret. 

Other monuments are located just a few meters from the square, such as Clerigo's tower and church, São Bento station and Santissima Trindade church. 

Besides the monuments, Praça da Liberdade is a great place to eat. It is surrounded by nice restaurants where you can have a nice Francesinha, typical Porto's dish - a ham, sausage and meat sanduich, with lots of melted cheese and scrambled egg, covered with a nice spicy sauce and served with french fries. I reccomend the restaurant Celeste, with fair price and other menu options, including pizzas and hamburguers.