Porto, Portugal

 Porto, Portugal

Luis I Bridge a great place to have a cocktail and watch the boats go by!

My husband and I visited Porto the first time on a loop tour that took us from Madrid to Sevilla, Spain, and then driving the whole coast of Portugal to Santiago de Compostela continuing the drive along the northern Spain coast ending in Barcelona. On our next trip we returned to Porto and began our Camino Portuguese, a walk from Porto to Santiago de Compostela.  We are in love with PORTO.

The first thing you will notice about Porto is the tile, it decorates everything.                        It is mostly blue tile- but we did see more modern buildings with other colors.

even some yellow tiles

Honestly the best thing to do is just wander around Porto's winding back streets making your own discoveries of cool little restaurants and local shops. If you think you are lost, just keep heading downward to the river and then find the main road back up, and up and up.

  

If you don't have time to wander aimlessly, then here are suggestions of fun things to do in Porto. 

Walk down to the river, take the backstreets. Along the river there are bars and restaurants. I would suggest just a coffee or a cocktail along the river, because there are far better food choices up the hill. People watching and seeing the iconic Luis I Bridge up close is a treat.  

there is a staircase going up and down- test your fitness level

I liked going down to river using the back alleys 

or you can pay about 4 euro to take the funicular back up (there was a small line when we were there, so we took it up- but even this small line moved slowly.)  Walking up is quicker.

My advice is to wander up (and up and up) the back streets that snake slowly up the hill. These back streets are located on the ocean side of the Luis I bridge.

But while you are down on the river, cross the bridge and do a port wine tasting at any of the port wine tasting rooms. We picked Calem. 

Painel de Azulejos Ribeira Negra- Coming back from the port wine tasting room, go over the bridge and bear left, have a look at this beautiful work of art that stretches a roadway. It dates to 1984 by Julio Resende. It is right before a tunnel (google map it)

Mercado do Bolhao- opened in 1914, it just recently underwent renovations. It is open everyday but Sunday 8am- 8pm. Snacks, flowers food, handmade items- really fun.

Porto Cathedral- ground breaking in 1110 , year  completed 1737. Small fee to see inside.

If you are walking the Camino to Santiago de Compostela you can get your pilgrim passport (your first stamp) and shell at this Cathedral. The views from the main plaza are incredible

very ornate

the spectacular view

If you are starting your Camino at the Cathedral- it is 248 km to Santiago de Compostela

Our shells and Pilgrims passports

Livraria Lello- a Harry Potter like bookstore that has grown in such popularity that you need to buy timed tickets in order to enter.  I was on that side of town, and the line wasn't bad, so I went online and got the tickets. The place was CROWDED, they let way too many people in at one time.  Anyway, I got to stand on the famous staircase and it was gorgeous!

And look up at the stained glass ceiling.

This photo was found on their website

This is my  photo I cropped- you can still kind of see  all the heads at the bottom of the pic.

Mural Vhils- street art.  This was really a fun walk.  We spent some time strolling along the Douro river at river level. We wandered up and down the streets looking at the art. We stopped in a cafe for a beer, and then we spotted an ESCALATOR...so we took it up- it was actually 2 different escalators (both free), which took us from river level  to about halfway to the Crystal Palace gardens that we wanted to visit next. It was a crazy helpful find.

This mural resembles my grandmother

I love a good back alley

1 of 2 escalators going UP in a residential area

 Jardins do Palacio de Cristal- this was a delightful and unexpectedly beautiful park.  The overlook above the Douro and the gardens made for a really nice stroll.

manicured and free form gardens throughout the park

and tons of posing peacocks

view from the edge of the park

If you have extra time in Porto consider taking a wine tour.  We chose an all day tour that picked us up at the hotel, brought us to a winery. Then we had a boat ride, then stopped for lunch and lastly a stop at a second winery.  It was a great day to do this because it was off and on rain all day. The Douro Valley was beautiful and the wine delicious.

the terracing done to plant the vineyards

The boat ride with history lessons

first winery

2nd winery

Clerigos Church and Tower-  During the day you can climb the tower but at night there is a really cool laser show inside this church that dates to 1732.  The money raised by these light shows goes to the preservation of the church.  It was really a good show!  If you go online you can see videos of this Spiritus show. 

 Hint: get there early to sit in the back ,so your neck doesn't hurt from looking up!

The beauty of Porto is found all around.  The small details, the wonderfully friendly shop keepers  (the Portuguese people are the best!!!) make this city a worldwide treasure.

This owner stayed late and sat and had a drink with us.

coat of arms- guess they played dominoes and cut people's tongues out??

holy water font

mosaic made from wine corks

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There are places that we didn't see that are on my list for next time- some were under construction, so the areas were closed, other places we just didn't have time for:

Ribeira Square

Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar

Igrega do Carmo

Igrega de Santa Clara

Chapel of Souls

Monument Church of St Francis

Bolsa Palace

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Good- bye Porto until we meet again!