Experience the Charm of Porto

Our three-day visit to Porto exceeded all expectations. This city offers a perfect balance between sightseeing and relaxation, making it an ideal destination for a short break from daily life.

The beauty of the city is that it has not lost its authenticity and character despite tourism and globalization, or it certainly seems that way. Amidst the stores built especially for tourists, there are houses of locals going about their daily lives and drying their laundry outside.

For All the Foodies

In the South of Europe, they definitely know how to eat, and Porto is no different. It's a coastal city, so you should try seafood and fish, which Portugal is particularly famous for. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at the restaurant Terreiro, where I would recommend to try the spaghetti with shrimps paired with Portugal's famous green wine.

[An excursion]

Vinho Verde is a Portuguese wine that has its origins in the historic province of Minho in the far north of the country. Vinho Verde is not a grape variety, but takes its name from the way it is made. The name means “green wine”, but is translated as “young wine”, whereby the wine is released three to six months after the grapes are harvested. They may be red, white or rose.

A popular tourist destination, yet worth a visit because it's such a cool place, is the Time Out Market Porto. The concept of the Time Out Market, named after the Time Out Magazine, offers a unique concept: a food and cultural market bringing the best local chefs, restaurants, bars and cultural experiences together under one roof curated by Time Out's experts. This allows you to sample dishes from various chefs, each with their own kitchen space within the market. The spacious market hall has long tables where people enjoy their meals, usually paired with a glass of wine. There's also a courtyard for outdoor seating.

Last foodie tip: Eat as many Pastel de Nata as possible. Pastel de Nata is a Portuguese egg custard tart pastry, optionally dusted with cinnamon.

Douro Wine Tour

Douro is a Portuguese wine region centred on the Douro River and only a few hours away from Porto. The region is best know for its port wine, one of Portugal's most famous exports. We couldn't miss the opportunity to experience the beautiful Douro valley and all it's wineries. We did a tour that included a visit of two wineries, a river cruise and lunch.

Port wine is a very sweet red wine, and therefore often served with dessert. We tried a few different ones, some of them were a few decades old and very strong. It may not be to everyone's taste, but visiting the wine growers is also an interesting insight into the history and economy of Portugal.

What We Explored in Three Days

While there's a lot to see in Porto, it has the perfect size to explore it on foot. You can wander through the city and visit the different cathedrals and architectural highlights.

To gain an overview of the city, this is what we did: We strolled around La Ribeira, one of the liveliest neighbourhoods in Porto, crossed the Dom Luís I Bridge, walked along the waterfront, enjoyed a drink, and then hopped on the Gaia Cable Car. It's a short ride but offers one of the best panoramic views on Porto. From the highest point, you can see the river on its way to the ocean, the Dom Luis I bridge, the beautiful Ribeira district, and the red rooftops of the port wine cellars.

One of my highlights was the Livraria Lello, one of Portugal's oldest bookstores and arguably one of the most beautiful I have ever visited. The architecture of the building is remarkable, and the expansive interior is characterized by a forked staircase leading to a first-floor gallery with detailed wooden balusters. The books have a particular Lello style, as I like to call it, and I couldn't resist buying one. They offer books in many different languages to accommodate all the tourists.

Biggest downside: you have to buy a ticket online and wait in line, as it's very crowded. Once inside, you probably won't be alone. The ticket cost is offset by the purchase of a book.

Tiles Of Portugal

The blue and white tiles can really be seen everywhere in the city and give the city's historic buildings a very special charm. We took some of our photos at Sao Bento train station, the Igreja do Carmo and the Igreja da Ordem do Terco. But to be honest, just take the time to stroll around the city, look inside buildings and churches and let it all sink in, the city has so many beautiful corners. Apparently the city also has the most beautiful McDonalds in the world, but we missed that one. :)

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These are some of our recommendations after spending three days in Porto. If you think we missed anything, please share it in the comments and I'll take this as a prompt to book another flight to Portugal :)