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Trip Report
Lovely Porto: sightseeing, wine tasting and beach time
When I walked around Porto I felt in a very familiar place.
+ 4
EuropePortugal1 day / December 2015
Highs & Lows
It is very easy to understand the native language, getting to wine cellars and discover the unforgettable Lello Bookstore.
If you are a vegetarian, you will not love their typical food... anyway there are lots of places to get your veggies.
Itinerary Overview
Everything started at the Lisbon airport on December 25, since I got off the plane I was super excited. I just wanted to know each place, and take photos everywhere with all those art works. The bus took me to Porto, on a simple 3 hours trip to my friend's place at Rua do Rosário. Porto is full of magic, incredible architecture and possesses a warm atmosphere to explore by foot, among tiles and cobble.
During one of my outings I met the San Silvestre marathon athletes at Praça da Liberdade, the most important plaza in Porto. This place connects old and modern Porto, here you may walk the Avenida dos Aliados, or go up to the Torre dos Clérigos(from where you can get an amazing view from the whole city). On the oposit side of the plaza, at walking distance you arrive at Rua Santa Catarina, which is the most important commercial area in Porto, (the place where the first Zara store outside Spain was installed) where I enjoyed a delicious coffee and bought some things I needed.
From the bridge D. Luís you get one of the most impressive views from the city by day and by night. From here you get an incrible panoramic view, the famous wine cellars, the incredible Douro river, the pictures old town (impressive sun set) and the touristic Ribeira.
I enjoyed every place, every walk or trip, by bus or tram. Walking on the riverside to Foz do Douro was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, the place where the Douro River and the Atlantic Ocean meet.
Livraria Lello Magical place for culture
You get surprised when you see the big que just to enter a bookstore, even it is considered to be one of the most famous and most beautiful in the world. Visited by more than a million people every year. It is located in the historic center at Rua das Carmelitas 144, near the Clerigos Tower. This is an unmissable place on your journey through Porto: myths have been told about it, such as that some scenes from the Harry Potter saga were filmed at this place, Though if it had been a perfect place to do it. Nowadays, for just 5 euros you can visit the bookstore. It did not used to be like this, according to my friends. Still, it is a fantastic place for your imagination to fly, while you enjoy the details of each corner.
Praça Ribeira Romantic, cultural and cozy
Romantic, tourist and magical, in addition of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ribeira do Porto is a place that welcomes you in its narrow streets. The iconic buildings and its proximity to the Douro River are mystical. Here you may find not just a great variety of cafes and restaurants but also sculptures, art works and of course more colored tiles. Ribeira his also the typical starting point to walk over to famous Porto wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Foz do Douro Calm down and meditate
I went to this place to meet the calm of the sea in a deep meditation, resulting that the Douro river meets its Atlantic ocean there, since in winter the beaches were almost empty, so I could enjoy the sound of the sea In all its splendor, a cold wind beat and the waves came with force, the whole landscape seemed charming to me, only a few streets found restaurants for all tastes, some with a Michelin star.
Just before sun set walk along the Foz do Douro Boulevard and next to the beach, enjoy an amazing end of day...
Q & A
What would you have changed?
End of Spring, Summer or at the beginning of Autum, so you can enjoy the awesome beach's.Anything go wrong during the trip?
Everything perfect.Restaurant recommendations?
I didn’t enjoy the typical food.Tips you would give a friend?
Stay alert as a kid to enjoy everythng, forget the mapTransportation Tips?
Walk as much as possible