People divide into two parts: ones believe Lisbon is the best place to visit in Portugal, the others say that Porto in uncountable better. As of me, maybe I can’t chose from any of them, as today both have their place in my hearth. But let’s start our journey from Porto, which was my first stop in Portugal.
As soon as I arrived to Lisbon, I went out from the airport and found the bus stop from where I took mine and headed to Porto. I had a hotel booked in a quiet area, not very far from the center, so it was very easy to reach it by bus or metro. A cozy old neighborhood, colorful houses, welcoming stuff. First impression was heartwarming 🙂 The check-in was done, and after some time spent resting in the room it was time to go out and enjoy the city. It was coming close to the evening and the best decision at that moment was to go to another side of the Douro river and catch some magic. The metro was crossing the river over the famous Luis I bridge. There were a lot of people hanging in the Miradouro do Jardim do Morro, which was a small garden on the hill with a viewpoint looking over the river. People were sitting on the ground, enjoying some live music and watching the sunset. When people told me that sunsets are different here, I didn’t believe. For me sunsets are always beautiful, but I really could not imagine I could have such a breathtaking one here. It was definitely the best colorful and magical sunset I ever saw, the one that made me cry from happiness. I could not believe my eyes and the reality I was there. So excited…
The bridge I was talking about is called Luis I bridge, which is an arched bridge with two levels, where the low-level carries the road & a high-level metro line between Porto & Vila Nove de Gaia. This is one of the well known spots for the iconic photos as it has spectacular views over the Douro river and the riverside. So if you want to have pictures like postcards, you must take a walk over this masterpiece of engineering and architecture. This iconic bridge shines differently after the dawn once the lights come up. On both side of the river you will meet people singing, playing musing and showing different tricks. It’s a place for the iconic pictures and fun atmosphere. But what you have to remember before going to Porto is to take the best and most comfortable shoes as you’ll need to go up and down the steps all the time. The city (the main part of it) is quite walkable, but get ready to have burning legs after 😉
But what is Porto more famous for? What comes up when you search some information on this place? Exactly, that are churches and some other buildings covered with blue painted/glazed ceramic tiles, called Azulejo. Each building that has these tiles tells a story. If you look carefully on them, you will see not only nice painted tiles, but a big piece of art on giant walls of churches and not only. One of the best spots to see such blue stories is to get inside the São Bento train station, even if you don’t plan any trip from there.
Another place I would suggest to pay attention is the Cathedral of Porto, which is built in the highest part of the city, next to the walls that once protected the city. Take your time to visit the cloister and check all the walls decorated with with blue glazed tiles. This is one more fantastic location with impressive views over the city from the square and wine cellars on the waterfront.
Here I’ve selected the best places for you to check these signature spots. Don’t miss them during your visit, as each of them is a unique piece of Art. But don’t forget to look around when you walk in the downtown, as you will see the different type of Azulejos all around 😉
- São Bento train station
- The cathedral of Porto (Sé do Porto)
- Capela das Almas (Chapel of Souls)
- Igreja de Santo Ildefonso
All the above mentioned places you can go whenever you want, visit them without big queues or needs to buy tickets in advance. But if you want to visit the Bolsa Palace, which I would really recommend not to miss, bare in mind that you should check the entrance time, as they have only guided tours that last for 30 minutes and don’t allow single entrances. You may also buy your tickets here, if you don’t want to stay in a queue or wait for another group to start. Even though you don’t have desired free time to spend in each room to check details or take pictures, this is one of the cases, when having a guided tour is a great idea as the guide tells you so much about the place, each room/door/wall/decoration separately that you couldn’t even imagine. What you should expect to see here are the great Noble staircase, Court & Jury rooms, President room and Library and much more. But I would separate two places: Gustave Eiffel Cabinet, where the well known French engineer is believed to have developed some of his most iconic projects, and the Arabian room, which has totally different architecture and engraved decorations in Arabic style.
You may also ask – where is Livraria Lello, the famous bookstore that everyone goes to take nice pictures and rarely buy some books? Sorry guys, when I saw there the line for the entrance, how long it was, I decided to save my time and spend it for some other emotions here. Porto is not only about the picturesque buildings, but some nature, views and the feelings. One of the well known and beloved attractions of visitors is to take a tram ride. There are several routes you can take. Some take you to the most touristic places, for which you should usually wait in a queue. But I decided to take another direction. Tram N1 is still an old touristic vehicle and if you get inside, you will have around half an hour to enjoy the coastal view during the ride. I got out at the station Passeio Alegre (which I think was tha last station here) and started to walk towards the river beach. But what I saw broke my heart in a good way. There was a ligthouse standing at the age, after which the river Douro ends and the endless waves of Atlantics comes to welcome you. Remember the name, Farolim de Felgueiras, standing here from the 19th century. There was a way to walk close, but as closer you get, as scarier it becomes. Scarier, because you feel how tiny you are compared to the world. Here you see only the boundless waters of the ocean, which waves comes and splashes over the rocks. This was the second time I had tears on my eyes from the happiness, happiness of having the chance to feel this power of our Nature. Thanks, Universe ❤
If you look for another part of the life in Porto, I would suggest to visit the Bolhão Market, where you can see local people selling everything: fruits and vegetables, flowers, olives, seafood, which by the way you can taste just there, as there are places where you can ask to cook them for you. If you wish, some wine options are also available. If you wish some coffee and local sweets, my advice would be to visit Confeitaria do Bolhão, which is just in front of that market. Believe me, you will have the best choice of the delights to taste here: don’t miss Pastel de Nata! But if you’re looking for something to have for lunch or dinner, don’t hesitate to try Francesinha, which is a local authentic sandwich, made with toast layers and roasted meat, covered with a juicy souce. It’s very tasty 😉
And as it was written on the steps in one of the shopping centers, o Porto is not a place, it’s a feeling ❤
My Life in Travel 