A Day in Porto

Up, Up and Up the Stairs

The weatherman was right. It is on and off raining but John and I are dressed for it. John gave me a choice of doing the steps up to the old city or the funicular. Shockingly, I choose the steps. It is quite the work out.

Near the bottom of the stairs, there is a large area of wisteria hanging off the rock face.

Livraria Lello

I have a pre-booked, timed ticket to Livraria Lello, which is one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores. This 1906 building has a gorgeous neo-gothic facade and inside has a stained glass ceiling, wooden walls and an exquisite staircase. JK Rowling lived in Porto for 2 years and the interior is rumoured to be the inspiration for part of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books.

It’s 10€ to get into the bookstore however you get that off the cost of any book you purchase. There is a long line up to get in.

One of the staff reminds me of my eldest son. I ask him to recommend a Portuguese book for my son. He pulls out three. He describes them with so much passion. I decide on the one that he says ” carries the essence of being Portuguese” called Os Lusiadas.

This book shop is Porto’s most popular tourist attraction. It does not disappoint. Click here for a video of the bookshop.

Twin Churches and a Very Little House

The sun is beaming when I leave the bookshop. We head through a square with a pretty fountain to the twin churches of Igreja Carmo and Ingreja do Carmelites. These churches are separated by a 1 metre wide house in the middle. Check out the picture and see if you can spot the house.

Mercado do Bolhão

After grabbing a bite and booking some tours we head to Mercado do Bolhão. This market began in the mid 1800s…the best part about it is that you can buy a glass of port (wine etc) and walk around with it. So very civilized.

The food stalls usually have samples that you can buy which is a great opportunity to try small amounts instead of committing to a full meal. I try fresh scallops, raw sea urchin, white pineapple/strawberries and beef tartare. Yum.

Azulejo Churches

I’m feeling a bit of a port buzz as we continue on to check out a few churches.

A short walk away is Capella das Almas, (Chapel of Souls in English). The outside of this church is covered in beautiful, hand painted cobalt blue and white azulejos (ceramic tiles). The inside is also quite ornate but it’s the tiles that take centre stage.

We walk down a shopping street towards the next church on our list, passing the Majestic Cafe which is historic and beautiful and pricey…only $30 CAD for a tuna sandwich.

Igreja Paroquial de Santo Ildefonso is our next picturesque church. It is also covered in beautiful hand painted tiles.

World’s Most Beautiful McDonald’s

It starts to rain so we decide to have a quick break. We walk into what was once a historic cafe and is now a McDonalds. With its stained glass windows, opulent crystal chandeliers, grand mirrors and art nouveau reliefs, it is truly gorgeous. John gets a coffee and apple pie and I order a milk and a Snickers McFlurry.

A Traditional Supper

Leaving McDonalds, we realize that it is almost time for supper. Our guide from yesterday gave us a list of restaurants where the locals go for traditional Portuguese food.

We were still a bit early for supper because the traditional restaurants frequented by locals don’t seem to open until 6:30 or 7pm.

Stopping at a few souvenir shops along the way, we make our way to Casa Bragança which is near Igreja dos Clerigos. (The church with the big bell tower). We didn’t go up the bell tower because it is steep and very narrow…not good for the claustrophobic.

We get to the restaurant for 6:25pm and grab a table. Opening time is supposed to be 6:30pm. Within 10 minutes all tables are filled with locals and some tourists.

John orders the German sausage plate and I order the traditional Tripas Moda do Porto (cows stomach with white beans and rice). There is a lot of food so I take half of it back to the apartment.

Friday Night in Porto

After supper we head out for more exploring which for me includes checking out four souvenir shops. By shop number three or four, John is seeming a tad impatient so we head up the steep streets to a gorgeous lookout over the Douro River.

Then we go down, down, down through endless streets and corridors of stone steps. At one point I think we are lost but we just keep heading down until we reach the riverfront.

It’s Friday night and the area is filled with live music and people on patios and in bars. Now that the sun has set, I am feeling chilled so we walk back across the Luis 1 bridge into Vila Nova de Gaia which is the area we are stayng. Along the way we buy a small bottle of port and head back to the apartment.