Long Weekend in Porto
Porto, Portugal’s other “grande dame” of cities, is the perfect weekend getaway from Lisbon! How does this city compare? Well, the streets are wider, grander, and architecturally influenced by the ancient Romans. Lisbon in contrast, was influenced by the Moors, with its small, winding streets. The cuisine in Porto is also heavier, which hits you all at once as you try a francesinha (a beef sandwich layered with cheese, gravy and sausage)! Also how could we not mention this city’s claim to fame, port wine! The Douro Valley, located close to Porto, is considered a UNESCO Heritage Site. This area is officially considered one of the oldest demarcated vineyards in the world. So port tasting is a must when you visit!
Getting there
There are a few options to get to Porto from Lisbon – flying, the train, the bus and driving. We personally decided to take the train because it is a hassle-free, direct voyage. All trains to Porto depart from Santa Apolonia Station and it takes approximately three hours to get there. FYI it is cheaper to purchase a ticket roundtrip, which is approximately €60. The train is clean and spacious. There were some beautiful views of the countryside. Bring some snacks and a book to keep you company along the way! Since it was Valentine’s Day I was treated to a cup of heart-shaped gummies from my dear hubby.
Once you arrive in Porto Campanha station you will need to either transfer to the local train line or take a taxi to the city center. We took Uber, which runs efficiently throughout Portugal and is affordable. If your hotel or Airbnb is in the city center you should be able to walk to nearly all tourist destinations including the Ribeiro riverfront.
What to Do
What I love about Porto is the fact that there is so much to do but it is not overwhelming. You can easily enjoy all this city has to offer at a leisurely pace. That is what I call my ideal vacation! From food tours, port tastings, and museums to beautiful walks by the riverside, it is all up to you!
Igreja dos Clérigos
This beautiful church is a must see – both for the gorgeous, grand interior and for the 360 degree views from the bell tower! The architecture is quite unique, which allows you to gradually climb through the entirety of the church till you find yourself at the top of the tower. That being said, the style of the inner sanctum reminded me a great deal of churches in Tuscany due to the liberal use of colored marble/stone. Afterwards I found out the chief architect, Nicolau Nasoni was actually trained in Siena! Since we were visiting on Valentine’s Day the church offered a 2-for-1 ticket discount for couples. How sweet is that?
Compared to many of the churches and cathedrals in Lisbon this one felt more spacious and full of light. The ones in Lisbon are oftentimes full of dark wood panelling, natural, grey-toned stone and sombre. Note the stairs leading to the bell tower are narrow so you need to beware of opposing traffic on your way down or up! Is it only me or do bell towers remind you of Quasimodo and Esmerelda? The views are absolutely stunning from above. We were able to reach the top right around late afternoon when the sun was making its way down. The golden light was magnificent! You can even see all the way down to the waterfront promenade.
Waterfront & Luis I Bridge
Undoubtedly one of the classic views of Porto requires you to walk down to the waterfront. The streets become smaller, quainter and there are a multitude of cafes and places by the river to sit and enjoy the view. Across the river you’ll find the port tasting lodges. We ended up doing the river walk and port tastings on different days. But depending on how much time you have you can do everything in one day or separately. While you are near the river definitely take the time to admire the multiple bridges.
The most famous of the bridges is the Luis I, which has two levels. In fact it is the longest of its kind in the world! Take the time to cross the upper level to admire the fantastic views of Porto, a great place to take photos. Note you cannot access the top level from the riverside walk. You will need to take a side street before reaching the waterfront that leads to the upper part of the bridge. All of the lovely, arial photos you see of Porto are taken from this vantage point. If you’re due to have a port tasting this is a great time to walk across the bridge. Since all of the port lodges are across the river you will have to make it to the other side – either by foot or car.
Port Tasting
For those of you who love a nightcap or dessert liquor after dinner you will love port! Little did I know port originates from this very city until we moved to Portugal. Now I regularly tuck in a tiny glass after dinner. Admittedly this makes me feel a bit like a distinguished intellectual for some reason. Port is essentially sweet red wine that comes in a variety of types, the main distinctions being white, red and tawny. Although there are other producers of port wine in the world (e.g.- Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, India, South Africa, Spain and the US) according to EU law only those from Portugal can be deemed true “port.”
FYI there are many port lodges that offer tastings and tours. Some require advance booking. We chose to go to Taylor’s, which included a self-guided tour (including an audio guide) through the lodge where the wine is aged and stored. The entry fee also included a basic tasting of one red and white variety. Some of the lodges also offer food menus and are actually lovely places to enjoy lunch or a light dinner.
Our tour of Taylor’s cellars was impressive! There is more information than you could ever want beginning with varieties of grapes used, techniques for differentiating the different port types, background on the Douro valley and finally a company (family) historic overview. But what I really enjoyed was walking through aisles and aisles of barrels where this delicious liquor was aging. It reminded me a whole lot of visiting vineyards in Tuscany.
The tasting itself is fun and you can choose to supplement the complimentary glasses with additional tastings (even premium aged ones). I personally have a soft spot for tawny due to its rich and more complex flavor. An added bonus, the color is a jewel-toned amber color. You will undoubtedly have a great time whichever port house you choose to visit! But via word of mouth here are some of the especially highly rated ones – Graham’s Port Lodge, Ferreira, Taylor’s Port Cellar.
Coffee Break: The Majestic Cafe
After a morning and afternoon of strolling around a nice cuppa coffee is in order! Undoubtedly one of the best places to go for a memorable experience is the Majestic Cafe. Not only is it decorated with gorgeous baroque, art nouveau architecture but it has such a timeless ambiance. There is a special coffee you can try here, if you like sweet coffee drinks, called bom-bom. I’ll add it is quite sweet and is more like a dessert. But satisfying and refreshing nonetheless! The anatomy of a bom-bom consists of whipped cream and condensed milk. Interestingly, this is actually considered a Spanish-style coffee originating from Valencia.
This place reminds me so much of Paris and the Belle Epoque era. In fact, like that of Paris’ famous cafes, in the 1920s, the Majestic Cafe was a place for intellectuals and artists to gather and discuss politics, social, and philosophical topics of the day. This is where I would have probably hung out if I lived in Porto back then. Another extremely special aspect of this cafe is the fact that J.K Rowling wrote the first two chapters of the Sorcerer’s Stone here. Yes, you read that right, Rowling lived in Porto for a time! It won’t be the last time that you hear about Harry Potter references during your time here. It is clear Rowling had a love of historic places with a lot of room for the imagination.
Livraria Lello
Bookstores are one of my favorite places to go shopping! As a kid the one item I spent most of my allowance money on was books. If you are like me or have a love of Harry Potter this bookstore is a must-visit. Quite literally, this is probably the most beautiful bookstore I have ever seen. The architecture is incredibly ornate – the woodwork and stained glass remind me so much of a cathedral.
Keep in mind Lello is probably one of the most popular tourist destinations in Porto these days. So try and get here on a weekday morning. You also need to purchase a ticket in advance to get into the bookstore itself. The ticket entrance is not in the bookstore but on the side of the block. FYI you can redeem the value of your ticket if you buy a book. Keep in mind when we visited Livraria Lello it was February, typically low season. But there were so many people! I can only imagine how crowded and long the lines are in the summer. There are a few special edition classics that are created just for the bookstore – they are quite beautiful and would make nice gifts. If you are looking to buy something local they have editions of Fernando Pessoa’s works.
The staircase is undoubtedly one of the most interesting features of this bookstore. Apparently J.K Rowling was inspired to create the moving staircase at Hogwarts from these stairs. You will see along the walls of books busts of various famous literary figures as well. On the second floor there are a few old editions of rare books including an illustrated version of Winnie the Pooh!
What to Eat
I highly recommend you consider doing a food tour. There are multiple companies that offer this service because Porto is very much known to be a foodie town. This is also a wonderful opportunity to try some Northern Portuguese dishes. Here are some classic dishes you need to try!
Francesinha
Now this is the ultimate sandwich you will ever eat in a lifetime! If you are hungry and craving comfort food this is for you. But beware you may regret your decision afterwards because it will cause major food coma! Essentially a Francesinha is a sandwich that includes multiple layers – bread, ham, multiple types of sausage, roast meat, melted cheese, tomato sauce and beer. Often this is served with a side of french fries. Omph!
Roast Pork Sandwich
Although this sandwich looks deceptively simple it is exceptionally flavorful and juicy. Be prepared to have a mess on your hands! The pork is cooked for hours in a special broth and put on a toasty bun with cheese. Order a beer to go along with this gem. A cult favorite is A Casa Guedes, where lines frequently go out the door. As you sit down you may be offered some fried starters on a large tray by one of the servers (similar to croquettes). Try them! The shrimp option is delicious and codfish is classic.
Açorda de Gambas
This isn’t actually a Porto specialty but worth trying in Portugal in general. That being said, I tasted an exceptional version of this dish at Intrigo, one of the restaurants here near the waterfront. Açorda is essentially a bread stew and different variations are cooked in the colder months. The prawn version is absolutely delicious and in a country that boasts fresh seafood I highly recommend this one! Intrigo is also known for its artisanal bread, which is abundantly stuffed into this dish. The restaurant also has a beautiful view of the river and you can enjoy a meal al fresco.
Petiscos
This is also another food “item” that is not unique to Porto. Petiscos are essentially Portuguese tapas – think of various types of cheeses (goat, cow, old, young, etc.) and exquisite slices of cold cuts. Yes, Portugal excels in these industries just as much as Spain and Italy! The store owners of Comer e Chorar por Mais are more than happy to offer tastings (wine and petiscos) to visitors. You can learn a great deal about the wide variety of produce that Portugal has to offer! If you want to bring home some delicious things this is also the place to get them. If you prefer to just eat your way through petiscos for a proper sit-down meal there are plenty of restaurants and bars that have popped up throughout Porto where you can enjoy them.
Where to Stay
Considering this trip was in celebration of Valentine’s Day and my 30th birthday, I decided to treat ourselves! We stayed in the historic Infante Sagres Hotel at the heart of the city. This illustrious hotel has hosted famous guests including the Dalai Lama, Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands, Bob Dylan, Prince Edward of England and U2. The Infante Sagres was renovated relatively recently so everything about it is immaculate. Apparently the hotel was named after Prince Henry the Navigator, the renowned Portuguese adventurer who began the age of exploration. He was evidently born in Porto and also established a school of navigation!
The common areas are absolutely exquisite with antique, gilded furnishings and a grand staircase that showcases a stunning multi-story stain-glass window (photo below). Every time we walked downstairs we chose to take the stairwell just because it was so beautiful. That being said, the hotel features a vintage elevator that requires you to open a gate and has a plush leather bench to sit on! The room itself was spacious, with a desk, sitting area, and a gorgeous marble bathroom. I loved the toiletries offered as well – from a local brand, Claus Porto.
Absolutely recommend including breakfasts in your package because they were delicious! Not only are typical continental options available (e.g. croissants, pastries, coffee, tea) but hot, Portuguese food items are as well. If nothing is to your liking you can put in a personal order for items like hardboiled eggs, omelettes, pancakes and the like. The newly renovated Vogue Cafe, where the breakfasts are held, is chic with large mirrors, plush, velvet sofas, and framed pictures of fashion models.
Also a tip, if you travel in Portugal during the low season (the fall and winter months) you will benefit from smaller crowds and more affordable rates, the Infante Sagres included!
Finally, beyond the beautiful furnishings and food what clearly distinguishes a hotel from the rest is service! The staff at Infante Sagres received word it was my birthday and after breakfast brought over a generous slice of birthday cake and two glasses of champagne to our room. What a perfect way to feel pampered and toast to another decade!
End of Day
All in all it was a perfect birthday and Valentine’s Day getaway! As you can see there are tons of things to do in Porto. These are just some of the many things to enjoy. Have you been to this lovely city yet? Where are your favorite haunts? What are your favorite eats? Next time I would love to stay in the Douro valley in the warmer months or autumn when the vineyards are bursting with color and grapes!