If you get a chance to visit
Portugal, you simply cannot miss the picturesque city of Porto. A must see in
every way, Porto is easily one of my favorite cities amongst all our travels.
Located in the north end of the country, Porto is equal parts beach town, wine
country, and bustling city. Easy to access by train, Porto is only a couple
hours away from Lisbon, making it an ideal respite from the busy capital. We
spent our trip sipping wine while taking in the passing countryside from the
comfort of a train. Not a bad way to get around.
Porto is exactly what you think of
when you picture Portugal. The city's ancient structures are covered in
gorgeous Azulejo tiles of all colors and designs, giving the city a bit of a
patchwork quilt feel. Even the newer structures often incorporated the tiles
into their design. The Azulejo tile was introduced to Portugal by the Moors and
made popular by King Manuel I who brought tiles from Seville to decorate his
palace at Sintra in 1503. Both beautiful and practical, the tiles not only
provide a lovely aesthetic, but they also help to keep the interiors cool in
Portugal’s warm climate. As if the city needed another reason to be beautiful,
the tiles are like jewelry on a well-dressed woman.
We spent a lovely weekend in Porto
where we port tasted at an iconic cellar, dined in style, walked the beach, and
relaxed in the sunshine. Below I've created a guide to the perfect weekend in
Porto. I hope that someday we’ll be back again to revisit these highlights
ourselves!
Where to Drink
Porto is the home of port wine, so
of course, visiting a port cellar is a must. Graham's Port was established in
1820 and this family-owned establishment has been producing port from the Douro
region for a couple of centuries. Let's just say, practice makes perfect. Not
that I’m a port connoisseur, I mean, this was my first experience tasting port,
but you start with the best, right? My favorite part about visiting Graham's,
aside from the lovely port offerings, was the breathtaking view. Located on the
Vila Nova de Gaia across the Douro River from downtown Porto, the lodge is an
easy Uber ride from central Porto. Guests can enjoy a port tasting on the deck
while taking in the iconic two-tier bridge that connects Porto and Gaia (the city
on the south side of the bridge), easily one of the most beautiful sweeping
views of the city.
We sampled a number of ports,
including white port (I know, who knew?!). Turns out, I LOVE port... but mostly
the aged ports. My favorite was the 20 year aged Tawny Port which had a
slightly nutty taste and an elegant, smooth finish. The consistency of port is
a bit more viscous than wine, and I found that I really enjoyed the smaller
pours and thicker feel to port. We loved the 20 year port so much that we
bought a bottle to bring home in our suitcase, as well as some smaller
"pocket shot" sized bottles to enjoy on the trip. We skipped the 45
minute tour and opted to just relax on the deck and enjoy the views with our
drinks.
Where to Stay
The Intercontinental Palacio dasCardosas was our favorite hotel stay during our time in Portugal. From the moment
we arrived, we were graciously welcomed and treated to complimentary cocktails
in the bar. Our room overlooked Liberdade Square, a gorgeous historic square
with a large monument and a constant flow of people. Only a block away from the
main train station, the hotel was more than ideally located. But even more than
our gorgeous view and the convenience, the service stands out to us as a
highlight of our stay. Included in our stay, brunch each morning was everything
you could hope for and more. Ryan enjoyed an expertly prepared omelet or eggs
benedict each morning and though the vegan offerings were not plentiful, the
manager asked the chef to prepare some perfectly grilled vegetables and a bountiful
bowl of my favorite cut fruit. We sipped on almond milk lattes for hours,
enjoying a leisurely start to each day of our vacation in Porto. We would stay
there again in a heartbeat.
Views from our room and a pic in the hotel lobby.
Where to Dine
Astoria Restaurant: This is the anchor restaurant in
the Intercontinental Hotel, but it was much lovelier than you might think when
picturing a hotel eatery. Astoria Restaurant was fine dining at its best. It was the kind of
warm, quiet, unobtrusive service where your water glass was filled and your breadbasket
replenished without skipping a beat, err bite. Every dish was expertly
prepared. My favorite was an heirloom tomato salad with charred scallions... a
dish I will certainly be recreating at home. The bartender knows their way
around a cocktail menu, as our drinks were also top notch.
Essencia: This restaurant was quite a find.
Mostly vegetarian, this restaurant offers what Ryan would refer to as the best
of both worlds by boasting vegan and vegetarian fare along with fish and meat.
We each got to order exactly what we wanted, but we overlapped on our
enthusiasm for the chilled avocado soup which, manners aside, was quite good
especially when sopped up with freshly baked bread. Essencia is located in a
residential neighborhood in Porto, north of where we stayed in the
central part of town, but still an easy 10 minute cab ride from the train
station and our hotel. The inside of the restaurant was quiet and romantic from
the low lighting and warm color palette of the decor, we felt as relaxed and free
flowing as the wine we sipped... a lovely chilled white wine, by the way, that
was about 15 euro for the whole bottle.
Where to Play
Gaia Beach Boardwalk: Though
downtown Porto is lovely and busy, we enjoyed our time in Gaia a bit more. Just
across the Douro River, Gaia offers a more laid-back experience. We spent a
lovely morning walking the boardwalk on the coast. The boardwalk runs between
Vila Nova de Gaia and Espinho in North Portugal, spanning 20 km and featuring a
salty breeze from the Atlantic Ocean. Restaurants and bars dot the boardwalk,
so there are plenty of places to stop for a drink. We took an Uber to the south
end of the trail and walked for a couple of hours before hailing an Uber back
to the hotel. It was definitely a highlight of our trip!
Gaia Riverfront: The riverfront on
the Southside of the Douro River feels like a mix between Copenhagen and
Prague, but beachy. This is the perfect place to watch the sunset, and to
people watch. It was a mecca of culture teeming with tourists and street
artists. We enjoyed browsing the artisan stands which featured locally made
arts and crafts created from tile and cork. Eventually we found a stairwell
tucked off the street so we could enjoy the people watching and the setting
sun.
Where to Shop
Casantonio: This little boutique was located right up the hill from Liberdade Square and only a block or two away from the train station on R. de 31 de Janeiro. Featuring all locally-made products, Ryan and I both found pieces that will remind us of our wonderful trip. Ryan snagged a woven belt and I came away with several pieces of jewelry, all designed and produced within Portugal. The prices were reasonable and the quality was excellent.
Casa do Chocolate: I am a sucker for dark chocolate so when I see a place that's literally called House of Chocolate, I am going in. Made in Portugal since 1933, Casa do Chocolate (aka Arcadia chocolates) featured a number of 70% or higher dark chocolates including ones speckled with almonds and hazelnuts, two of my favorite chocolate and nut combos. They also offer local port tastings that they pair with their house chocolates for a reasonable price.
