After visiting Porto I have already enjoyed Portugal twice. This time it has not been for as many days as in Lisbon, but it has been quite an intense trip. Besides, the planning of my trip to Porto was not as full of things to see as in other trips and we have improvised as we saw fit.
First, we took a direct flight from Bilbao to the Portuguese city. At the airport itself there is a Metro station where you can buy a card, charge it and travel to the very centre of Porto.
As they eat there earlier than in Spain and we arrived at a rather odd hour, we opted to eat at McDonald's. You might think we went for the easy way out, which is true, but McDonald's in Porto is the most beautiful I've ever been to. Located at Avenida dos Aliados, this international restaurant has stained-glass windows and chandeliers that are super Art Deco. Another fast-food place that surprised us was Frankie Hot Dogs (Rua do Alamada 255) for the number of different hot dogs on its menu.
The next step was to leave the suitcases in the apartment we had booked through Booking: "Oporto Urban Stays". The accommodation is very well located but the soundproofing is non-existent and you can hear absolutely everything that happens in the street. On top of that, that day there was a Porto football team party and if we had known about it we would have joined because we couldn't sleep at all.
Photo: Pexels
From the beginning of our stay to the end, the people of Porto treated us phenomenally, they were all very kind. They make themselves understood and make an effort to understand you. After dropping off our luggage we headed to the Sé Cathedral, which is free to enter. One of the best things to do in Porto is to wander aimlessly through its narrow streets and so we did. It's not uncommon to come across colourful murals around a corner.
After descending some hills we arrived at Cais da Ribeira, the promenade along the Douro river from where you can see the emblematic Ponte Dom Luís I. Every day we passed by there were street musicians, a great atmosphere and fluttering seagulls. And it's also the departure point for the boats that make the six-bridge tour. We took the Six Bridges Cruise through Civitatis. It's a 50-minute tour that costs €15 per person.
The Don Luis I Bridge can be crossed from above or below and at the other end is Vila Nova de Gaia. Once there, you can climb to a viewpoint, Miradouro da Serra do Pilar, from where you can see Porto: a beautiful view that is well worth the effort. Vila Nova de Gaia is home to most of the Port Wine cellars. Another good plan is to visit one of the wineries (guided tours with tasting cost around €5) and taste their wine. We tried a couple of drinks at Sandeman.
Photo: Pexels
The first thing we did on the second day in Porto was a FreeTour. Ours was organised by 1-2 Tours and lasted two and a half hours. This one starts at Praça da Liberdade and the first thing they show you is Sao Bento Station, where you can discover a lot of things just by looking at the blue and white tiles there. They show you some of the most characteristic points of the city while telling you interesting facts. That's what I like most about the FreeTours.
Before lunch, when there are fewer people waiting, we went to buy tickets to enter the Livraria Lello. There are usually a lot of people and the entrance ticket is not bought in the bookshop, but in a store next to it, in a corner with a red sign. The entrance fee is 5€ but if you want to buy a book (there are books available in several languages) the cost is deducted from the total price. It is said that J.K. Rowling was inspired by this bookshop (the stairs, the trolley to transport the books...) and that is why it is now so famous. As fans began to flood the bookshop, they decided to start charging admission so as not to suffer losses. Truthfully you shouldn't miss it.
Photo: Pixabay
Our last day was a totally improvised treasure hunt. For that day we had planned to visit Aveiro and go through Costa Nova, without any specific timetable. We bought some train tickets and before 10am we were already in Aveiro. On arrival, we headed to the tourist office for recommendations and a map.
We explored a bit and decided to get on a Moliceiro boat to navigate the canals for 10€ each. The guide, very friendly, said he would speak to us in "Portuñol" and at one point greeted a man wearing an umbrella as a hat. He caught my attention and told me that in a nearby village, called Águeda, the AgitÁgueda Festival is held during the month of July. It is a colourful event that is well worth seeing, so when we got off the boat we didn't hesitate to visit it.
We went back to the train station, which is not very close to the centre of Aveiro but that day we felt like walking, bought Aveiro-Agueda tickets for 3.80€ each way and set off for Águeda on a train full of graffiti. As soon as we arrived we saw a sign explaining the route. Following the signs, it didn't take long to find the first streets full of colourful bow ties, bright fringes, graffiti on stairs, decorated lampposts, hanging umbrellas... I even bought an umbrella-hat for 2.50€. We ate a huge hot dog plus a drink for just 2.90€ at a place called Pastelaria Lotus and got back on the train (eating cheaply and in large quantities is easy in Portugal).
On the way back to Aveiro we took the Aveiro-Costa Nova bus (there are quite a few during the day, but you'd better check the frequency) and were able to see the famous striped coloured houses. Another beautiful town. It also has a great beach to end the day on. To get back, just take the bus next to the tourist office and if you miss it and it's a long way to the next one, the one-way taxi fare is around €15.
It was undoubtedly an exhausting day, but one of those that are worth it and will stay in your memory forever. Obviously, this planning could have been done in a more relaxed way, but if you have little time and a lot of desire, that's all there is to it. What did you think? Do you have any other recommendations for those visiting Porto and its surroundings? Leave your comment! And if you want to know about other trips I've made to Europe, keep exploring.
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