Five reasons we host trips and workshops in Porto, Portugal
Portugal is suddenly popular and we know why: It’s a friendly, colorful, and fun place to be. In particular, we love Porto and this is the reason we’re holding an art workshop there in May. We are also starting two of our Camino walks there, in April and in September.
So you ask: What is it that we like so much? Here are our top 5 reasons for loving Porto:
A city with a view
Porto sits on the banks of the Douro River, providing great views across -- and up and down -- the waterway. The cathedral and other historic buildings tower up high on the bank while the houses, restaurants and shops meander down to the water.
You can sit and watch the boats go by, or turn and enjoy the colorful buildings, some with the city’s signature blue and white tiles. Or climb the tower at the cathedral for a bird’s eye view.
Cross the river by ferry, or walk across the Luis I Bridge, designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel. You can also look across to the Maria Pia railway bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel himself.
Wherever you turn, Porto is pleasing to the eye and lends itself wonderfully to plein air painting or simple wandering.
A great hotel
When in Porto, we stay at the Menina Colina Guest House. Constructed as a row house by a wealthy Porto family, it sat empty for 30 years before renovations by German investors converted it into a lovely, small hotel with just 12 rooms.
The renovations have been painstakingly carried out, as you can see from these photos, and each room is equipped with a comfortable bed and a brand new bathroom. To round things off, there’s a peaceful garden behind the hotel, complete with palm and banana trees.
The hotel lies just beside the historic part of Porto and in walking distance of two lovely parks. All of central of Porto is within walking distance. (Click to enlarge photos.)
A walkable city
You can walk everywhere within the historic part of Porto. There are churches covered in blue and white tiles, historic buildings, shops, cafes and restaurants and they can all be reached on foot. Indeed, they are all easily accessible from our hotel.
The most dramatic walk of all takes you across the Luis I Bridge at a height of 150 feet as it spans the River Douro.
You can even walk to the beach, some three miles down the river to the Atlantic. Once there, you can take a vintage tram back to the city.
A city of color
Drab grays are not for the Portuguese. Most buildings are painted colorfully or are indeed faced with ceramic tile. There are entire churches covered in hand-painted blue and white tile. The historic train station’s entry hall is walled in grand scenes, each painted on tiles.
And don’t forget the red terracotta tile roofs on the buildings up and down the banks of the Douro.
And when evening comes, the sky and the river darken to a deep blue to be accented by golden street and house lights.
Good food
Yes, there are great restaurants. Porto has come a long way since the days of salted cod alone. Situated close to the ocean, fresh seafood remains a staple, but there is so much more. But it is not just the restaurants that are worth a visit.
Check out a café. The coffee is good and the selection of pastries is outstanding. Our personal favorite are the custard cups, or Pasteis de Nata. There is one shop we stop at late at night where all they sell are Pasteis de Nata. On a busy weekend they can sell 5000 in a single day. And aside from eating them, the best part is watching them being made by hand right there, behind glass.
So there you have it: Our top 5 reasons why we have scheduled Porto into three of our trips next year. Of course we’d love you to join us. Here are links to our upcoming trips in Porto:
