During our trip to Portugal, we spent two nights in Porto. We stayed at Pousada do Porto – Rua das Flores which was very clean, new, and in a great location.
Porto
Similar to Lisbon, the buildings in Porto are covered in beautiful tiles. Unlike Lisbon, the sidewalks are wider and there is no “Portuguese pavement,” meaning no tiles on the streets that, when wet, get super slippery!
We enjoyed wandering around the city and made sure to visit Porto São Bento train station which is known for its ornate tilework.
Walk Across the Bridge: We woke up early one morning and meandered through the streets to the entrance of the Luís I Bridge. The walk across the bridge took less than 10 minutes and the views of the morning sunrise over Porto were beautiful.
Rua Tapas & Music Bar: This spot was recommended by a friend-of-a-friend who lives in Portugal. This was SUCH an enjoyable dinner. The food was tapas style, so we ordered a bunch of different dishes for the table. We made sure to order the “Francesinha,” which is Porto’s typical delicacy. And, while having our dinner, we listened to live music.
Mistu: This restaurant was recommended by Timur, our driver and tour guide. It offers an exceptional fusion of Portuguese and Asian cuisine with a stylish and cozy ambiance. We really loved the food, especially the artichoke lasagna!
Douro Valley
While staying in Porto, we visited the Duoro Valley for a day via AirBnB Experience.
Boat Ride Along the Duoro River: After driving about 1.5 hours from Porto, we arrived in the Duoro Valley and boarded a river boat for a ride along the Duoro River. The temperature was absolute perfect, the sun was shining, and we all were so happy to be in wine country together!
Olive Oil & Wine Tasting at D’Origem: After the boat ride, our next stop was a tasting at a quaint, family-owned winery where we did both olive oil and wine tasting. We learned that the lower the acidity of olive oil, the better it tastes. We very much enjoyed the Reserva Branco (white wine) and the Grande Reserva (red wine). They also served us Fisgas – Vinho Rosé, but it was very different from the rosé we drink at home. All in all, we loved the wines and decided to buy and ship a bunch of bottles back home!
Lunch at Cozinha da Clara: Before the trip, our tour guide sent us a few restaurant options and we were very happy that we chose this one! The executive chef, Pedro Cardoso, worked at the Six Senses Hotel in Regua and trained in many of the top restaurants in Portugal before starting Cozinha da Clara in 2017. Under his excellent guidance, the restaurant has established itself as one of the best in the area.
Port Tasting at Quinta do Seixo: After a delicious lunch, we did a port tasting. Although we enjoyed our port tasting, we all agreed that we prefer wine over port. We also agreed that the views from Quinta do Seixo were, by far, the best views of the day!
Of course we would have loved to spend unlimited days at the vineyards in the Duoro Valley, however a day trip while in Porto was also just as good and very much worth it!
Melanie & Cody 