Our prayers were answered as we woke up to glorious weather. With the sun shining, we quickly adjusted our plans to revisit some of the stunning churches from yesterday, as the blue sky would really make the tiles pop.
The Cat – a bright blue painted one, and a real ginger one. Obviously he deserved a bit of money as we couldn’t see him go hungry! Unfortunately the Cat Momma hadn’t seen my Momma put her money in, and started telling her off for taking a photo and ‘not paying’. Despite her earnest attempts to communicate (by repeatedly pointing at the coins and herself) the lady remained unconvinced, and carried on muttering to herself as we walked off (if only we could understand Portuguese!)
Livraria Lello – another ‘most beautiful’ and this time it’s a bookshop. Thanks to Instagram and TikTok, its popularity has skyrocketed, fueled by rumors that JK Rowling found inspiration for Harry Potter here (even though she has said multiples times that this isn’t true, she’s never even visited!) The entry fee of โฌ8 is credited towards a book purchase, and we secured our timed tickets. Once inside you get the glorious scent of an old book shop, as well as by an art nouveau staircase and colorful stained glass above. However, it was absolutely rammed inside, with everyone trying to get that perfect candid shot. Whilst it truly felt like stepping into Hogwarts, the throngs of people made it hard to fully appreciate the architecture or browse the booksโespecially with prices soaring three times higher than at Waterstones!
Majestic Cafe – the one where JK definitely went! Itโs adorned with antique mirrors, marble sculptures, and an intricately decorated ceiling, making this Art Nouveau gem a feast for the eyes. We were very lucky as we didnโt have to queue at all, but with such an iconic cafe comes an eye-watering price. But we still settled in for a hot drink and pastel de nata while indulging in some people-watching.
With our bellies full, we made our way back to the bridge, ready to cross over to Gaiaโthe heart of port wine since the 17th century. There was a group of lads lads lads getting ready to jump off the bridge, so of course Momma got ready to take a photo. Cue the non-jumping friend shaking a plastic cup for some Euros. Momma informed him she wasn’t taking a photo of the jumper.. but he definitely knew this was a massive fib! Gaia has over 60 port cellars in the area and 20 open to the public, and it was time for some tastings. Even though Momma doesnโt drink, I managed to coax her into a spot of day drinking, and we enjoyed a Sandeman whilst overlooking the Douro River. We explored Taylorโs, Cockburnโs, and Cรกlem, marveling at their extensive port collections and gift shops. And of course, we took advantage of their complimentary toilet facilities! We had planned of going on the cable car for some panoramic views, but obviously this was down for maintenance…
Half rabbit – made from recycled materials and rubbish collected from the city. Positioned at the corner of a building, one half is a burst of colors, whilst the other displays the original hues of the materials – hence the name ‘Half Rabbit’. We walked past this quite a few times whilst exploring Gaia, and we couldnโt resist pausing to admire this creative masterpiece!
Sunset – we had planned to watch the sunset from Jardim do Moro, but the overwhelming scent of weed sent us walking up a hill to a nearby monastery instead. We found the perfect spot and positioned ourselves ready to watch the sun go down. Momma then had a tap on the shoulder, and was given the universal sign of โcan you move, we want to get inโ. She definitely wanted to give them the universal sign to โf offโ, but instead politely declined, telling them we had been there ages. The sunset might not have been the most spectacular, but it was still a nice moment to reflect on our lovely few days in Porto.
Time Out Porto – the ultimate solution when you have no idea what you want to eat. There were lots of fantastic food stalls, and if you love fish, then this is the place to go. If you’re like us and fish is your idea of hell, there are still plenty of options. We had the most delicious pizza and mushroom risotto.
Goodbye Porto – our final morning, and as we prepared to say goodbye to Porto, we squeezed in a few final church visits and a stroll along the river. Of course, we couldnโt leave without one last pastel de nata from the renowned Castro! The Uber ride to the airport was smooth sailing, and all was going well with getting home until a security mishap: I completely forgot about the Um Bongo in my bag! Cue a bollocking from the security lady.
Porto is a perfect โ48hr cityโ, and could definitely be done as an extreme day trip. There are lots of hills to climb, but itโs so compact meaning itโs very easy to get about and see everything. From churches to Nataโs on every corner, it is definitely one to add to your list!
The Travelling Ginger 