Porto, Portugual

Porto is a coastal city in northwest Portugal known for its stately bridges and port wine production. In the medieval Ribeira (riverside) district, narrow cobbled streets wind past merchants’ houses and cafes. São Francisco Church is known for its lavish baroque interior with ornate gilded carvings. The palatial 19th-century Palácio de Bolsa, formerly a stock market, was built to impress potential European investors.

We arrived in Porto at about 10:30 having flown from Denver via Newark. After dropping off our luggage at the Hilton hotel near the cathedral, we walked to the cathedral and got the first stamps in our credenciales. Then we walked about three miles to the pier for our river bridge tour, stopping for lunch at BHR Ponte Pensil, a restaurant that hangs over the Douro river. The boat tour was relaxing and beautiful, and our guide was very good and super friendly. We got to taste four different varieties of port during the tour, paired with Lindor truffles. Very tired and jet lagged, we then ubered back to the hotel and pretty much crashed for the night.Read more