Porto, Portugal

With only one night and barely half a day in Porto, we had set ourselves quite a challenge to experience what Porto is all about....and yet I think we did. Walking the winding cobbled streets past vendors and cafés, and beautiful and colourful buildings, a waterfront that was vibrant and loud, with buskers performing, and tourists dining in the many cafés and restaurants that line the Cais da Ribeira. We crossed the River Duoro via the impressive Dom Luis I Bridge, a double-deck metal arch bridge that spans the river between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.
We also fitted in a wine tasting and a delicious Portuguese meal which turned out surprisingly well considering our Portuguese language skills were non-existent! We did fall into the trap of eating everything they put on the table such as bread, cheese and olives.....thinking they were complimentary - they are not lol! Stinky creamy cheese was €8!!! Unbelievably, we ran into an old work colleague in one of the many streets of Porto! Greg and John D you may remember Helen Lucas? She was just coming out of a shop as we walked past! Such a chance meeting!
Our accommodation was in a magnificent home, or mansion I should say, owned by a very rich family. Its construction dates back to the 19th Century and has been restored and adapted as a hotel. The grounds and views were outstanding. Good location, about a 20 minute walk into the centre of Porto. Tried a pastel de nata (or two), also known as Portuguese custard tart, which is a Portuguese egg tart pastry dusted with cinnamon. Very tasty!Read more