Porto on foot

Storyline: Portugal by trains

(Yes, 3 months later we still have a few posts and videos to finish)

We loved Porto. It is the second largest city in Portugal, yet very easy to explore on foot. It revealed itself slowly, street by street, with a new scene or scenery every step of the way.

Spread along Douro River estuary, one of the oldest European establishments is also referenced as the origin of the country’s name, Portugal (from the Romans Portus Calle).

Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Famous for the port wine, its food scene and its bridges,

of which Luís I Bridge (Ponte Luís I) resonates with the tourists seeking the experience of port tasting at its southern end in Vila Nova de Gaia.

The Portuguese add a definite article “O” in front of Porto, meaning “the port” (the harbour that is, not the wine). Thus, it is often referred as Oporto in English.

Our accommodation was right in the middle of the historic centre, just north of São Bento train station and south of Câmara Municipal do Porto. As it was during the entire trip, we were lucky with sunny and stunningly blue skies.

Not even a speckle of a cloud. And with spring temperatures (for us coming from Canada’s winter), we did not want to waste more time inside than necessary. Thus, museums and galleries were left for another visit.

On one of these sunny days we walked downhill to the bridge. Just before the bridge is the famous Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto), one of the city’s oldest monuments, with a long and interesting history. Built in the 13^th century, with Baroque alterations in 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Located on the top of a hill it has great city and river views. Across the river, on the amphitheatre-shaped slope we could see the well-known names of some port lodges (wine cellars).

The bridge was just short a walk from there. We spent a lot of time taking in the scenery and of course many photos.

I think 15 min after we set foot on the upper level of bridge we were probably 100 meters in, crossing from one side to the other while carefully checking for an oncoming tram, every time we thought there was an interesting scene.

And to the novice there were many.  The houses perched one above the other on steep hills,

the riviera, the funicular,

the abandoned houses (or so many looked from above) on steep hills, the multitude of construction cranes,

the boats floating up and down the current, the stately bridges straddling the river,

the shapes, shades and reflections in the water. We slowly crossed and reached Vila Nova de Gaia.

Across from us was the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar, but our goal was in the opposite direction.

The signs for port lodges took us downhill to the river bank. Poking our heads into some of the port tasting shops we realised that it is far from the wine tasting we know in Canada (often offered free if one buys some wine).

It was full price for a glass starting from €6 and going up based on age and type (the wine’s, not ours – A). Some 20 yrs aged were close to €100. We then sat in a restaurant, for the lack of better word, since the food was only a complement to the variety of port wines they were selling.

Alex wanted to taste the difference between 10yr, 20yr and older ports. However, our budget wouldn’t allow for more than 20yr. We could buy a bottle for the price of a 10 or 20 yr old anyway. Besides most of the lodges were well known to us from what we could buy in Canada.  So much about touring them all. Let’s enjoy the walk under the sun.

As a matter of fact, the port wine is produced upstream in Douro River valley and shipped to these lodges. But why most of them have English name?

Well by the 13^th century the rabelos (rabelo is a flat sailing vessel) were used to transport the wine barrels from the producers to Porto. A military and commercial treaty between England and Portugal was signed in 1703 (the first military alliance between the two countries was established in 1386 with the treaty of Windsor).

As a result, a few English trading post were established in Porto and the production of port wine was gradually passed in the hands of a few English firms. To counter the dominance a Portuguese statesman attempted to establish control over the quality and production of port. Later on, the small winegrowers would revolt against the strict policies. I think this sentiment still exists.

Back in Porto and walking in the main pedestrian shopping area on Rua de Santa Catarina we ran into a great port seller. A small shop with a huge selection of port wines. We went there a few times just for the chat. The owner suggested that when sampling we try wine produced by small families. When buying port, he also very subtly suggested wines from small family producers. We could sense the resentment against the big companies. We did buy a bottle of white and a bottle of tawny to take with us to Canada. From small family producers, of course.

From the museum activities we only visited the six-foot-wide house, the narrowest house, squeezed between the walls of and joining two churches. From outside, although different in style, the two churches look like one. Until you approach them and notice a regular entrance door and two windows above as in many other row houses. And even then, if you didn’t know it or notice at the ticket office you won’t really think of this building as two churches brought together by a tiny house. Built in 17^th century, Igreja dos Carmelitas Descalços, was for the Carmelite nuns, and later in 18^th century Igreja do Carmo was built for the Carmelite monks.

Thanks to the house wedging between them, the two churches don’t touch each other. One of the many folk-reasons for its existence is that it was to keep the nuns and the monks from getting too cozy with each other. Another attributes it to a law that two churches couldn’t share a wall. Yet another one stipulates that the archbishops couldn’t get along. Whatever it was, we enjoyed touring the house, which was only accessible to tourists through the church (where one bought the tickets).

That same day we walked to Porto Campanhã train station, had the recommended bifana sandwich, walked down the hills to the river and then walked all the way back to the popular riviera near the Luís I Bridge, had a drink each and then enjoyed the local life “entertainment” in the golden hour.

Never seen buildings lit this way during sunset. Now I know why it’s called golden hour.

What really surprised us during the long walk by the river, crossing a few bridges, was the life on the cliffs.

There were people apparently living in what to us looked like abandoned houses nestled on steep cliff walls. There were hens, dogs and cats running around, someone putting out the laundry to dry, vegetable and flower gardens and more on the narrow shelves of the cliffs.

During our walks on the river banks, we noticed many abandoned houses that were now part of the retaining walls. Windows and doors shut with bricks or cement. An interesting architectural solution, but these houses must have had solid foundations.

By the end of our stay, we had walked under all the bridges connecting Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia city centers. We had walked from Ponte do Freixo by Campanhã train station to the last bridge to the west Ponte da Arrábida.

Not on the same day of course. We crossed under the latter when scouting for Casa Vasco and the port sangria.

We then reached the Atlantic Ocean. We walked by many beaches and each one had some sunbathing crowds.

There were many places on our list that we didn’t manage to visit.

Such as the famous Livraria Lello, an old bookstore with spiral staircase and beautiful books display.  We just were not in a mood to spend hours in line (no matter skip the line tickets) when the weather was calling us to just enjoy life outside.

We did not do the side trips north to Braga and Guimarães or south to Aveiro as planned. We missed out on enjoying an evening of Fado music. And the historic train tour on Duoro River unfortunately runs only during the summer, so I guess we’ll have to visit Portugal again.

From Porto we took the high-speed train to Lisbon and flew back home with our carry-ons checked because of the port wine, and some other interesting liqueurs we bought. And believe it or not, these small suitcases took 2 bottles each. I added 2 more pairs of shoes and we also had gifts and a few ceramic pieces in them.

There may be a post or two more with many more photos, but with Porto we concluded our Portugal by train trip.

Porto 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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