Glass of Porto, anyone?
With the excuse of my book launch, I had the opportunity to visit Porto in late 2011 (with a little hop to Spain), which is Portugal’s second largest city. The city which gave its name to Port, Oporto has been the home of British wine shippers and their families for over three centuries.
A view of Porto – a lovely city
It had been 5 years since my last visit to this exciting city – and wonderful to see how much prettier it looked! Getting there can be challenging with flagship airlines, but air connections have improved dramatically with the advent of low-cost airlines, such as Easyjet, who have indeed helped bringing life and many new visitors to the city.
With the help of Carolina, our private guide, I was taken around out and about like a true out-of-towner and was amazed with how much the city had to offer!
Museu Serralves
We started at Fundação Serralves, which is Portugal’s first large-scale contemporary art museum. Its museum was designed by Alvaro Siza Vieira, one of Portugal’s better known architects. It is also home to wonderfully landscaped gardens, one of the city’s best kept secrets.
From there, we decided to hit the shops, and did so at Avis, a residential complex just outside Porto (and Portugal’s) largest street, Avenida da Boavista. Quite an odd street, over 5km, where the shops are organised in little clusters and walking is not really an option!
Rua de Santa Catarina
We then hit downtown, Rua de Santa Catarina, where interestingly you will find a mix of the usual high street suspects, but still many old-fashioned independent retailers, which add a lot of charm to the place.
Livraria Lello & Irmão
Our next stop was Livraria Lello & Irmão, a lovely art-nouveaux bookshop. If you like the style, a little stop to Café Majestic is also a must!
Design and style-conscious shoppers go down Rua Miguel Bombarda which is known for its art galleries and CCB - Centro Comercial Bombarda, a not-your-typical-shopping-mall clustering art and design shops. I was incredibly surprised with this little find and a visit to this part of town is really recommended.
Delicious chocolate cake at Pimenta Rosa
We noticed that everyone was queueing for some chocolate cake at Pimenta Rosa.. and of course we had to have some!
And didn’t you have Port Wine, I hear you ask? But of course! It would be like going to Rome and not seeing the Vatican.
Carolina took us to Calém, one of the best known Port Wine brands – there are 40! Calém is known especially for its Premium Vintages, Late Bottled Vintages and Aged Tawny. All the Port Houses are located in Vila Nova de Gaia, on the other side of Douro River.
Porto Calém Cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia
I learned quite a bit about Port Wine – which is now being marketed to the Portuguese, who traditionally didn’t drink a lot of this wonderful juice. New trends include White Port as an aperitif (Port & Tonic) and Rosé Port, which is delicious with mint and ice! So much so, that I promise to write a whole post about it!
A room with a view at The Yeatman
The day was coming to an end.. so surely must be time for food? We were incredibly lucky that our stay coincided with one of The Yeatman’s weekly wine dinners and we were able to join in! A luxurious, light-filled wine and spa hotel set high among the port lodges, with stunning views over historic Porto, the Yeatman opened in 2010 and its restaurant was recently awarded a Michelin star. We sampled the first wines produced by L’And Vineyards which were very very good – and promised to stop by this great resort in the summer of 2012.
The Yeatman sent a brand new series 7 BMW to collect us in style – a nice touch that Mrs. O loved!
Time for bed, and as usual, with all the mod cons. I love the Sheraton Porto, which has been opened for a few years and on which the Lisbon Sheraton was inspired. Modern, trendy and with impeccable service.. oh and a lovely spa!
The modern Sheraton Porto
I really enjoyed this trip to Porto and will soon be sharing Mrs O’s address book. If you haven’t been yet, put it on the list.
Cheers, everyone!
Mrs O
Ps. Special thanks to the Porto Convention Bureau who organised the day tour with Carolina from Top Travel. (toptravel@sapo.pt)
55 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Love Portugal? Win a luxury 10-night holiday with Starwood Hotels & Resorts | Mrs. O Around Portugal - [...] - 2 nights at the Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa, a modern wonder of marble, wood, steel, and glass. Porto ...
- Funny travel incidents: Mr P, “Figura” and the lion… « avatarofmrbean - [...] Glass of Porto, anyone? (mrsoaroundtheworld.com) [...]
- A beginners guide to Port Wine – Guest Bloggers « Mrs. O Around the World_____ not just another travel blog - [...] Many of the Port cellars run tours, where you can get the full story on how Port is made, ...
- Follow the Travel Experts: Portugal « The Glove Box Blog from Argus Car Hire - [...] end in her hometown however, there is plenty of advice about the northern city of Porto too on her ...
- Discover Portugal: Douro Cruises « GREAT MENTOR - [...] Glass of Porto, anyone? (mrsoaroundtheworld.com) [...]
Leave a Comment
Subscribe
Join other 11476 followers and have each post delivered to your inbox.
Follow on Bloglovin
Some of my latest Instagram pics
Gorgeous gorgeous hotel! Can I swap lives w you for a day?
we can try
Lovely, Mrs. O! Thanks for the introduction to Porto. I really love the look of the livraria!
Francesca recently posted..Hometown travel: Chicago area adventures
Pleasure
Porto sounds absolutely fantastic! I can’t wait to visit Portugal and when I do, there is no way I’m skipping this city! I love the picture of the bookshop.
Ana, this post just made me sign up for airfare alerts.
Pola (@jettingaround) recently posted..Mexican Connection – Interview with writer Robin Bayley
Really? To Lisbon, I would think
It is a cool place, you will like it!
Great post about Porto Mrs O! Thanks for sharing. Cheers
OportoCool recently posted..Arquivo
My pleasure. I feel guilty not going more often
I’ve heard amazing things about Porto, I would love to go sometime. That bookstore looks incredible
The Sheraton looks like my kind of place. And white port?…yum…
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..Copperhead at Innisbrook Golf Resort
white is very good! dry with tonic or sweet as dessert wine. Now, the coolest thing.. the rosé port!
ahh porto has been on our list for awhile, and almost entirely because of that insane staircase in livraria lello!
And that is a good enough reason
i am DYING to go to Portugal. i’d say it’s on my short list for sure. it would be the *tops* to do it with you, Mrs. O.
xo
It will be a pleasure
I still need to get myself to Portugal someday, especially if I can also be invited to the Yeatman. Amazing view.
Stay adventurous, Craig
I know, a great discovery! It is owned by some of the Port houses, so you can imagine what comes from the taps
everywhere!
Ahh! I want that bookshop in my house! I could probably live there and be happy forever. Looks like you had an amazing time in Portugal. I can’t wait to get there myself.
I totally agree with you
that shop is quite something and Porto is indeed lovely, I need to go back again!
That book store is AMAZING! I’d love to go even though I probably couldn’t read any of the books. There’s something I love about the smell of books. Mmmmmm
I shall take you there when you venture all the way to Portugal. Something tells me you would like the wine as well!
Adding Porto to my list of places to visit, sad to say that I have never even heard of it. Looks so beautiful, especially that bookshop – Livraria Lello! As a reading/writing teacher, that is right up my alley.
Sounds like the perfect place for a little vacation, especially with the port wine and all.
Hi Erin, I was guilty of the same, and worse as it is my home country’s second largest city. Sometimes the places closer to home are the ones you leave til later. In your case, if you ever come to Portugal, it is definitely worth a visit
Agreed! Everywhere else usually seems more exotic and you want to get out there and see it. I have barely seen anything in America, but I’ll get there some day!
Omg, I want that chocolate cake!
me too!!
Great photos and post on a visit to Portugal. I have never been, and I have always wanted to visit. Thanks for bringing me there.
Pleasure, Ted! It is a place that I should know a lot better, namely as my mother’s family is from there! But better late than never, as they say!
I have fond memories of Porto the lovely cafes, the trams, eating sardines by the river. I must go back soon!
Hi Ann Marie, thank you for your kind words and taking the time to comment
I miss Porto too! 
Great post, makes me want to see Porto myself — I’m hoping this year (fingers crossed!)
In the meantime, I’ll celebrate with a glass of Port instead!
Cheers,
Nannette Eaton
thank you for your very kind words! it is a place worth going for sure – wine and food are amazing!!
What an amazing bookshop!!! That chocolate creation looks pretty good too!!!!
Porto looks nice – great post
Tristan
Great photos! Thanks for sharing, it’s definitely on my list to visit now.
thank you adam. it is definitely worth a visit – great restaurants, nightlife etc, very good
Wow – that Livraria Lello looks amazing inside!! Cheers for sharing a great tour =)
I love Porto
i dont go enough.. have you been to miguel bombarda? you’d love it!
I haven’t been to Portugal yet but it is definitely on my list. Beautiful photos.
Thank you for your kind words
it is not a bad place at all!
We really enjoyed your post! Thanks for sharing!
thank you
oh my god, I think I’ve seen a picture of that bookstore! It’s so beautiful, I’d love to see it for real!
very nice it is indeed, i have never been before
but better late, than never!
Nice post and pics
gracias
Gracias? Shouldn´t be Obrigado?
Acho q quem escreveu era espanhol
acho!!
OMG! That bookstore is so wonderful! That alone would be worth going to Porto! And the port wine of course. I’m a big fan. Old school colheita and lbv, but curious for the rose one now
it is nice, i promise
Apart from Portwine, Douro region develloped from avarage to top wine quality region, meaning redwine. Try it.
very true and never been wine tasting in the douro.. what a great idea!
Beautiful photos Ana & now you make me want to visit – can I fit it in with my trip to Lisbon I ask?
maybe, if you are a nice girl