We get up early to take the pulse of the city. We also have to do some laundry, we find a fence, about ten minutes walk in the neighborhood of Bolhao, they have two options, you leave them the clothes and they do the laundry or you have to be alert. The price is the same as it charges for washing machine and dryer capacity so we leave it there.
Sa Da Bandeira theatre
Aliados
Our accommodation is very central and it takes us fifteen minutes to get to Lello Bookshop. There are long queues and we don't want to miss the opportunity to visit it. We arrive at 9.30 and there is already a 3 hour queue. We decide to try our luck and come back at lunchtime.
Statue of Don Pedro IV in Aliados
The Livraria Lello e Irmao is located in the historical centre of Porto, it is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, it was opened in 1906. Apart from its undeniable beauty, it became known worldwide thanks to the writer J.K.Rowling who lived in Porto for a few years and is said to have been the inspiration for the bookstore that appears in the Harry Potter saga, although no scenes from her films were shot there.
Do Carmo Church
Do Carmo Church
We approach the Do Carmo Church. From the 18th century, it has a beautiful façade covered with tiles and an annexed museum. In Carmo square we can see the first trams. They are beautiful.
Dos Clerigos church
We walk to the Lisboa square and here we start a walking tour offered by Lonely Planet's guide to Portugal (2-3 km / 2-3 hours).
Dos Clerigos tower
First stop Dos Clérigos tower. It is a spectacular viewpoint of the city. It offers incredible views at a height of 76 metres. The entrance fee includes the Church, the Museum and the Tower. Due to the restrictions for Covid the capacity has been reduced and you have to queue a bit but it is worth it.
Views from Dos Clérigos tower
We continue to Avenida dos Aliados, where we find the monument to Pedro IV of Portugal and in the background the Porto Town Hall, with a very striking clock tower.
Sao Bento train station
Next stop is Sao Bento train station. We had heard quite a lot about it and it is really worth it. Its lobby is spectacular, full of tile panels with historical scenes.
Sao Bento train station
We continue along the Rua de las Flores, cafés, shops and old stationery shops, until we reach the Baroque style Church and Museum of Mercy.
Rua das Flores
From here we arrive at the Infante don Enrique Gardens, where the Ferreira de Borges Market draws our attention, converted into an art gallery that shares space with the Hard Club. In the same square the Stock Exchange Palace which is no longer free like almost everything in Porto. We could see a little bit of the hall.
Ferreira de Borges Market
Ferreira de Borges Market
Urban art in Oporto
Right next door is the Church of San Francisco. They say it is one of the best in the city so we decided to go in. The entrance fee includes Museum, Catacombs and Church. The Museum and the Catacombs disappointed us. The Church is baroque in contrast to the façade but it is very little illuminated so you are left with a bittersweet taste.
Sao Francisco Church
Sao Francisco Church
We approach the Casa do Infante where Enrique Navigator was born and from here we arrive at the Plaza de Ribeira from where we can see the Dom Luis I bridge. The tour ends in Vila Nova de Gaia but we leave it for the afternoon. It is lunch time and we want to go back to Lello Bookshop to see if there is less of a queue.
Ribeira
Indeed, only one hour of queueing. Luckily, we have the shade and a woman who makes the wait pleasant by playing the guitar and singing, she does it really well.
Lello Bookshop
Lello Bookshop
It is very well organized, as your turn comes a woman from the bookstore sends you the ticket to your mail, obligatory to pay by card. Due to the pandemic, it is not possible to reserve tickets on the bookshop's website or pay in cash.
Lello Bookshop
Lello Bookshop
The wait was short. The bookstore is impressive. As we had limited capacity we were able to enjoy it longer. The staircase is spectacular, how the light falls through the windows, the wooden shelves full of books, in short, beautiful. It is a must in Porto even if you are not a Harry Potter fan. The five euros of the entrance fee are compensated with the purchase of a book available in several languages. Don't miss the reading room on the ground floor, the floor is the original.
Lello Bookshop
Lello Bookshop
Lello Bookshop
Now it's our turn to eat. We want to try the famous Francesinhas but it's not the time to eat Portuguese so it gets difficult. Finally we eat at the Baixa restaurant near Allies. We ordered franceshina, cod bolinhos and two beers.
Francesinha
Although it was very tasty it is a very forceful dish and the Portuguese are generous with the dishes so we recommend you take one for two or order what is left over to go. The clams also looked spectacular.
Oporto
Tram
We return to the Church of San Francisco to take the tram to Encosta da Arrábida (near the Arrábida Bridge) and take a boat across the Douro to Afurada. Although you can also take the bus 93 and 96.
Arrábida Bridge
Sao Pedro da Afurada
Afurada is a picturesque fishing village on the banks of the Duero River that has kept its tiled houses intact and where street life is the usual tonic. The Taberna de Sao Pedro is famous for its rich grills, public washing place and Fish Market (but you have to get there early to see it in its sauce).
Afurada
Afurada
Just over a kilometer away is the Praia Nova do Cabedelo and the dunes of the Natural Reserve of the Douro Estuary.
Afurada
Sao Pedro Tabern
We walk back along the river bank to Vila Nova de Gaia. The riverside is full of Port wine cellars. The signs are spectacular Sandeman, Graham's, Taylor's. You can take a guided tour (Espaço Porto Cruz) with tasting included but you have to book. It is the English who are credited with the discovery of port wine, and is that in order to preserve and transport it was added some brandy to the broth and thus was born this wine.
Oporto
In Vila Nova it is easy to find bars that offer for 5€ tasting of various types of Port wines but it is advisable to accompany it with something to eat.
Vila Nova de Gaia
Vila Nova de Gaia
In Vila Nova there is a beautiful restored market, the Biera-Rio Market. We sat on one of its terraces to enjoy a well-deserved beer.
Biera Rio Market
Biera Rio Market
In Vila Nova you have the option of taking the cable car up to the Morro Garden and from there to the Serra de Pilar Monastery with a breathtaking view of the city of Porto.
Cable car
Vila Nova
Dom Luis I bridge
Bride and groom
Dom Luis I bridge
Dom Luis I bridge
It is getting dark and the light is spectacular, we cross the Dom Luis I Bridge at the bottom to reach a Lada lift on the Ribeira. It doesn't lead anywhere in particular but the views are spectacular and we are alone.
Lada lift
This lift was built to link the Ribeira area with the Old Quarter.
Lada lift
Dom Luis I bridge
The Dom Luis I bridge is spectacular, attributed to a disciple of Eiffel.
We go back for the laundry, it is open until ten o'clock. It's been a hard day so we have dinner in the flat and rest.
Accommodation: Sky Guest House Aliados flat 99,33€ three nights for two people (including tourist tax of 2€/pax).
Dry cleaning Melinwash laundry 8,8€ up to 8 kg.
Entrance to the Dos Clérigos tower: 6 €/pax.
Entrance to the Museum, Catacombs and Church of San Francisco: 8 €/pax.
Entrance to Lello Bookshop: 5 €/pax. Discounted admission per book.
Restaurant Baixa 16,50€ francesinha, bolinho bacalao and 2 medium beers.
Tram 3,50€/pax from St. Francisco Church to the ferry.
Ferry to Afurada: 2€/pax.
Esplanada de Gaia 7 € 2 beers of 40 cl.
3 separalibros 3 €.
Ribeira Lada lift free of charge.
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