I am a firm believer in the notion that traveling is the best form of learning; learn by doing, learn through experiencing. The world has so much to offer, and for my whirlwind 24 hours in Porto, it was no different. I walked away feeling enriched, enlightened, and eager to return. The cherry on top - I was able to share in this exploration and learning experience with my younger brother. What better way is there to spend quality sibling time than to explore a country that neither of you had ever visited before?
Where to Stay
In devoting just a day to Porto, Portugal’s second largest city and designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, we wanted to stay somewhere close to the action but not too close that we'd feel overwhelmed by tourists. We opted to stay at an AirBnB in the art district which was about a mile walk to Ribeira Square, the lively city center, and a very happy medium. The art district is just what it sounds like, a very eclectic part of the city with decorative murals lining the streets, art galleries featuring works by local artists, and small coffee shops with deliciously smelling pastries and a relaxing ambiance.
We arrived into Porto airport at 8:30 AM after an early two hour flight from Frankfurt. Once we solidified transportation and checked into our home for the night, we set out on our journey at around 10:30 AM. The established plan was to walk from our home base in the art district towards Ribeira Square (commonly referred to as the Cais da Ribeira) to ultimately explore the major waterfront area of the city that lines the Douro River while stopping at key points of interest along the way.
Livraria Lello
The first stop on our list was to the Livraria Lello, rated one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world and popular due its connection to J.K. Rowling (who was a frequent patron of the shop in the 1990s) and is also said to have acted as inspiration for Harry Potter. Entry tickets are not purchased in the elaborate bookshop itself (shown in the photo below). Instead, tickets are purchased at an associated shop nearby with lots of Harry Potter themed merchandise and a setup of Platform 9 3/4 awaiting photo ops from guests (which, of course, I happily obliged, as evidenced by my giddy Potterhead grin). Get there early because the line to the entrance can be incredibly long and wrap around the street. Only a certain number of guests are allowed in at a time, which I appreciated because even the permitted amount of visitors made me feel a bit overwhelmed. Once in the bookstore, taking photos on the uniquely designed staircase that is the centerpiece of the store is a given, though that can present some challenges. Due to its popularity, many, many other people are attempting to do the same thing. We snapped a few quick shots as best as we could manage before being either fully or partially photobombed (to be fair, I’m sure I photobombed quite a few myself; sorry!) and continued to browse the collection of literary works available for purchase. The store offered a large span of works ranging from travel to poetry to fictional best sellers, and some in several different languages. A perk for lit lovers everywhere - the money you spend on your entry ticket (5 euros) goes towards a book purchase! So, of course, I had to buy Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in Portuguese to bring back and show my students in my international club. We spent about 25 minutes in total here, and that was plenty. If you're looking for a quiet place to relax, dive into a book, and sip on a mocha, this is not the place. It is a popular, busy tourist attraction, but I'd say definitely worth a quick stop in.
Mandatory Dessert Stop
Before heading off to our next point of interest, we were lured into Amorino, the gelato shop near the Livraria Lello. With dozens of options to choose from ornately displayed for all passersby to drool at, we gave into temptation and bought some scoops. Anyone who knows me knows that my heart skips a beat for some good gelato, and at Amorino, I had what was probably one of the best gelatos to date… and I’ve had a lot!
Clérigos Church and Tower
With happy bellies, we continued on to explore some beautifully designed and adorned churches such as the popular Clérigos Church, known for its Clérigos Tower. Built in the 1700s, it is the tallest bell tower in Portugal in which you can climb 225 steps, reaching over 75 m (246 feet) at the top, to view the city of Porto from one of its highest points. Getting here early is essential as well because the line can get long and your entry time can be pushed back several hours. We were only able to purchase the "night pass" (7 PM - 11 PM) ticket when getting there around noon, which meant we had to come back several hours later. Nonetheless, we ultimately lucked out as that time ended up being the most beautiful time to gaze out at the city, in my opinion. For me, the sun setting always adds an extra level of magic and mystery to an already breathtaking experience. Bonus: If you happen to make your way up or down at one of the quarters in an hour, you can observe a magnificent set of tower bells sway as they create a memorable tune for the city below, signifying the given time.
The Community
Continuing our way towards the waterfront, we weaved through some small cobblestone side roads that were still adorned with colorful banners and flags left over from the Festa de São João do Porto (Festival of St John of Porto) that was celebrated towards the end of June. Laundry hung on lines perpendicular to the street several floors above the ground level, and Portuguese flags hung off of balconies and waved in the wind along with the drying clothes. I felt an overwhelming sense of community standing amongst the flags and festivities. For me, that is the real heart of Porto, and I loved every second of it.
What’s with the cork?
We stopped into some small shops along the way, and I couldn’t help but notice the abundance of goods made from cork. I asked one of the store clerks if he would kindly share the meaning behind all of the cork, and he responded that "for such a little country as ours, we produce the most cork of any other country in the world. And, we are very proud of it.” I had no idea. Herein lies one of those learning moments I mentioned earlier. True travel perk.
Church of São Francisco
Our last stop before making it to the waterfront was the Church of São Francisco, containing one of the most vibrantly gold decorated interiors I’ve seen inside of a church and a rather striking Gothic exterior. It easily stands out from the modernized buildings that surround it. This was presented to me as the most recommended church to visit in Porto, and for good reason. In total, our visit lasted about 35 minutes, which was plenty of time to wander about in amazement. Upon entry, I was in sheer awe at the amount of gold my eyes were trying to take in. It’s estimated that about 400 kilos of gold were used to decorate the interior, which makes its nickname of “the Gold Church” extremely fitting. This is one of the few churches in the area that requires an admission fee (only a couple of Euros), and unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside of the church. While I wasn’t able to snap any interior shots of my own, I have plenty of mental recaps I plan on cherishing for some time (and, of course, you can find images online because, well, sometimes rules are broken).
Intriguing Fact: Catacombs lie beneath the church, and you can view them (note: like the church, photography is also prohibited inside the catacombs). Several connected halls showcase nearly one hundred numbered tombs along the floor and the walls. Skulls placed atop tombs combined with very dim lighting definitely conjure up feelings of uneasiness. While walking along one of the halls, we stumbled upon a glass cutout placed within the floor that revealed an ossuary beneath the tombs with an overwhelming amount of human bones. If you're looking for an undoubtedly unique and surreal experience, this is the place to check out.
Ribeira Square
After two hours of steady pit stops and wandering, the streets finally poured us into the square, and we were greeted by rhythmic Kizomba music and dancers performing for the many visitors of the restaurants and shops. Kids were jumping into the river in their summer clothes, selfie sticks were out in full force, and the Dom Luís I Bridge, a double-deck arch bridge taking you across the Douro River from the city of Porto into another city in the Porto District called Gaia, boldly stuck out in the background. The area reminded me of Venice, with a number of gondolas lining the waterway, and overall, this “heart of the city” emitted very infectious positive and playful vibes that I gladly took in.
Gaia
The Gaia side of the river is much tamer than in Ribeira. The walkway was less populated and the layout seemed more spacious. Similar to Ribeira, though, dozens of restaurants lined the waterfront, with staff standing in front, greeting you and presenting a masterful list of menu options. We decided on a more traditional style restaurant so that we could really experience the flavors of Portugal. Rojões were recommended to us, as it is a traditional meat dish of northern Portugal. It combines pork meat with pork rinds that are seasoned, marinated, and stewed. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of flavor and the tenderness of the meat. Having been served with potatoes and rice, a common side dish in Portugal, we were definitely full at the end of the meal. In fact, all of our meals in Portugal had been fantastic, and the prices were extremely reasonable and offered a great value.
In addition to its milder atmosphere, our host recommended Gaia for its port wine offerings. Contrary to my prior belief, most of the port wine warehouses are located in Gaia, not Porto. We stopped in at a small tasting room to try out a few samples and cheersed to our day of adventure.
To wrap up the day and finish out our two hours in Gaia, we rode the Gaia cable car to the top of the town. This provided us with a beautiful bird’s-eye view of Ribeira Square and the river. After taking in the scenery (and mastering a few solid selfie stick moments of our own), we made our way down a windy side road back to the bridge and trekked on to our home for the night amongst the murals and galleries.
Create Your Own Snapshot
Do I feel like I experienced most of the key points of interest in Porto in 24 hours? For the most part. Could I have spent more time exploring there? Absolutely. With visiting any place for just 24 hours, you can really only get a snapshot of what the city has to offer, and you just try your best to cover most of the bases. Looking back at all that we were able to see and do, I think our snapshot came out pretty amazing. Best of all, I learned so much about the city of Porto, the culture of Portugal, and just how lovely of a place it is.
Some additional interior shots of several beautiful churches we visited throughout the day, as well as an interior shot of the Clérgios Church (far right).
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