In 2013, I traveled to Portugal for the first time. I took a plane and arrived in the afternoon. A friend was joining me later in the evening. I had no expectations about Porto. Of course, I had done some research, but the main goal was to discover the city, have a girly time and eat good food.
My Favorite Place In Porto: Palácio De Cristal
Since I was on my own in the afternoon, I walked for a little while in the streets of the city before ending up in the gardens of Palàcio de Cristal. And I fell in love with the place. The weather was perfect, the gardens endless and beautiful and from there, I had a view on the Douro River! I could even see some of Porto’s famous bridges.
After being stuck in a small seat on the plane, the gardens were a breath of fresh air and were so relaxing! There is something for everyone: wild plants for people who need to feel like explorers and very organized gardens for people who like French style.
The weather was a bit hot, but there were several benches and places in the shades to chill and just listen to the wind. A lot of water points as well, to the delight of pigeons. Fountains, but also ponds with water lilies. And, like most of Porto’s parks, Palàcio de Cristal has peacocks. Seeing their colors in such a stunning environment just made my day! But as you may know now, I’m a sucker for beautiful animals and nature.
Our First Evening In Porto
My friend arrived in the evening, and we left our stuff in the hotel. Nothing fancy, but the idea was mainly to be close to the city center and not to pay too much.
We walked in Porto’s streets, and honestly, from day one, I really liked the city. It felt so chill, full of colors, nice people, and those blue tiles, my God, so fine! Yes, in case you don’t know, Porto is known for its buildings covered with tiles painted in blue. These are called Azulejos (it comes from the Arabic and means something like “small polished stone”). Lots of details on these little squares, and I just love it! I wanted to take pictures of everything! The train station is particularly cool.
The city at night is very pretty too. I recommend a walk near the bridges.
We had dinner in a small restaurant with sangria. And we shouldn’t have. Because it was bad, and we felt a bit sick afterwards. It was one of my first trips, I have learned from my mistakes. Don’t choose the first touristy restaurant you find. And don’t drink cheap sangria.
Two Days In Porto
Getting The Most Of The City
On our first day in Porto, we walked around the city, spotting Azulejos here and there. And we booked tours. As tourists, we had to try the little train. Also, we visited a port wine cellar. It was very interesting and there was a wine tasting. I bought a beautiful bottle in a box made of thin wood.
We also climbed to the top of the Clérigos Church to get a great view on the city. The weather had gotten grey, but it was still a nice panorama on Porto and its orange roofs.
Being Bummed By Bad Weather
Our last day wasn’t the best. The weather was bad, with a lot of rain and a bit cold. My friend was not up for anything, and we argued about what we wanted to do. She wanted to stay in and read magazines. I wanted to see Porto, even under the rain. In the end, we both got out, but it wasn’t very fun.
We still managed to do something: we did a boat trip under the 6 bridges of Porto: Dom Luís I Bridge, Ponte do Infante, Maria Pia Bridge, São João Bridge, Arrábida Bridge and Freixo Bridge. Dom Luís I Bridge is famous because it was built under the guidance of Théophile Seyrig who was a disciple of Gustave Eiffel, and you can clearly see the resemblance between this bridge and the Eiffel Tower.
To make the most of a Portuguese city, you have to try the tram, it’s a classic! Whether you are in Porto or in Lisbon, make sure you hop on one of them.
At the end of the day, after walking near the river, we went to Palàcio de Cristal that my friend hadn’t seen, and my trip to Porto ended the same way it had started. The sun finally showed up, as if it wanted to say goodbye. I left early in the morning to get on the plane.
I think 3 days is a bit short to fully enjoy Porto, and I might go back some day, maybe visit the countryside as well.
To see more photos of Portugal, you can visit the gallery Portugal.
