Porto-all the best, I give you my heart

By Unknown - December 14, 2015

November 18 - December 3 & December 7-13

Autumn leaves & Azulejo

In our first few days in Porto, our primary concern has been getting into a gym and being able to stay in shape during this time off. Apparently Virgin now runs gyms as well, and as with all of its other endeavors as a company, the place is modern, high quality, and over and above what you expect of a gym. The spa room is like walking into a space ship inspired by a Greek bath house. It is awesome!

Livraria Lello

Apart from the gym (and yes I know that spending the majority of my time in a gym when I am traveling makes me sound like a meat head but I am not), I have had a few good walks around the city. It is small but beautiful. I visited the Livraria Lello- a famous bookstore, which boasts an impressive hand carved staircase, as well as a lovely stained glass ceiling. There I had a nice chat with a man from Kansas, who now lives in London; many residents of the UK travel to Portugal for their holiday thanks to its moderate climate and close proximity.

Alistair and I also walked out to the Jardim de Cristal- a gorgeous garden overlooking the city and the Douro river. Though I am still an amateur photographer at best, I enjoyed the chance to take photos and see the marvelous vistas and sculptures of the garden.

As a birthday present, Alistair surprised me by suggesting we rent a motorcycle for the day and explore the coast. I was thrilled to say the least. I have always wanted to ride one and what better place than Porto. We ended of going out to the beach and along the coastline, which is amazing. I would say that Portugal has some of the best beaches out there, especially for surfers. We got to go through all these smaller towns. It seems as if everyone here has a few grapevines in their yard. Somewhere along the line we took a wrong turn and went inland. Passing through the mountains in the sunshine, the wind in my hair, zooming by old stone churches and terraces of grape vines, I have to say it would be hard to ask for a more perfect day. I love spontaneous adventures, especially with Mr. Winn-Thanks for a great birthday.

A lovely little surf town in Northern Portugal

After seeing the ocean from a bike, I decided I needed to come back for a day to fully appreciate it. It was a good choice. The beaches are peaceful, warm, and a perfect place to spend the day reading and sipping sangria. I would try to describe the sunset, but pictures are better. Enjoy.

One of our best outings was port tasting at Taylor’s. The banks of the Douro River are bursting with port cellars, but Taylor’s was highly recommended with good reason. It boasts an amazing view of the city and river, along with a lovely tasting room. It is also extremely affordable-5$ for 3 wines. I had never been much of a port drinker but I think I may have found a new favorite.

I also may have had the best meal of my life at a lovely little place called Book-the courses are labeled in chapters and it is incredibly intimate, classy, and delectable. I even tried Alistair’s octopus. Another place of note for any food lovers is the Café Majestic. It may be touristy and overpriced, but it is lovely and puts you right in the middle of one of Porto’s busiest walking streets. We spent an entire morning and afternoon there sitting outside, eating scones, drinking rose, watching people bustle by, and my favorite part-listening to an amazing cellist.

I feel like I fall in love with this city more every day. It is old, and in many ways seems to be forgotten, yet there is a sense of revitalization here. Everywhere you look, repairs are being made to buildings, new businesses are popping up, and a more modern society is presenting itself. Alongside the new, there is a kind of richness to its antiquity, a depth, an authenticity to it all. As you walk the streets you can get lost down little alleyways where women are putting clothes out to dry on lines and watering flowers lining the window sills. You can feel the history of the city and daily routines of its inhabitants. Unlike many European cities, this one feels like it is still itself. When you walk down by the river you pass these beautiful wooden boats loaded with casks of port that they have hauled in from the vineyards where they stomped the grapes just like they have for hundreds of years. Cafes along the bank serve coffee and Franchecinas, while music from street musicians fills the air. The whole city is enchanting. I would love to own a house here someday. Next to Seville and Seattle, this may be my favorite city in the world.