Our first impressions of Porto were not super positive. Dilapidated… ruined and abandoned buildings everywhere… graffiti…

… scaffolding, scaffolding, scaffolding… complete facades of building covered… and huge areas cordoned off… making it difficult to find your way around, even in the prime tourist areas.

There is construction/reconstruction all around and so many cranes across the skyline it’s crazy… I guess at least they’re trying to improve the current situation.

And as I walked the city… I started to see the beauty… and it was everywhere. Weirdly, there’s something about delapidated building that has always appealed to me in some way… so much character… decaying beauty. And really…isn’t graffiti just street art?

And I love the authentic touches of real life like washing hanging outside the windows.

Sometimes you just have to keep your eyes half shut!

Because in many ways, Porto is painted in magic. There’s something about it that feels like stepping into a postcard… narrow cobbled streets that whisper stories of the past…

… azulejo tiles turning every corner into art…

historic baroque churches to fuel my obsession…

… terracotta roofs…

… plentiful street art…

… and café/bar-dotted plazas everywhere leading the eyes down to the Duoro river and its landmark bridges and golden sunsets… the taste of port wine making everything better… full of life, history and art. There is always music coming from somewhere: talented street musicians play guitars or other instruments and sing…

… the countless churches bells are ringing, so the music is continuous, as if we were walking around in our own musical. 

As we explored Porto we noticed the eye-catching azulejo tiles decorating everything from benches, street signs and fountains to the walls of train stations, houses, churches and cathedrals. These are my new obsession… I really love this very Portuguese decoration… so individual and unique… and so gorgeous. There are even azulejos adorning huge boulders and public art in Porto.

Pretty much our first stop after arriving and dropping off our bags to our lodgings, was the fortress like Porto Cathedral (Se de Porto)… one of the city’s oldest monuments.

We bought our pilgrims passport and our symbolic shell to attach to our backpacks, ready for our upcoming Camino and got our first stamp- yay!! 

We walked the beautiful cloisters  decorated with intricate azulejo tiles from the 17th and 18th century, which depict scenes from the Song of Songs about the mystical dialogue between God and the Virgin, and the cathedral’s patron saint as well as scenes from Portuguese history.

The azulejos are considered some of the finest examples of this traditional Portuguese art form and they contribute to the cathedral’s rich cultural heritage.

And, as I do as someone who is afraid of heights, I headed to the roof for stunning views. From there, the panorama on the historic center, the Douro River, the Dom Luis I Bridge and the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia is quite simply breathtaking.

Our first evening we visited the Igreja dos Clerigos for an imersive light show inside the church… so my kind of thing and completely spectacular. 

Porto is a small city with MANY churches and we visited several of them to feed my obsession… particularly my new azulejo obsession. The 15th century Igrega de Santa Clara is one of Porto’s hidden treasures. Nestled in its historic heart, the church appears modest from the outside, but when we stepped inside we were enveloped by lavish baroque woodwork adorned in gleaming gold leaf. Not at all my thing but still amazing. 

Much more my thing was the absolutely stunning Capela das Almas or Chapel of Souls… with its soulful beauty and vibrant facade… a stunning testament to Portuguese artistry.

This remarkable chapel, adorned with more than 15,000 striking blue and white azuelo tiles… tells a story of devotion and beauty… its walls depicting scenes from the lives of various saints, including st Francis of assisi and St Catherine. Each tile is a brushstroke in a larger masterpiece, weaving a rich tapestry of history and faith.

On our first day in Porto we came across this stunning church with a grand tile panel on its side facade. What I didn’t realise was that it was two churches side by side separated by a narrow, 1-m-wide house in the middle… known as Igreja do Carmo and Igreja dos Carmelitas. Pretty as a postcard.

And then there was the church of Saint Ildefonso. The 18th century church facade is covered in nearly 11,000 azulejo tiles and is considered to be one of the most important examples of Baroque architecture in Portugal. The tiles were added to the church in 1932, courtesy of the Portuguese painter Jorge Colaço. The church is a UNESCO World Heritage site and on the day we saw it the colour of the sky mirrored the blue of the azulajos perfectly.

Porto has several of “one of the most beautiful…. in the world”… if that makes any sense. It is home to “one of the most beautiful railway stations in the world”… the historic San Bento railway has one of the most famous examples of the azulejo tiles, also painted by the artist Jorge Colaço. You enter the station and there is an extraordinary soaring atrium with 20,000 tiles adorning the walls depicting Portugals history and culture. Just stunning. 

We booked to visit Livraria Lello: “one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores in the world”… and yes, you have to book and pay to visit this book store. But seriously- just wow! Its stunning neo-Gothic interiors have been said to have inspired J.K. Rowling’s descriptions of Hogwarts. Pretty on the outside…

… but that doesn’t give away what’s hidden inside!

The massive staircase is one of the highlights but so spectacular all around… except for the crowds which we pretty horrific. 

And of course, “the most beautiful McDonalds in the world”- with stained glass windows and many chandeliers. 

In the evening, we wandered the Ribeira district (downtown Porto) below the cathedral… which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most picturesque neighbourhoods along the banks of the Douro River.

I really loved this area, known for its colourful, ancient houses many of which have that dilapidated look to them which adds to their charm… and a jumble of narrow streets filled with lively street cafes and bars where you can wine and dine with a gorgeous view. I thought this area could be a bit of a tourist trap for dinner, so instead we crossed the river. 

To do this we used the lower level of the iconic double decker metal arch Dom Luis bridge that spans the river offering stunning views of the river and city to Villanova de Gaia.

This level is for cars and pedestrians whereas the upper level is for the metro and pedestrians. The views from either the top or the bottom are incredible, and especially when the sun goes down, the city looks even more beautiful!

There is plenty of street art around Porto and Gaia- and I’m a huge fan. There are lots of quirky pieces in and around Ribeira district from decorated electrical boxes to a huge blue cat which peeps out from a wall… not the easiest to photograph as it’s the smallest street in Porto but anyway 🤷🏼‍♀️.

After we crossed the bridge, I went looking for the 3D Half rabbit by Bordolo II whose work we had already seen in Lisbon… made of recycled materials and looming over the corner in Gaia. 

We shared a cheese platter and some wine as we watched the sunset … just perfect. There’s something magical about watching the sky turn shades of gold and orange and pink over the Duoro river. The city slows down, the lights start to twinkle, and just as the sun disappears… for a moment everything feels still- just pure magic. A front row seat for natures masterpiece. No camera can really capture it or any sunset for that matter. And I’m always the girl that gets excited for a sunset. 

Or a sunrise. I decided to get up early as I had been rather lazy since our arrival with my early morning walks. I headed to the Miradouro do Morro da Sé, near the Porto Cathedral, as I had googled the best place to see the sunrise… terracotta rooftops, the sound of seagulls, historic churches and the morning golden light hitting the city just right- Porto at its finest… except it wasn’t. I didn’t realise until I was out and about that it was actually quite foggy and there really wasn’t any sunrise to be seen.

I started to walk home but saw the fog was lifting and went back. Nothing spectacular but still lovely. 

We visited the World Heritage Monastery of Serra do Pilar, via the top level of the bridge… with even more spectacular views over the city. We were hoping to go inside to the round church and cloisters but discovered that it is closed indefinitely due to maintenance works… still worth the climb up for the view alone. 

We had a couple of memorable meals at two wonderful restaurants (The Door and Babel) with creative and delicious food… and amazing staff.

I literally think I had the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten… foie gras cutlets on thin apple slices with port wine and red fruit reduction, almonds, ginger and lime zest. Only a mouthful but I was in raptures. Seriously. 

On Sunday night quite late I could hear a lot of noise and cheering… sounded like a football match and I thought it must have been the local football club or something- I even googled if there was a local match on and it said there was (Inter Miami vs FC Porto). But the cheering got louder and louder and then it seemed like all hell broke loose. People were cheering and yelling and cars were honking their horns and then messages came though on my family chat that Portugal had just won the Nations League (whatever that is), which is apparently big news for Portugal. It certainly got a little wild and reminded me of ten years ago when I was in Barcelona with Jadey and Barca won the Champions League and there was the hugest party and ticket tape parade for the players. Just being in the right place at the right time 🤷🏼‍♀️

And so tomorrow we leave Porto for the beginning of our big Camino adventure. I must admit I leave with some trepidation of what is to come but also a great excitement in my spirit. Let the journey begin with whatever it may bring.