Porto – home of the “Tripeiros” – Chris and Ellen’s 2022 European Adventure

It was a bit crazy to drive across Spain to visit Portugal ( as we’re flying home from Barcelona!) but we had a couple of extra weeks and Porto seemed like a good choice to settle for a week and just get to know it. Glad we did.

One of the many churches in Porto. So many buildings had beautiful tiles on the exterior

Who knew that locals are nicknamed “tripe eaters” based on an old legend from the 15th century which states that the people of Porto have all the good cuts of meat to the soldiers defending their city and they were left with tripe. Chris tried pigs’ ears but smartly skipped the tripe. (For the record – he’s not a fan of pigs’ ears either!) The fish here was great !!!!

Lonely Planet introduces Porto like this….,

“Porto’s charms are as subtle as the nuances of an aged tawny port, best savoured slowly on a romp through the hilly backstreets of Miragaia, Ribeira and Massarelos. It’s the quiet moments of reflection and the snapshots of daily life that you’ll remember most: the slosh of the Douro against the docks; the snap of laundry drying in river winds; the sound of port glasses clinking; the sight of young lovers discreetly tangled under a landmark bridge, on the rim of a park fountain, in the crumbling notch of a graffiti-blasted wall…”

….. couldn’t have said it better! 😉

Enjoying a stroll on the Gaia side of river

We mostly strolled around – went to a couple of Fado shows and relaxed.

We bought a hop-on-hop off bus and river pass – so definitely played full-on tourists! It even came with a port cellar visit with tasting! (When in Rome….and yes, the Romans were here too!)

Fado – Portugal’s melancholic music

While the traditional fado music is usually associated with Lisbon, Porto had several bars and clubs where one can hear the bittersweet singing and guitar music of this very Portuguese genre. The origins are lost in time. Both evenings were enjoyable and even came with a glass of port!

Port is king in Porto

Most Americans take a dim view of Porto’s famous wine – but that’s usually because they haven’t tasted the good stuff! Port is one of Portugal’s most famous exports, but it’s actually made across the river in Gaia. The grapes are grown in the Douro Valley and due to the soil conditions and climate produce the best varieties for this fortified wine.

Our tour was in the Calem Caves and we had a lovely guide who like most Portuguese spoke excellent English. We learnt a lot.

Douro River Valley

Ellen took a solo drive up the valley as Chris got a well-deserved “day off” from sightseeing. The typical was to explore the Douro is by boat – but in the interest of time, the car got the job done in fewer hours. The “wine route” toward a little town of Pinhão was a visual feast – green terraced vineyards and

Beach Day! Vila do Conde

Chris loved our first stop in this small coastal town so much that he wanted a return to jump in the waves. The beach went from low tide to high over the course of a few hours and then the waves were too high, so we rented lounges, had a beer and relaxed!

Colors of Porto

The best part of our week’s stay in Porto was wandering around and discovering tiny cafes or a medieval street or the most beautiful book in world – Lello. (Of Harry Potter fame!)

The city was getting ready for the biggest party of the year – the feast of St John where thousands of people converge and celebrate all day and night with sardine feasts and leeks and fireworks. We were delighted to see a “practice” fireworks display one evening right outside our windows over the river!