I am writing this on my way to Lisbon, having spent an excellent time in Porto. Porto was not the trip I hoped to take. I was supposed to be in Nigeria for Christmas - those plans fell through; then, it was Thailand, and I could not find the time to sort out the travel documents, and eventually, Portugal became an option, and I am glad I leaped at the opportunity. Porto is the little sister of Lisbon, but it is quickly becoming a significant destination in Portugal and why not.

It has got a little bit of something for everyone, and I just love those kinds of locations because you can travel solo or with friends/family and not worry about keeping yourself or companions entertained. My time in Porto was not nearly enough (when is it ever). I stayed at an incredible apartment hotel - Casa da Picaria, right in the city center. It was an excellent location. I made my reservation through booking.com. The reservation came with free breakfast, and thanks to my check-in host (Elsa), I got some recommendations from a local that I did not have on my itinerary. 

Eat Francesinha. The Bun, meat, sausage combo topped with cheese, and drenched in the sauce is incredible. I was not sure what to expect (and I am always up for a food adventure), but when Elsa told me this was a delicacy specific to Porto - I had to give it a try. I tried the dish at the Brasao (Cervejaria Brasão Aliados). Elsa advised me to try it with a fried egg. That was music to my ears because every meal is better with a fried egg on top. She also recommended having it with a cold beer; I chose the rose sangria instead, and I was not disappointed. In my wanderings around Porto - I found the prices for this particular dish here was one of the more reasonable and the portion size was huge. If I had more time in Porto, I would have allowed the food coma to take effect and passed out the rest of the day, but there was too much to see/do and too little time. Other spots to enjoy Franchising are Cafe Santiago, Bufete Fase, or lado cafe. 

Tour a winery and enjoy Port. The Port, which is a wine grape/spirit combo, was birth in Porto, so while you are here, visit one of the wineries and partake in a tasting. There were a few I found online, but Elsa recommended Taylor’s as the best one, and since that lined up with my research - I decided to try it. All the wineries are across the river in Gaia but accessible on foot. Taylor’s is the farthest one of the wineries, and the trek to get to it is not for the faint of heart. Wear comfortable shoes and pace yourself (if you are out of shape like me). I made it to the winery; paid my fifteen euros for a tour of the winery (which was very informative). After the tour, you enjoy two glasses of Port (red and white), including one Vintage - it was excellent. For an additional fee, you can enjoy a bread basket, cheese platter, or other snack offerings. There is also a restaurant on grounds - I hear they have an excellent lunch menu. You can purchase a few bottles to take home with you or order online via their sister Company website (Yeatman Hotels)

Visit Livraria Lello. This book store supposedly inspired stairs in Harry Potter. The book store was only four minutes from my accommodations I could not pass it up. Please note you have to pay five euros to get in, but you can put the cost of your entrance towards the purchase of a book. To get tickets, look for the red “check-in” sign - there are two - one on the same street as the bookstore and the other on the street around the corner. I don’t have tips on how to get a picture of the bookstore or stairs without the crowds; however, I have a suggestion to help you avoid a long wait to get into the bookstore. Purchase your ticket in advance. I stopped by the day before and bought my ticket; then, I arrived before the bookstore opened and got in line. The bookstore opens at 9:30, and the ticket spot opens at 9 a.m. I arrived about 9:05, and there was only one person in the queue, so I wandered around the area for a little while and returned at 9:16 - at this point, I was fifth in line - four minutes later the queue was about fifty people deep and rapidly growing. While I was one of the first to get in, I still did not get a clear picture of the stairs. Don’t wait to take photos once you get in; bypass other people are doing that and head upstairs - the view of the stairs from the top floor is the prize. If you have seen any of the movies - I think you will enjoy seeing the stairs that inspired it.

Visit San Bento. San Bento is the old train station; You know those gorgeous blue-tiled walls you see in pictures of Portugal? The ticket hall of this train station is cover in murals made from those blue tiles, and it is beautiful. It gets crowded at certain times of the day. Keep this in mind and plan accordingly.

Walk across the Pointe Luis I bridge from Ribeira to Gaia. The bridge towers over the city, and walking across the bridge is an experience in itself. You can walk along the lower part if you can height adverse or walk along the top; either way, you end up in Gaia, which has an incredible view of the city of Porto. Those views you have seen in Instagram pictures - this is how you get them. On the advice of Elsa, I walked along the top to get to Gaia and then made my way down to return to Riberia - it was much more comfortable going that route versus trying to go from bottom to top. I tried both, and the first option is worth it. To walk along the top, from San Bento, make your way up - there are three roads - two leads down the slope and one leading up - wake the upslope route.

Explore Ribeira and BAIXA. These are two great areas to have a leisure wander. It has got shops, restaurants, and bars and has a great view of Ponte Luiz I bridge and Gaia. There are some excellent restaurants here (a tad more pricey because they are in the path of tourists but good food nonetheless). 

Take Tram 1 to Foz. I don’t have a lot of pictures from the ride because it was raining and foggy, but believe me when I say the five euro round trip to ride the Tram to Foz is worth it. The Tram begins at Incante (just a short walk from Palacio da Bolsa and Monument Church of St. Francis) and runs to Foz, which is the seaside. I imagine on a warm summer day it is a popular attraction for locals and tourists. This trip to Foz was also a recommendation by Elsa, and I am glad I took her up on the offer. The view en route to Foz is picturesque, and Foz itself is lovely. From Incante - you want to be sat on the left side of the Tram, and from Foz, you want to sit on the right side for the best view. If you don’t fancy a tram ride but still want to go to Foz - Bus 500 will get you there as well.

Visit Palacio da Bolsa, also known as the stock exchange palace. I did not have it on my radar, but a few locales recommended it - Thank you! The tour cost 10 euros, which includes access and a forty-five minute guided tour in several languages. Make sure to stay for the complete visit because one of the last stops is the Arab room inspired by Alhambra. The entire structure is fabulous, but this room is stunning. 

Church of Saint Ildefonso. Maybe I should have titled this post, all the buildings with Azulejo. I stumbled on Church of Saint Ildefonso on my way to Pointe Luis I bridge, and the Azulejo exterior was stunning.

Visit Cafe Majestic. JK Roling lived in Porto, teaching English when the idea for Harry Potter was birth and she supposedly wrote some drafts of it in this cafe. You can visit and dine at this cafe located in the city center. Several locals discouraged from eating here - not because the food is not good but because it was overpriced.

Porto Cathedral (Se de Porto) has one of the highest points in the city and, as such, provides some stunning views. I spent more time admiring the views from the CathedralCathedral than I did visiting the Cathedral. The Cathedral itself is one of the oldest monument in Porto and is a stunning example of Romanesque style for those of you interested in architecture. 

The Church of Carmelitas and Carmo. These are two churches separated by a narrow house; this was not obvious to me until after my time in Porto. I hear the interiors are spectacular, but it was the side exterior that stopped me in my tracks; it was the first sighting of Azulejo I saw in Porto and Portugal. If you have seen a picture from Porto with a backdrop of Azulejo muraled walls, chances are the image is against this backdrop.

Dessert and coffee at Confeitaria do Bolhao. This bakery has been serving up pastries for over 100 years and is a favorite of locals and visitors. There were a lot of recommendations for the Kraftkorn bread, but I stopped by about half an hour before closing, and they were out of the bread; I tried a few other things on the menu, which was delicious.

Shop local. There are a lot of artisan shops in the city; if you stop Palacio da Bolsa or Ribeira, make sure to visit a few. One of my favorites to visit was hats and cats with a stunning hat collection. 

Eat Local. Of course, get your fill of Franchisina, but beyond that, make sure to eat local dishes; I asked around, and Bacalhau was one of the highly recommended spots in the city. Thanks to everyone that turned me on to this spot; the food was incredible; If you stop by for lunch or when the weather is beautiful; get a table outside because it has stunning views of the river and Gaia

A bonus recommendation - The Mercado do Bolhao was closed for renovations when I visited but set to be fully open in 2