What to See (and Eat) in Porto, Portugal – Part 3

Ponte Dom Luis I

The iconic Dom Luis I bridge that links Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia was built in 1886 by Théophile Seyrig, a disciple of Gustav Eiffel.

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The bridge has two levels, with cars and pedestrians on the lower deck, light rail and pedestrians above.

Located near the entrance of the lower deck is a series of contemporary tile panels named Ribeira Negra by artist Júlio Resende.

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Inaugurated in 1987, the work composed of 40 panels, depicting life on the Ribeira.

Painted on a wall near the upper deck is a large mural titled Host by artist Federico Draw.

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“Frederico Draw uses spray cans as if they were pencils. He usually draws anonymous faces, portraits of random people in a large scale. His unique style is characterized by and unfinished trait that adds lyricism to the subject. He turns every surface into a wide sketching pad where charcoals are replaced by spray cans.” – http://www.fredericodraw.com

Vila Nova de Gaia

Situated opposite Porto across the River Douro is the city of Vila Nova de Gaia – known for its prolific port wine cellars and tasting rooms.

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Up on a small mount overlooking the bridge, is the Saint Augustine Monastery of the Serra do Pilar.

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The terrace in front offers one of the best views of Porto, during sunset

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or when dense fog pours in from the sea.

Rua das Flores

Once favoured by nobles and the bourgeois, Rua das Flores used to be one of the most important streets in Porto. The street is lined with magnificent manor houses

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and Igreja da Misericórdia (the Church of Mercy).

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Street Scenes in Porto

Walking down any streets in Porto, you are likely to encounter one of the following:

Locals chilling out

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or dozing off under the bright afternoon sun

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Murals right around the corner

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Uneven chairs custom-built for the uneven pavement

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A street performer

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A rooster crowing incessantly in the middle of an afternoon

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A little unusual, but who wouldn’t, when you are tied up next to…Chucky?

Wherever you go do remember to turn around, for sometimes the best view is right behind you.

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Cantina 32

People often mix up tapas with petiscos (we were one of them). Petiscos is Portuguese version of small plate. Compared to the “more popular” Spanish tapas, Petiscos is usually bigger in portion and heartier. The bustling Cantina 32 on no.32 Rua das Flores offers Petiscos

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that include Portuguese sausage croquettes

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Octopus with baked sweet potatoes 

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Melt-in-your-mouth Tripe Stew – a Porto specialty

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A delish duck liver pâté with blueberry jam

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and a very interesting looking Cheesecake

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Although the place could be crowded and touristy, the food is good and it opens on Mondays!

Coming up next in the Travel section: Antiqvvm Restaurant*, Porto, Portugal

18 thoughts on “What to See (and Eat) in Porto, Portugal – Part 3”

  1. Pingback: What to See (and Eat) in Porto, Portugal – Part 2 – Travel-Gourmand.com

  13. Porto seems so charming and definitely worth exploring, especially tasting that Porto wine. I’ve been to Portugal but didn’t get the chance to explore this city. Now I have one more reason to head back there!

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  15. The food looks good. We didn’t like the food at first in Sao Miguel but then got better as the days went by. Some places we looked up with good reviews we didn’t like so then decided to randomly eat around. Very happy. We really enjoyed the places our tour guide, Bruno took us to. We kept thinking we’d love to retire on Sao Miguel.

    Liked by 1 person

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