Don't judge the church by its cover…read more Igreja de Santa Clara in Porto is a true hidden gem with one of the most stunning golden church interiors. We stood in awe by the altarpiece as we soaked in every detail of the gilded woodcarvings from floor-to-ceiling. Porto is a city of many churches and this one represents a pinnacle of Portugal's Golden Age in the 18th century with colonial wealth largely funnelled from Brazil. The entrance is modest with a small Renaissance portal inside a quiet courtyard. The €5 entrance fee is steep to only view the nave & the upper choir but we were blessed with calm reflection away from the bustle of the city. The dazzling Baroque interior is without empty space rather hosting expressive side altars for the worship of Christian figures and a central altar with a painting depicting Santa Clara's miracle in expelling Moorish invaders from this convent. The best viewpoint of the nave is from the upper floor upper choir where nuns traditionally attended mass. Staff were very kind to insist that we climb upstairs as we were about to exit the church just so that we could take in this excellent bird's eye view. Rich decor above the choir seats also contains rare church chinoiserie ornament influenced by Portugal's maritime past. Skip it or hit it? This church off the beaten path is well worth a 45 minute visit.

Iconic bridge in the heart of Porto…read more Dom Luís I Bridge is a 19th century double-deck iron bridge spanning 172m across the Douro River between downtown Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. It was designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel who incorporated a metal arch reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower that blends modern design with versatility to this day. The upper level is used by metro streetcars while the lower level 45m below it for cars. Each offers a unique perspective to those of us who walk across it. From Gaia, many locals and tourists alike come for the sunset view next to this UNESCO world heritage landmark. At golden hour, the view of the bridge was picturesque with Porto's historic backdrop and drifting boats under the bridge. While huge crowds gathered at Jardim do Morro with a tree obstructed view, we found the best view to be on the other side above it at Miradouro da Serra do Pilar by the monastery. Don't try climbing Pedra dos Gatinhos, as it was fenced off along the path underneath the monastery. While bridge viewpoints at golden hour are busy, we felt the energy of local musicians playing relaxing tunes. This bridge can also be viewed from the Teleférico de Gaia cable car including during sunset. After dinner the bridge is brightly illuminated and we observed locals gathering merrily at Jardim do Morro. Conveniently there's a metro station nearby for the streetcar which crosses Dom Luís I Bridge back to Porto. Skip it or hit it? Walk it twice if you can for both upper & lower bridge crossings experiences.

The Dom Luis Bridge is one of the iconic sights in Porto, and one of the biggest bridges I have…read moreever seen that pedestrians can walk on! Aside from its giant stature, it's also quite famous because the architect behind the Dom Luis Bridge was a student of Gustave Eiffel, the mastermind behind the Eiffel Tower. When you keep that in mind, you can definitely see his influence in the structure of this bridge. It's almost like the bridge version of the Eiffel Tower! The Dom Luis Bridge goes over the Duoro River, which is gorgeous in its own right as well, but extra cool to see from this bridge. It spans the two sides of Porto - which are the town of Porto proper and then the district of Vila Nova de Gaia on the other side. Seeing the Duoro River splitting the two sides of Porto was really cool from the top of the bridge. I think lots of folks work or live on either side so there were lots of folks coming and going on the bridge whenever we would walk on it. I will say, if you have a fear of heights, this may not be the best bridge for you to traverse, because it is very high up and you can see through the metal grating straight down, which can be disconcerting if you have that fear already. Dom Luis is an amazing architectural wonder that also serves as a great commuter bridge for pedestrians - and throw in the beautiful sights from atop the bridge and you have the best of both worlds!

Fonte dos Leões (Fountain of the Lions) is a 19th century fountain in the Praça de Parada Leitão…read morenear the famous Igreja dos Clérigos. According to sources, it is a copy of the fountain in the Town Hall Square of Leicester, England. The central fountain has a cruciform layout with the group of sculptures of winged lions at the base. The water flows from each of their mounts into the fountain. It's a great meeting spot!

This 'Fountain of the Lions' located in the downtown of Porto, is a gorgeous centerpiece for the…read morecity with interesting stories surrounding it. For instance, JK Rowling lived here for awhile after writing the first Harry Potter and it's said that she based the Gryffindor icon off of the fierce lions in this fountain. There is a gorgeous book store (Livraria Lello) close by this fountain that she took inspiration from for the Diagon Alley bookstore with the crazy staircase. It's also been named one of the most beautiful bookstores in the country. Definitely come explore this area, as EVERYTHING around it is gorgeous. This fountain is also in front of of a university where the students literally do where capes around as if Harry Potter has come to life. It's awesome!

This hexagonal tower is now closed and abandoned. It was still interesting to see up close for…read morethose interested in history. It's close by to the Farolim del Felgueiras.

The Lady of Light ("Farol da Senhora da Luz," in Portuguese,) was the first lighthouse on the coast…read moreof Portugal, constructed in 1758. It is a two story hexagonal building, on the grounds of the Chapel of the Lady of Light. Built atop a granite outcrop on the "Mount of Light," where its green lantern was protected from storms and waves, the Lady of Light guided ships to port for hundreds of years. In 1945, the lighthouse was retired, replaced by the modernized Felgueiras Lighthouse.

The Felgueiras Lighthouse is situated where the Douro River finds the Atlantic. Although no longer…read morein operation, the mariners' beacon continues to command respect more than 200 years after its construction. Giant ocean waves are known to slam the lighthouse's jetty, making it a (careful!) must-see for photographers. The lighthouse's historic neighborhood, Foz do Douro, one of Portugal's most affluent enclaves, is well worth exploring: wave-washed granite at Ourigo Beach and the weathered walls of the Fort São João de Foz contextualize the lighthouse's genesis.

Avenida dos Aliados is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Porto. This large avenue…read morefeatures the local government's city hall and other buildings and statues that were built in the 19th and 20th centuries, and it has a central square where locals meet and hold events. My tour guide took my husband and me on a drive down this avenue. We liked seeing the architecture of the city hall and the statue of King Dom Pedro IV.

Monument of Pedro, short history of how Porto was named. Near central bank. It is said body of king…read morein in Brazil but heart remains in Porto

Near the restaurant but not actually the restaurant, this historical marker along the Douro…read moreriverside. The caption reads: "From the 18 doors and hatches built in the wall in the 16th century, this is the only one that's been kept until our days. This hatch had a gothic inscription from 1386 and it was used to connect the Fonte Tourina Street and the harbor pier." Yeah, six hundred years. Worth checking out if you're down this way. [Review 9916 overall, 1494 of 2018.]

This is a nice walking street in Port. It starts at the Sao Bento station, which is also worth a…read morelook with the nice blue tile interiour. There are countless restaurants and cafés along the way. Many of the great to watch the world go by. Some chain stores, some independent ones. It's a fun walk. It goes down to the Largo São Domingos, a pretty nice and busy square. But despite being a nice walk, there isn't really much to do or see. Even though busier, I felt that the Rua Santa Catarina offered more interesting shops and more sights. This street here is ok if you got some extra time on your hands. But I wouldn't call it a must-do.