It does feel a little bit silly to be reviewing a free public park, but you know what, it was on my…read moreitinerary specifically, so why not? Unfortunately, I got here just slightly too late to properly enjoy the gardens themselves, as there were a *lot* of great art galleries to stop at on the way nearby (intentionally), so as it was already starting to get dark when we got here. But that is also a great time to enjoy the view back over the river and the heart of Porto from above on the hill. It was also a great time, until it got fully dark and they all went to sleep, to see, basically right when we walked in, a bunch of ducks, a handful of large geese (cool, but we gave them a wide space; geese have an attitude and you could tell they knew they could walk wherever they liked!), even a couple peacocks (though I would later learn, the best place in Portugal to see peacocks by far would be the castle in Lisbon, which has a whole huge flock of them.) Would I pay to get in? Probably not. But I also didn't have to; it's a free public park. :D

A gem of a park for everyone! A gem for the watchers, the walkers, the water lovers, the scenery…read moresoakers, the park sleepers, the picnic partiers, the everyones! Get lost by your curiosity. Walk and walk, bring your creative photo eye since some of the best views of the river can be found here. Public restrooms, often food vendors. A Porto staple to visit.

Great music, beautiful views, cocktails and mocktails, dinner and appertizers what else could you…read morewant? I highly recommend the Charcuterie board. It was filled with all sorts of cheeses and the prosciutto was really good. I also liked the jam which I think was fig. I appreciate that they had mocktails. And really enjoyed the Morro Sunset.

The Morro garden is about 100 years old, and today it is a popular spot for both local residents…read moreand tourists to have a picnic, enjoy live music, and relax. The garden can be accessed via the metro, cable car, or bridge. My husband and I did a bus tour of Porto, and our tour guide made a stop at this garden. The garden had beautiful greenery and peaceful walking paths. We felt most interested in viewing the Douro River. We had excellent views of the water. We were at the garden during the middle of the day, but I heard that sunsets here look stunning.

What a delicious place! Plan to spend a ton of time, between the museum, the house, the garden, the…read moretree walks, the full garden paths you can easily spend half a day, and that would be rushing. My favorite, and I wish I spent more time, was the garden and the outdoor paths. Plan to get lost, explore, be inspired, think, question, and just be purely in love with this experience. I can't recommend enough.

Serralves Park is a gorgeous spot in Porto that is a wonderful way to spend a few hours…read moredecompressing and strolling around. The Casa de Serralves looks honestly looks like a Barbie house, in its simple Art Deco design. There are a series of large garden fountains that connect down the middle of the front courtyard. The grounds around the Casa are also very architectural and designed in maze patterns, structural elements, and completely matching the flow and feel of the house. A forest of trees and paths also surround the park, so you can do a lot of walking and marveling at things as you pass. The interior museum (no photos, unfortunately) features exhibits focused on contemporary art. It houses works from well known International artists as well as local Portuguese artists. There are several art pieces scattered around the park and grounds as well. My favorite was "Plantoir" by Claes Oldenburg. It's a giant red trowel that stands almost 25 feet tall and weighs over 2,000 pounds. It just makes you feel so small when you're standing there next to it! No matter if you're a fan of art, nature, or history - Serralves fits the ticket.

Be prepared to walk! Great paths, uphill and stairs which you can avoid if you want to just walk a…read moreflat surface. Lots of wildlife to be seen especially birds. Splendid view of the Douro River from this beautiful garden. Beautiful rose garden with a picturesque view. So very romantic.

One of the highlights of our visit to Portugal was the afternoon that we spent on our walking tour…read morewith Hugo Vaz. We originally signed up for the tour of the Old Jewish Community, but learned so much more as we walked the streets. Hugo and his associate have advanced degrees and are knowledgeable about the history, industry, and economics of the fascinating country of Portugal. I regret not taking this tour earlier so that I could have visited other sights such as the "Port Wine & Douro Institute". My guide was able to educate me on both topics with equal fluency. My next visit will include a bike tour along the waterfront!

We recently rented bikes and helmets from Fold n Visit, and biked the Camino Portugués from Porto…read more The bikes we rented came with luggage racks, were very well maintained, and performed perfectly for the entire trip to Santiago compostela. Sergio had everything ready to go when we arrived at the shop and was very helpful in giving us tips about the area and biking the camino. We would definitely go with Fold 'n visit again for future trips to Porto.

Matosinhos Beach is a large, sandy beach on the Atlantic Ocean. It is great for walking in the soft…read moresand, playing beach sports such as volleyball, swimming, playing water sports such as surfing, picnicking, eating at a nearby beachfront restaurant, etcetera. I was there on weekday in mid-September, and it was not busy. I would expect the beach to have more visitors in the summer and weekends. I did see several people playing volleyball with the nets on the beach. Of course, the views of the Atlantic Ocean looked very nice. A tourist information center is located on the beach, if you want to learn about other nearby activities. The employee there did not speak with me, but I did see pieces of literature.

When I stepped outside the first cafe we'd snacked at, I took a deep breath. My nose was tingled…read moreby the salty sea. As one who grew up close to the ocean, I was compelled to go see the Atlantic from the other side. We headed to the Matosinhos Beach (known as Praia de Matosinhos in Portuguese.) Matosinhos has historic ties to the ocean: through the ages, countless expeditions for cod have launched from town. My friend showed me a statue that commemorates the wives of fishermen who lost their lives at sea. The widows' eyes endlessly scan the horizon, pleading with fate and churning waters to bring back their husbands. The men's bravery was not lost on me, as I stood spellbound (never scared...) watching the truly giant waves crashing off shore. The expanse of soft white sand was impressive and even in January I could easily imagine the mob scene of summer. It made me happy to see people were out enjoying the warmth of the sun. There were folks relaxing with a glass of wine at the small cafes strung along the pedestrian pathway, dog walkers walking up, yoga-enthusiasts in downward dog... in the water were those brave souls in wetsuits who are a kind of modern corollary to the risk-facing fishermen of days past. They do not just stand still as a statue, staring dead-eyed with awe at the pounding surf: they swim out and they ride it.

Quinta da Conceição is the ruins of a former monastery from the 15th century that have been turned…read moreinto a city park. The entrance by the Holiday Inn is usually closed, so you'll need to enter through the grounds of the Museu Quinta de Santiago or down by the cafe. There's another entrance on the other side of the park, by the port. There's a public pool, tennis courts, and a cafe that may or may not be open. There are also picnic tables and bathroom facilities. There's an 18th century chapel, fountains, and various statues. While the grounds are beautiful, you won't forget that you're on the edge of a city. The park is ringed by busy roads and the port is right across the highway. It's quite noisy. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit (although it is along convenient bus lines if you're so inclined). If you're in the area and feel like a nice walk (perhaps it's too windy for a walk along the beach to be enticing) it's worth a detour.

Joao Chagas Garden, also called the Cordoaria Garden, was founded in the 1800s, and today it is a…read morepublic green space. My husband and I spent time in this park while we were on vacation. As we walked around, we saw a lake, trees, walking paths, several sculptures, benches, a children's playground, etcetera. We felt interested in the trees that had wide trunks and thin branches. I read online that the trees have that shape because of frequent pruning. The sculpture that most caught our attention was "Thirteen Laughing at Each Other" (2001) by the artist Juan Muñoz.

The original name Jardim da Cordoaria translates as "the garden of the cord warners." This is where…read moreropes were made for some 200 years. In 1865, it was transformed into a garden following a design by the German landscape gardener Emil David. It became a very popular meeting place until the beginning of the 20th Century. Today, it is a shady benched spot in front of the photography museum. You might find an ice cream vendor and the trolley runs through the park too. [Review 9842 overall, 1420 of 2018.]