The Statue of Vímara Peres (Estátua do Conde de Vímara Peres) is positioned at the front of Sé do…read morePorto (Porto Cathedral). While the statue is certainly impressive and marks a man who is important not just to the city of Porto but the entire country of Portugal, the state of the statue is becoming rather sad, how letters have begun to fall off and fade, and it hasn't been given the care it deserves, I originally couldn't even read his full name when visiting the statue. He is the man, after all, who laid the foundations for the country of Portugal and helped take over the land of Porto. He was the first holder of the title of Count of Portugal and helped settle the area to secure and develop the region by encouraging a Christian presence in the area. 3* - The statue is OK and certainly captures an important man in an important moment well, but it needs a lot of TLC, especially as it appears to be in quite a state for quite some time.

Located directly in front of the famous Sé do Porto (Porto Cathedral), this weather-worn statue…read moreremembers the first ruler of the "County of Portugal" which is pretty much the areas around Braga and Porto. Vímara Peres was a ninth-century nobleman from the Kingdom of Asturias (northeastern Iberia). The statue has seen better days and even the caption has had a couple of letters fall off. As a man so important to Porto and Portugal, he should be in better shape.

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

This modern statue of Bishop António Ferreira Gomes sits right near the tower of the Clérigos…read moreChurch and today served as the meeting point for my walking tour of Porto. Bishop Gomes was a Portuguese Roman Catholic bishop, and is considered one of the most notable figures of Portuguese Catholic hierarchy in the 20th century. First appointed by Pope Pius XII as bishop of Portalegre (about 300 kilometers southeast of Porto), from 1949 to 1952. He was appointed bishop of Porto in 1952, a position that he held until 1982. He opposed the regime of Portuguese prime minister António de Oliveira Salazar, writing a letter that was supposed to be private but was made public. In the letter, he criticized the PM and it eventually caused Salazar to exile Gomes abroad until a new President of Portugal allowed his return in 1969. He eventually retired as Bishop of Porto in 1982 and died in 1989. [Review 9841 overall, 1419 of 2018.]

Our tour only stopped here for 20 minutes after a long bathroom break - too few booths (two for…read morewomen and one for men) with too many of us, on a rainy afternoon. We missed ton!

Last year when we visited Guimaraes it was a holiday and the castle was closed…read more You have to purchase tickets on line- barcode available at the entrance. Staff check your online tickets and you're allowed in. When my husband was younger, he indicated he was actually able to walk in the castle. The staff stated about 3 years ago, stairs and trail were built to conserve the castle. Great views from the top of the castle. There are huge boulders on the grounds and as part of the castle itself. Street parking.

Foz do Douro means "Mouth of the Douro" and is a district where the Douro River meets the Atlantic…read moreOcean. My tour guide took my husband and me through this area. We saw the gorgeous ocean, sandy beaches, some nice-looking houses, a fort, gardens, restaurants, a sea wall, etcetera. The area was very scenic and had a peaceful and relaxing mood. Our tour guide told us that you can see the currents and color of the water change where the river and ocean meet.

" Fox do D'ouzo " is situated in the western part of Porto where the Douro River meets the Atlantic…read moreOcean and it is really a magical place at sunset. Many locals and fishermen are there to try their luck - open bond fire with grill everything is ready for the experience. It is a great place for walks nearby the sea and admiring the Altantic that comes for a last time blasting its surf on the rocks. Some seagulls flying, a descending sunset in fresh breez. God life is good!!! And for all Yelpers - Happy Thanksgiving we have a lot to be grateful for and to have YELP guiding our footsteps with the wisdoms of those who have been here before! SYOY!

I thought I'd have to bribe Jamie W to climb this historic tower, but he surprised me by not…read morewhining about it. I knew from more youthful vloggers on YouTube that the panoramic views were spectacular from the top. At 246 feet, the tower is the highest point in Porto's historic center. However, before we climbed the inevitable 240 steps, the museum beckoned. It was formerly the private quarters of the clerics who founded the church. The space now houses religious artifacts and related art exhibits and extends into the High Church Gallery, a balcony promenade that provides an elevated view of the church's ornate nave (Photo 5). Before entering the stairwell, we had our photos taken in front of a green screen for souvenirs they pitched to us later. The climb wasn't that bad, just a bit claustrophobic in some sections, specially when we had to squeeze by perspiring tourists. They were more spritzing than sprinting. There are two observation floors. The first is about 2/3 of the way up, while the narrower space at the summit provides the ultimate payoff with panoramic cityscape and river views (Video). As usual, the climb down was easier since we knew how long it should take. And yes, there were photos of us standing at the summit in comic poses. I usually bypass them, but for 8€, I couldn't help myself (Photo 7). RELATED - Exploring Porto? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/CzAl-vBlP0

A historic climb for a view of Porto's skyline…read more The Clérigos Tower is a baroque landmark easily spotted from vantage points across historic Porto, and therefore one that's worth climbing for that panoramic view from above. The 75m bell tower monument is connected to a church that was built for the Clergy brotherhood in the 18th century. The ornate church and relic exhibit are also worth sightseeing to gain appreciation of its history. We pre-booked our visit (€10) and were serenaded with a concert taking place in front of the brilliantly lit church altar. From there we were able to head above the nave for a full vantage of the church and dome in its pink & white marble tones. At our exact booking time, we were able to queue in line before taking the steps up the actual tower. The queue was slow-moving because the staircase is narrow and the steps themselves were quite steep making it challenging particularly for those with knee pains. Once we made it to the top, we were rewarded with the 360 panoramic views including the famous bridges connecting to Gaia, and the historical city centre with orange rooftops underneath. It can be a workout getting up and down as the tight staircase has to accommodate the constant two-way flow of visitors. Skip it or hit it? This is one of the prominent sites in Porto but be ready for the stairs.

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.

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!