This small local shop is hidden along the north side of the Douro River in the Ribeira district. We…read morecouldn't get any food pics, but definitely try the soup and the Franceshina! Be aware the place is cash only!!

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.

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.

There are many reasons to visit the small town of A Ver-o-Mar near Povoa de Varzim. There's a great…read morerestaurant with fantastic views, friendly locals and a breathtaking boardwalk. And then there's this beach. Even on a weekend in full summer you will find the beach quite empty. Lots of great spots for sunbathing still available. Bring your own gear, since there are no places to rent any chairs and umbrellas. And that's a good thing. It's a very local beach, with people relaxing. Everybody's having a good time and everybody's pretty quiet. Dogs officially not allowed, but many locals brought their pet anyways, which was fun. The beach is very nice, small dunes in the back. And it's a really clean beach, both the sand and the (cold) water. Parking along the road right behind the beach is plenty and free (there's more free spaces at the restaurant), but they fill up fast, since many come for biking and walking along the ocean as well. A great beach. Charming and relaxing....and with wonderful sunsets. A few words about the amazing boardwalk: In daytime a wonderful walk, but the real charm it shows when it gets dark...or even at full night. That's when we enjoyed having a walk here after dinner. Watch the sunset from the restaurant and then walk along this promenade. It is well built and maintained, well lit at night and has some benches on the way to rest your legs. There are always people around, never feels strange or unsafe, doesn't matter at what time.

According to sources, the Jardim de São Lázaro opened in 1834 and is the oldest municipal garden in…read morethe city of Porto. Trees, benches, a lovely fountain, it is a beautiful spot to rest after your big lunch as I did. A big fountain, a bandstand, lots of landscaping. It is quite picturesque. [Review 9868 overall, 1446 of 2018.]

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.]

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.

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.