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One week in Porto...ideas? restaurants? markets?
This is coming up in early September, we are using Porto as a home base to explore areas, one day to Douro River region, one day to explore Minho region, and planning to go over to the Gaia wine region. Other than the usual sites, anything that stands out to you in Porto? Particularly IN the city area. Staying near Cafe Majestic.
We are 'slow travelers'. Planning to do the 6 bridges cruise. Looking for markets, shopping (local, not Gucci), casual GOOD FOOD, restaurants, bakeries, coffee houses, etc. Any sites one might not see in the basic top ten lists? Many thanks. |
Bakeries-
A Manteigaria, at Rua de Alexandre Braga, 24, in the Delta Q coffee building, across the street from the old time, closed & now-under-renovation Mercado de Bolhão sells delicious pastéis de nata, the Porto branch of the Manteigarias in Lisbon. Also table seating for sandwiches, salads for lunch. 2nd branch in the shadow of the Clérigos Tower at Rua dos Clérigos 47. Chocolataria Equador, at Rua Sa da Bandeira, 637, is a contemporary chocolate shop-cappuccinos and hot chocolate too. In upmarket Foz, the *Melhor Bola de Chocolate do Mundo*at Rua do Padrão 8 sells 100% Portuguese chocolate creations. Also in Foz we like Tavi-Confeitaria da Foz*at Rua Senhora da Luz, one of the oldest pastry shops in Foz-terrace offers sea views. Confeitaria Paparoca, Rua Passeio Alegre, 318, on the tram #1 line and across from the 500 bus stop, in Foz, east of the beaches, a locals' favorite. They sell pasteis de nata, cakes, pastries and coffee, with a few bar stools inside and table service outside on the terrace. Markets- While the Mercado Bolhão is under renovation, the vendors have moved downstairs to a temporary market nearby in the Centro Comercial La Vie, the*Mercado Temporário do Bolhão*at Rua Fernandes Tomás. The Mercado do Bom Suceso is Porto’s modern gourmet food hall, located at Praça Bom Sucesso, a few minutes walk from the Casa da Música in the Boavista neighborhood. If you're strolling around Old Foz, Foz Velha, you might like to drop into the small indoor market there at Rua de Diu. One stop shopping for Portugal's finest handicrafts- A Vida Portuguesa - Loja Clérigos, has moved to Rua Cândido dos Reis, 36. This is the Porto branch of the wonderful Lisbon “Made in Portugal” shop, selling soaps, toiletries, jewelry, textiles, woven bags, tinned sardines, Bordelo Pinheiro tableware, the famous black swans and other handicrafts. At Rua de Ferreira Borges 62, downtown there's Galo Louco, the*“crazy rooster”, focusing on art, handicrafts and gastronomy-- jams, wines, tiles, cork objects and modern design pieces. Loja Tradições, at Rua das Flores 238 downtown sells cork bags, sea salts from the Algarve and tiles. The Burel Factory at Rua de Mouzinho da Silbeira, 83 offers accessories, scarves, jackets, hats and bags, all made with a thick wool textile called burel, which was historically used by the sheep herders of the Serra. In Gaia- You might want to have a drink (white port tonic, maybe) on the terrace of the Hotel Yeatman with gorgeous views of the city, or down below at Taylor-Fladgate port lodge on their terrace restaurant, Barão Fladgate. *Or if you visit Graham's port lodge, on the terrace of their Vinum Wine Bar. *Or from the new Enoteca 17.56, wine bar/restaurant belonging to Real Companhia Velha on the quai in Gaia. *Fantastic views from all. Dining in Foz- We like Cafeína, Terra & Casa Vasco there, now acquired by the Jose Avillez group. For inexpensive, casual, small plates in Foz, we go to Casa de Pasto da Palmeira, the little dark red house with a whimsical décor, near the Jardim Passeio Alegre, facing the river. https://www.facebook.com/pages/categ...5081119171836/ We also go to BarTolo in a narrow 3-story storefront with a rustic-chic upstairs dining room and a rooftop terrace, on Rua Senhora da Luz, a block from the beach. https://www.facebook.com/bartolofoz/ Casual dining in downtown Porto- On Rua das Flores 110 there's the tiny Mercearia das Flores, a rustic chic deli crammed with local products and wines, and it serves brunches, salads, sandwiches and desserts. It’s always packed. https://www.merceariadasflores.com Cantina 32 on pedestrian Rua das Flores. Famous for its cheesecake, served in a clay flowerpot topped with a crumbled Oreo cookie. https://www.cantina32.com Tapabento at Rua da Madeira 222 in a cute 2-story house tucked away behind the São Bento rail station TAPABENTO Bar Restaurante Tapisco by Henrique Sá Pessoa is a tapas/petiscos hybrid, sibling of the one in Lisbon. Tapisco - Henrique Sá Pessoa - Tapas, Petiscos, Vermutes - Porto Ditto to the Cantinho de Avillez sibling for small plates. Tapisco & Cantinho are both very close to each other. Avillez bought the old-time Café Progresso at Rua Actor João Guedes, 5, north of the Lello bookshop and will open that soon as Cafeína Downtown. He's also opened Casa Vasca, an informal tavern at Rua de Sá de Noronha 61 next door.* https://cantinhodoavillez.pt/en/rest...-silveira.html If you plan to venture out to Matosinhos on bus 500 for a seafood feast, we liked the very reasonably priced O Valentim there facing the fish market with outdoor grill, on the seafood "restaurant row", but there are several others of equal quality if not price. O Valentim I just updated my Porto file so hope this helps. |
Wow Maribel!! Thanks!! If you have one on Lisbon I'd love that too. We are there just a few days, and smaller towns, but we have most of our time in Porto. Many many thanks!!
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We loved the Minho region and spent a few days in Guimares.. You may want to spend more than one day there. |
What a great thread - Maribel your info is awesome! My husband and I are planning a 2 week trip to Portugal next October with lots of driving around the whole country. We are wine lovers and so definately want to spend time in Douro, but are there other places we should visit? To the original poster - have a wonderful trip!!!
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mrsfecura,
Since you're wine lovers with 2 weeks to spend, I certainly recommend the ALENTEJO region (with 22,000+ hectares of vines), which would be lovely in October. We go there then to avoid the incredibly hot temperatures in summer. What I love about the Alentejo region: the UNESCO World Heritage site of Evora (lovely town with great dining), the photogenic whitewashed fortress towns of Monsaraz and Marvão, with their dramatic perches overlooking the Spanish border, the pretty town of Castelo de Vide in the Serra de São Mamede mountain range next to Marvão, the endless olive and cork groves, horse & cattle farms, megalithic sites, the marble town of Vila Viçosa, the castles, rustic pottery towns of Redondo and São Pedro de Corval...it's all good! We've toured wineries (adegas) there, from Cartuxa in Evora to Esporão in Reguengos de Monsaraz, to the Alvaro Siza Vieira-designed Adega Maior to Herdade de Malhadinha Nova & Herdade dos Grous, south in Albernoa (the last 2 also function as inns). And there are several more wine-producing Quintas or Herdades in the Alentejo that also have lodging. For historical lodging you have the several Pousadas that are restored convents/monasteries/palaces/convents (we've stayed in 6 of these Alentenjo ones). For 5-star luxury hotels: L'AND Vineyards, São Lourenço do Barrocal, Alentejo Màrmoris, Torre de Palma, Imani Country House and Convento de Espinheiro. You might want to read the following articles about this area to help plan your trip: https://blog.winetourismportugal.com...ss-in-alentejo Alentejo Wine Travel Guide | NelsonCarvalheiro.com https://www.decanter.com/wine-travel...ortugal-29772/ Now back to Porto... I love Castelbel aromatic soaps and Portus Cale candles, and they make nice gifts. They have their flagship store in Porto, in the Palácio das Artes on Rua Ferreira Borges. https://portocool.com/en/shop/castelbel-porto * |
Maribel,
This sounds exactly like what we are looking for - I can't wait to dig into those articles! We're considering skipping Algarve area and concentrating on Porto, Coimbra, Tomar (husband wants to do a Templar Knights tour), Lisbon, Douro and now Evora/Marvao in the Alentejo region. Would I be seriously missing out not hitting the southernmost coast? |
mrsfecura,
No, you won't be missing out at all. We did spent 8 pleasant days in November on the Costa Vicentina & Algarve but only for rest/relaxation since we both hadn't been there in years, and we were on our way to Sevilla, so why not, we thought. And we wanted to explore the somewhat unknown but up and coming Alentejo coast. But... I personally would much rather spend time in other areas, like Porto, Douro, Alentejo, Tomar, Coimbra, Viseu, but we had already done that tour. We're planning Porto & the Douro again for this fall. For friends, I just arranged an English-speaking Knights Templar guided tour in Tomar with Caminhos da História, who are based in Tomar. These friends stopped in Tomar on their way to Coimbra. We did spent the night in Tomar and toured the Convento de Cristo on our own, but in retrospect wished we had secured a guide from them. There was only 1 English audio guide available for the 4 of us, and it left a great deal to be desired. https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/caminhos-da-história-turismo-cultural-lda In Coimbra we spent 2 nights at the Quinta das Lagrimas. The hotel concierge recommended the services of the local company, Madomis Tours, for a half-day or full day guided tour of the city, University and of the Roman ruins of Conimbriga. There's also Go Walks that provides walking tours. https://www.madomistours.pt http://www.gowalksportugal.com * |
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