Porto - apartment location
 

(Apologies in advance for a duplicate post. I wasn't wanting to get in the way of answers or getting lost in the responses to the other question on this topic - in another similar recent thread)

I am considering booking what appears to be an ideal apartment for our needs in Porto, when we will arrive in mid-September. We'll have a leased car with us, so parking is important, even though we may not use the car while in Porto. We will stay four nights, and I'm finding it a bit confusing figuring out neighborhoods.

Until we commit to actually booking, we do not have the complete street address, but on a map the apartment is near the intersection R. do Sol and R. do Gen Sousa Dias - between Pte Luiz 1 and Pte do Infante. It is an upper story apartment with a lovely balcony view of the river, and reviews mention that it is quiet at night, and within walking distance.of the old city.

Anyone have opinions as to this location? We are strong walkers and hope to explore the city, and with the car we can venture out a bit further if need be.

Looks to be high on a bluff; only a couple blocks to the funicular down to the river at Batalha; the immediate area looks anonymously residential (check it out on Google Earth where you can see apartments with balconies and river view!) but if you walk three or four blocks toward the WNW and past the Igrejia Santo Ildefonso you hit a very lively and convivial restaurant and shopping area going past the Cafe Majestic and on to the mercado at Bolhao. You'll probably want to leave the car and just hoof it, along with checking the bus schedules on R. de Alexandre Herculano only a block away, where the route 207 takes you to the Aliados Metro and all the way out to the Mercado in Foz by the ocean. If you can get a decent parking spot you'll do very well there, I think.

Hi!

I believe you are looking at Douro River Mirror apartment.

It is very well located, although it is not my favourite area in the city center. But that is because being born and raised in Porto, I'm a litle bit (or a lot) biaised, my neighbourhood is always the best. The apartment is in the top of a hill, so here are the things you can reach without going up and down: going through Rua do Sol, the beautiful church of Santa Clara and the ancient wall of Porto, built in the XIV century, called "Muralha Fernandina" (Fernandina because Fernando was the King when it was finished) or "cerca nova", "new wall", in oposition of the old one built by the romans. You can access this wall and it's tower through the church I mentioned, and walk over it.

Almost in front of it, is the funicular dos Guindais, the upper station. and further, it's the upper level of Luis I bridge. It is also the cathedral (Sé) and the surroudings, called the medieval area.

Still near the apartment, but going through Rua Duque de Loulé, is the area (flat) with Batalha theatre, Santo Ildefonso church, the beggining of Rua Santa Catarina (with the nice chapel "Capela das Almas" and the Majestic café), two steps from Mercado do Bolhão. The area is also very near a nice garden "Jardim de São Lázaro", and a square named "Praça dos Poveiros", with lots of restaurants and coffee shops (for Francesinhas that's the right place, the best ones are at the street that starts at that square - street name Rua Passos Manuel, restaurants names Café Santiago, Brasão and Lado B).

Now, let's talk about what is not a confortable walk: Ribeira, first of all. It's easy to go, hard to return. Remember, the apartment is on the top of a hill. Of course there is the funicular, but I would rely more on Uber os Taxi. There are also the stairs of "Guindais" - 220 steps from Ribeira to the top.

São Bento train station and Rua das Flores: these are located in the middle, so very easy to reach from the apartment (it's going down), not so easy to return (you can use the metro rolling stairs, they help).

Clérigos tower, bookshop Lello and the night spot nearby, the old jail that is now the photograph center, Carmo church with it's magnificent tiles, Virtudes garden, etc: well, it's a different hill. So, from that apartment, you need to go down, and then up. At this moment, some streets are blocked (due to the works of the new metro line), even for people, so besides going up and down you also have to do some "going around", And after all that, you need to return. Again, taxi or uber might help a lot, and they are not expensive. I don't know how things are going to be in September.

I hope I helped you about figuring out neighbourhoods. I really hope I had not put more confusion on your head!

Helena
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dfourh and HelenaFatima - Thank you so much for answering my questions. From what you have written, I think the location of the apartment will be good for us - and it does include secured parking, so we can leave the car and head out on foot to explore. I'm reading guidebooks and building anticipation for this road trip through Portugal. Glad to have Porto lodgings figured out - now on to making plans for the rest of Portugal over the following two and a half weeks remaining in our schedule.