Portugal at last!
Aug 19th, 2022, 01:37 PM
#401
Original Poster
Wednesday June 1 -
Our last full day in Porto and the end of our trip to Portugal. I woke up ridiculously early - sometime around 5am to torrential rain. By 8am, at least, the sun breaks through, and there are blue skies, at least for a while. This is a pattern we've seen in Porto. We met a Scottish couple on our walking tour and we compared the weather here to Scottish weather. Definitely similar in changeability although also much, much warmer!
The end of the rain...
And blue skies emerge
Today was our COVID test - I had scheduled appointments several weeks before leaving home, though it seemed walk-ins had no problem. For €20pp, the covid test at Farmácia Moreno was very reasonable, and the negative results were emailed back within 15 minutes. We stopped by a little later for a hard copy. This was our second European trip since the pandemic started, so we were much less anxious over the test results, but it was still a relief to have the negative tests.
After completing our tests, we took the #1 tram to Foz do Douro, Porto's seafront along the Atlantic coast, with long stretches of beaches strewn with rocks, a lighthouse, the promenade along the waterfront...and many choices of restaurants overlooking the sea. It was a pleasant afternoon, though the skies were a bit more ominous when we arrived by the beach. We stopped at the lighthouse, then strolled along the beach to the Pergola da Foz", which was built in the 1930s. According to a travel website, the story goes that the "Mayor of Porto’s wife at the time, had been so enchanted by the pergola of the "Promenade des Anglais » in the French town of Nice that she simply had to have the same in Porto. Here it is called the "Praia dos Ingleses" a reminder that the English (and other British citizens!) have always enjoyed a close relationship with Portugal".
The #1 Tram
Inside the tram. Masks were required and people were reminded to put them on if they didn't have them.
The view from the tram
Moody, overcast skies welcomed us
Waves crashing against the wall where the lighthouse stands
Walking along the beach
"Praia dos Ingleses" or Pergola da Foz
"Praia dos Ingleses" or Pergola da Foz
To be honest, we were a little confused by our visit. Sergio, our guide on our walking tour a few days earlier had mentioned that there were very local restaurants that served the fishermen who lived and worked here in Foz do Douro -- and we missed these entirely. I'm not sure where they are but we ended up in a lovely but more upscale restaurant right on the beach. A very nice afternoon meal to finish out our stay.
The tram to Foz do Douro was fun, but very slow, so we took the 500 bus back. This was right by the restaurant and it was a much quicker ride back to São Bento.
Our afternoon was spent in just a bit more wandering and shopping and packing to go home. Our month in Portugal has come to an end.
On the way back home....
Back street
Our last full day in Porto and the end of our trip to Portugal. I woke up ridiculously early - sometime around 5am to torrential rain. By 8am, at least, the sun breaks through, and there are blue skies, at least for a while. This is a pattern we've seen in Porto. We met a Scottish couple on our walking tour and we compared the weather here to Scottish weather. Definitely similar in changeability although also much, much warmer!
The end of the rain...
And blue skies emerge
Today was our COVID test - I had scheduled appointments several weeks before leaving home, though it seemed walk-ins had no problem. For €20pp, the covid test at Farmácia Moreno was very reasonable, and the negative results were emailed back within 15 minutes. We stopped by a little later for a hard copy. This was our second European trip since the pandemic started, so we were much less anxious over the test results, but it was still a relief to have the negative tests.
After completing our tests, we took the #1 tram to Foz do Douro, Porto's seafront along the Atlantic coast, with long stretches of beaches strewn with rocks, a lighthouse, the promenade along the waterfront...and many choices of restaurants overlooking the sea. It was a pleasant afternoon, though the skies were a bit more ominous when we arrived by the beach. We stopped at the lighthouse, then strolled along the beach to the Pergola da Foz", which was built in the 1930s. According to a travel website, the story goes that the "Mayor of Porto’s wife at the time, had been so enchanted by the pergola of the "Promenade des Anglais » in the French town of Nice that she simply had to have the same in Porto. Here it is called the "Praia dos Ingleses" a reminder that the English (and other British citizens!) have always enjoyed a close relationship with Portugal".
The #1 Tram
Inside the tram. Masks were required and people were reminded to put them on if they didn't have them.
The view from the tram
Moody, overcast skies welcomed us
Waves crashing against the wall where the lighthouse stands
Walking along the beach
"Praia dos Ingleses" or Pergola da Foz
"Praia dos Ingleses" or Pergola da Foz
To be honest, we were a little confused by our visit. Sergio, our guide on our walking tour a few days earlier had mentioned that there were very local restaurants that served the fishermen who lived and worked here in Foz do Douro -- and we missed these entirely. I'm not sure where they are but we ended up in a lovely but more upscale restaurant right on the beach. A very nice afternoon meal to finish out our stay.
The tram to Foz do Douro was fun, but very slow, so we took the 500 bus back. This was right by the restaurant and it was a much quicker ride back to São Bento.
Our afternoon was spent in just a bit more wandering and shopping and packing to go home. Our month in Portugal has come to an end.
On the way back home....
Back street
Aug 19th, 2022, 01:54 PM
#402
Original Poster
Thursday, June 2
We woke up to texts from United airlines letting us know about plane delays because thunderstorms in the US which have caused massive delays for all flights departing and arriving. We had our last pingado - espresso coffee with a shot of steamed milk - at Bicafe, a regular cafe with great coffee and freshly-made pastries, and located just across the street from our apartment. This is a wonderful place and not at all "touristy".
We originally planned to take a taxi to the airport but with all the delays, we decided to take the train to the airport since we had plenty of time. From the São Bento metro station, we took the D line to Trinidad, where we changed for the E line to the airport. Very easy, really! The train arrived quickly but we sat, waiting for it to leave, for nearly 20 minutes. It's a slow ride to the airport, but we weren't in a rush, so there was no problem. And when we arrived at the airport, we got through security quickly and found the ANA lounge, the business lounge at Porto, where we sat comfortably until we had to go through passport control. We could see the passport control from the lounge and could see when the lines were short. In truth, it was an easy airport to navigate, and never seemed especially crowded.
Leaving Porto on the metro...
The flight had several weather-related delays, including sitting at Newark airport for 2 1/2 hours since there were huge backups. And several days later, as you now all know by now, we came home with an extra "gift" of COVID, which I strongly believe was due to the lengthy time we spent on the plane. But we did arrive home at last!
We woke up to texts from United airlines letting us know about plane delays because thunderstorms in the US which have caused massive delays for all flights departing and arriving. We had our last pingado - espresso coffee with a shot of steamed milk - at Bicafe, a regular cafe with great coffee and freshly-made pastries, and located just across the street from our apartment. This is a wonderful place and not at all "touristy".
We originally planned to take a taxi to the airport but with all the delays, we decided to take the train to the airport since we had plenty of time. From the São Bento metro station, we took the D line to Trinidad, where we changed for the E line to the airport. Very easy, really! The train arrived quickly but we sat, waiting for it to leave, for nearly 20 minutes. It's a slow ride to the airport, but we weren't in a rush, so there was no problem. And when we arrived at the airport, we got through security quickly and found the ANA lounge, the business lounge at Porto, where we sat comfortably until we had to go through passport control. We could see the passport control from the lounge and could see when the lines were short. In truth, it was an easy airport to navigate, and never seemed especially crowded.
Leaving Porto on the metro...
The flight had several weather-related delays, including sitting at Newark airport for 2 1/2 hours since there were huge backups. And several days later, as you now all know by now, we came home with an extra "gift" of COVID, which I strongly believe was due to the lengthy time we spent on the plane. But we did arrive home at last!
Aug 19th, 2022, 08:58 PM
#403
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Progol wrote "To be honest, we were a little confused by our visit. Sergio, our guide on our walking tour a few days earlier had mentioned that there were very local restaurants that served the fishermen who lived and worked here in Foz do Douro -- and we missed these entirely. I'm not sure where they are but we ended up in a lovely but more upscale restaurant right on the beach. A very nice afternoon meal to finish out our stay."
Your guide was probably not from Porto. Nor even portuguese, I risk to say, because the most of them are not. It was probably a free tour that you take. Free tours are what they are, leaded by foreign guides, that read a few things on foreign sites or books. Google doesn't help, either. Many people take the tram or the bus expecting to find a fishing village called Foz do Douro, and then they find themselves in the most posh and expensive area of the city.
Your guide was probably not from Porto. Nor even portuguese, I risk to say, because the most of them are not. It was probably a free tour that you take. Free tours are what they are, leaded by foreign guides, that read a few things on foreign sites or books. Google doesn't help, either. Many people take the tram or the bus expecting to find a fishing village called Foz do Douro, and then they find themselves in the most posh and expensive area of the city.
Aug 20th, 2022, 03:23 AM
#404
Original Poster
<<Your guide was probably not from Porto. Nor even portuguese, I risk to say, because the most of them are not. It was probably a free tour that you take. Free tours are what they are, leaded by foreign guides, that read a few things on foreign sites or books. Google doesn't help, either. Many people take the tram or the bus expecting to find a fishing village called Foz do Douro, and then they find themselves in the most posh and expensive area of the city.>>
Hi, Helena,
In defense of Sergio, he was definitely Portuguese and I’m pretty sure he was from the Porto area. It’s very possible I misunderstood what he was talking about. He really was an excellent guide and I don’t want to make people think otherwise. We enjoyed our walking tour with him a lot and felt he was very good.
Thank you for all the help on our trip! We really enjoyed Porto a lot and found it a good place to wind down our trip. We were both pretty tired by the end and didn’t take advantage of all there is to do, but we loved the feeling of the city and had a great time just wandering.
Hi, Helena,
In defense of Sergio, he was definitely Portuguese and I’m pretty sure he was from the Porto area. It’s very possible I misunderstood what he was talking about. He really was an excellent guide and I don’t want to make people think otherwise. We enjoyed our walking tour with him a lot and felt he was very good.
Thank you for all the help on our trip! We really enjoyed Porto a lot and found it a good place to wind down our trip. We were both pretty tired by the end and didn’t take advantage of all there is to do, but we loved the feeling of the city and had a great time just wandering.
Oct 28th, 2022, 10:11 PM
#408
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Just read your report Progol from top to bottom! Wonderful! Your descriptions and detail combined with your photos put me right in the thick of your travels!
Thank you so much for doing this. It is so helpful and looks like you had an amazing experience 😊
Thank you so much for doing this. It is so helpful and looks like you had an amazing experience 😊
Nov 5th, 2022, 08:46 PM
#411
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Cherthor, you broke my heart. I went down through Barredo a few days ago, but in a different direction, so I did not see this.The litle girl under a yellow umbrella is (or was), to me, one of the most beautifull street art. I'm sorry if I lead you in such a disappointing way.
Elevador da Lada is working, and it's free. It doesn't serve any purpose, it's just for the views, because what could save you from a deep climb is a door that is locked.
Thanks for the cat, Cherthor, it has a beautifull meaning about us, locals, it represents all we have and are in this city.
Elevador da Lada is working, and it's free. It doesn't serve any purpose, it's just for the views, because what could save you from a deep climb is a door that is locked.
Thanks for the cat, Cherthor, it has a beautifull meaning about us, locals, it represents all we have and are in this city.
Nov 8th, 2022, 05:47 AM
#412
It broke my heart when I saw that too. I hope that it will be restored so that many others can enjoy the art work.
You had given us so much info about your city, I am glad that I could follow all those good information to explore your city. I walked a lot and had climbed quite a few of the steep steps without taking the elevator that you mentioned. I also learned the way down was locked. No regrets as I had gained just as much for the views.
I would like to share this little gem that I found the same day when I explorer your city. Hope you like these. Thanks again for your beautiful city!
You had given us so much info about your city, I am glad that I could follow all those good information to explore your city. I walked a lot and had climbed quite a few of the steep steps without taking the elevator that you mentioned. I also learned the way down was locked. No regrets as I had gained just as much for the views.
I would like to share this little gem that I found the same day when I explorer your city. Hope you like these. Thanks again for your beautiful city!
Dec 16th, 2022, 05:51 PM
#414
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Progol, I've just finished reading your entire trip report! Thank you so much for posting such amazing pictures and detailed information. You have made me fall in love with Portugal and so excited to be spending a couple of days in Lisbon and a day in Sintra in June. I know Lisbon is a large city with so much to do, but can I ask you what were your favorite things to do were? I wish we had more time to spend, but only "stopping over" for 3 nights before heading to Madeira. I'm so sorry you got covid at the end of such a glorious trip, but I'm sure you've fully recovered by now. Thanks again!
Dec 21st, 2022, 06:54 PM
#415
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Progol, I hope you don't mind--I just recommended your Napoli TR to a Rick Steves poster. They had questions about that area and it occurred to me that they'd benefit from your visuals and input.
cheers
I am done. the cross-reference
cheers
I am done. the cross-reference
Dec 22nd, 2022, 03:27 AM
#416
Original Poster
zebec , of course I don’t mind if you share this! I’m happy to know that this TR can benefit someone and help them make decisions.
lrice , I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I was away when you posted and haven’t been on this travel board for a while, so my apologies for not acknowledging your post earlier!
Jayneann I’m happy you enjoyed this and have found it helpful! I’ll have to think about what our favorite things in Lisbon were, but in only 2 days, I’d walk as much as possible! Oh and eat a lot of natas😉
Cherthor , interesting photos of a place we didn’t see! And the cat is wonderful! Our apartment overlooked it, so we got to see if every day we were in Porto.😉
lrice , I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I was away when you posted and haven’t been on this travel board for a while, so my apologies for not acknowledging your post earlier!
Jayneann I’m happy you enjoyed this and have found it helpful! I’ll have to think about what our favorite things in Lisbon were, but in only 2 days, I’d walk as much as possible! Oh and eat a lot of natas😉
Cherthor , interesting photos of a place we didn’t see! And the cat is wonderful! Our apartment overlooked it, so we got to see if every day we were in Porto.😉
Feb 25th, 2023, 11:15 AM
#418
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Hi, just re-read your trip for the umpteenth time. So helpful! We leave Monday. Working on reserving a university led tour in Coimbra, and maybe the Jewish tour with Sara. Megalith tour in Evora, but none others planned. Any last thoughts welcomed. Hope you are well and enjoying Mexico?
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