Most people who visit Porto really like it, so I did have a level of expectation about it. Usually, that’s not a good thing and we try to avoid it, but … Porto didn’t disappoint. And I liked it better than Lisbon.
Welcome to Porto!
Quick stop in Lisbon
Our “big adventure” started on April 4th, when our easy travels by rental car came to an end. The logistics from this day on – how do we get to Belgium with Maya without a car? – had been weighing on us and a lot of research, planning, and reserving had recently become a part of our lives. None of which we normally do.
After the 2.5-hour drive from our last rental house in Cuba with our already vacuumed car, Mark dropped Maya, me, and our five pieces of luggage off at the Oriente train station in Lisbon, before removing the last of Maya’s hairs with a lint roller. We had heard that there are heavy fines when you return a rental car with dog hair.
Maya and I sat on a blanket outside the station – and were almost reprimanded by security guards as being homeless loiterers (because that’s what this scene might have looked like; and in a way, we were) – and waited for Mark for an hour and a half. Luckily, returning the Seat rental car after nine weeks wasn’t an issue.
Then, all of us had to wait for another four hours (because we booked the cheapest train fare) before we could hop aboard for the 3.5-hour journey to Porto. Mark and I took turns staying with Maya and the luggage, when the other person stretched their legs.
The train ride went relatively smoothly, despite us not having picked good seats – this was our first experience on a train with a dog and Maya’s first train trip as well – and our dog having to be muzzled.
Porto
The three of us took a cab from the Campanhã train station to our rental accommodation in the Bonfim district and we are glad we did as it would have been a long, uphill walk with quite a bit of luggage.
Again, we had picked an interesting apartment. We mostly liked it but there were some oddities, like having the shower stall in the actual bedroom and the toilet in a closet. Is that where the European term WC – Water Closet – comes from?
We did get used to these quirks when we figured out that “backing into” the toilet closet after pulling our pants down and bending over was the easiest way to take care of business. The kitchen was inadequate for longer stays, but being here for only four nights worked just fine. And, as always, the walls were thin.
Since we had arrived quite late that first evening, we decided to grab a fast meal at a vegan place nearby. Little did we realize that this was a fancy, set-menu experience only. We would have liked to have arrived earlier for such a feast, but we nevertheless indulged in this four-course meal at 9pm! It was a nice surprise to learn that Maya was welcome inside and coddled.
Day one
Our first full day in the city started with a delicious brunch at Tomás Coffee Brunch, something we never do. When we go out, it’s usually for the main meal of the day, at lunch or dinner time. Again, Maya was welcome inside!
In the afternoon, we explored the Bolhão (only a few minutes “down the road”) and Ribeira districts on a self-guided walking tour. It brought us past cool churches, buildings, and plazas. We were so happy it was a sunny and warm day.
We gazed at a couple of tiled churches and strolled down towards the water, where we found a surprisingly lively scene, after enjoying the peace in the back alleys of Ribeira, which is located much lower than Bolhão. We had no idea this city was built on a hill too.
This meant we had to walk all the way back up, passing by what I thought was the coolest church, to reach home again.
Day two
On our second day, the weather would turn bad again, so we came up with a loop that would take in sights in the morning and errands in the afternoon. We walked a total of 8.5 miles or 20,000 steps!
First, our route took us downhill to the river viewpoint of Miradouro das Fontainhas. From there, we crossed the Douro River on Ponte do Infante, which offered nice views.
On the other side of the river, you actually enter a different town, Gaia, which is where all the port is made, bottled, and sold. So, ironically, Porto is not from Porto! We had hoped to do a tour and a tasting, but at €50 for two people, we passed. You can buy a lot of bottles of port in the store for that price!
Gaia is located across the river Douro
From Miradouro da Serra do Pilar, my favorite viewpoint, we marveled at the incredible views over Porto. This spot is a must-see if you ever visit the city.
Jardim do Morro, right next to it, is also a recommended stop for more views over and along the river, but it was much less impressive than the previous one.
View from Jardim do Morro, which is usually very busy
Next, we walked along the boardwalk (Cais de Gaia) to spot many of the port houses and old rabelo boats that used to transport barrels of port. We enjoyed the atmosphere and views, while it was still sunny and warm.
We ate our sandwich lunch in the shade along the Douro River, before crossing it again, this time on the famous Luís I Bridge’s lower level.
Clouds rolled in during the afternoon, as we made the long walk back home, via a detour to pick up extra salmon-based dog food that would hold us over until we met my cousin and her husband in France. They would bring some we’d ordered to Belgium.
We had looked forward to a stop and rest in Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, after a steep climb from the waterfront, but no dogs were allowed, so we kept walking.
That night, we enjoyed another dinner out at a dog-friendly vegan restaurant. Their all-you-can-eat buffet was a good deal at €15 per person.
A healthy vegan buffet for dinner
Day three
On our last full day, it rained. We did look forward to one more splurge: an all-you-can-eat sushi lunch. This time, it took a bit of convincing to have Maya join us under our table, but we succeeded. Not that anyone ever knows there is a dog under our table, whenever we eat out. She always rests on those occasions.
The meal was not only tasty and special, but also affordable at €30 for both of us. This was an order-from-the-menu-as-you-go concept. You write down a list of hot or cold dishes each round with a fine of €7 if you leave food on your plate. Fair enough.
The rest of the day we spent at home, catching up on work, writing, and research. The following two days of crossing northern Spain to reach France would bring a bit more stress. Stay tuned!
The Majestic Café is a historic, high-end Art Nouveau café located in Rua de Santa Catarina, that was opened in 1921
Next up: Village life in Southern France
Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics with dogs? Check out my compelling, inspiring, and refreshingly honest travel memoir:
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May 13, 2026 at 8:33 am
A wonderful sojourn in Porto with beautiful pictures! I have to add Porto to “the list.”
May 14, 2026 at 4:40 am
I’m so glad you enjoyed my Porto post, Marie! I do hope to make it there for a city trip. Or as part of a longer journey to Portugal. I certainly got my mom and aunt excited to go there on a long weekend. 🙂
May 13, 2026 at 9:19 am
i loved porto, even better than lisbon –
May 14, 2026 at 4:41 am
Hi Beth,
I’m glad we agree on that. Most visitors seem to be of that opinion, although I do know a couple of true Lisbon fans. 🙂
May 13, 2026 at 9:37 am
Red roofs are all over Europe. We saw them in the Balkans earlier this month.
I don’t like sushi, but the vegan buffer is tempting.
Thanks for this travelogue, Liesbet! 😀
May 14, 2026 at 4:44 am
Hi Marian,
I think Porto came as a wonderful surprise and I did truly like it. One of the reasons is that we splurged on good food that wasn’t too pricey. It felt a bit like vacation. 🙂 Mark’s favorite food is sushi and I’ve grown to like it as well. I always pick fish over meat, but we both prefer meals that are heavy on vegetables.
May 13, 2026 at 10:32 am
So nice to be in a place that is more dog-friendly. And so many vegetarian and vegan meal choices. Porto looks like a great walking around city.
May 14, 2026 at 4:57 am
Hi Duwan,
Those are all valid points and probably why we loved Porto so much. The fact that we could take Maya inside restaurants was such a surprise and change from everywhere else in Portugal. It just made us happier and more comfortable. And the food options were amazing and quite affordable as well. So many vegan and vegetarian restaurants! It’s a good reason to visit a big city once in a while.
May 13, 2026 at 2:04 pm
This sounds a lot more positive than your last report – maybe you’re finally finding some good luck in your travels. 🙂 The food looks fabulous, and I laughed with delight at the fine for leaving food on your plate. What a great idea! We don’t go to “all you can eat” buffets often, but when we do I’m horrified by the way some people waste food. The “food fine” is a creative and appropriate solution!
May 14, 2026 at 5:09 am
Hi Diane,
What? You didn’t laugh at the toilet in the closet?
I think that food fine is just perfect! But I did have a piece of leftover fried dough from a shrimp, since I didn’t want to stuff myself with dough when there was sushi to be had. So, I slipped it to Maya under the table, feeling extremely guilty (and like a cheater). Don’t tell anyone!
May 14, 2026 at 10:33 am
LOL! I won’t tell. And you’re right, I did laugh at the “potty humour”; especially your description of having to drop trou and back in to take care of business!
May 19, 2026 at 8:25 am
Haha, Diane. I knew you would enjoy my WC humor. 🙂
May 13, 2026 at 2:41 pm
You sure are getting your exercise in. That’s a lot of walking. Thanks forr taking us along.
May 14, 2026 at 5:16 am
Hi Pete,
Every since I turned 50, I’m feeling it when we walk distances like these (and less), but we keep doing it regardless. It’s good exercise for all three of us, never mind the sore backs and feet.
May 13, 2026 at 3:10 pm
I spent a long weekend in Porto once when John was going to a conference. I remember liking it, but not much about what we did (this would be some time in the 90s). One thing I do remember is that I found it very hard to find vegetarian food so that has clearly improved a lot.
May 14, 2026 at 5:19 am
Hi Anabel,
I’m sure the food scene in Porto – and other cosmopolitan cities – has changed a lot in the last thirty years. Mark and I usually avoid cities (especially with our campers), but one good reason to check them out, usually, is the international and/or healthy food options that they offer. And in Porto, this was certainly a joy!
May 16, 2026 at 1:55 pm
Liesbet, I am glad you enjoyed your time in Porto. It is a special city. Not sure I like it better than Lisbon, but close 2nd.
May 19, 2026 at 8:26 am
Hi Suzanne,
I guess Lisbon and Porto are the country rivals, just like New York and San Francisco. 🙂
May 18, 2026 at 7:47 am
The apartment looks cool, even with its ‘Harry Potter’ style toilet, Liesbet. It looks very clean, compared to the one that came with its own ‘world of ants.’
Thank goodness the weather was good while you guys waited for the train. Glad Maya enjoyed her first train journey.
Porto looks very pretty. The views you had are incredible.
May 19, 2026 at 8:28 am
Hi Hugh,
Well, if we would have had to wait for the train in the rain, at least that would have rhymed. 🙂
Porto was indeed quite photogenic and I’m sure the sun – which we didn’t have in Lisbon – contributed to that. Using the toilet closet at night, in the dark, was a bit challenging. We had a flashlight at the ready!
May 25, 2026 at 8:01 am
Porto looks divine. And so does the food. And now I know where the term ‘wash closet’ came from, lol. 😍
May 26, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Haha, Debby. Leave it to us to find the most quirky apartments and cottages! Porto was a blast. Colorful, pretty, walkable, and tasty. The perfect destination for a city trip!