2024 in Portugal (Porto)
On September 1, 2024, while sailing on the Celebrity Equinox, we had a port of call in Porto, Portugal. The ship actually docked in Port Leixões in Matosinhos, a suburb about 8 km (5 miles) northwest from downtown Porto.
First to Gaia
A free shuttle took passengers to Gaia, a touristy district south of the Douro River. From there, I walked on my own. Originally having a "free" walking tour, it was cancelled at the last minute. So I made my way through steep hilly terrain (which had staircases like the Escadaria da Travessa Candido dos Reis and Escadas da Pedrosa) to reach the Jardim do Morro, a garden with a spectacular view (Miradouro) of the Douro River and the downtown on the north side.
From Jardim do Morro to Porto city centre
Proceeded by Metro (subway train) to head north into Porto's city centre, getting off São Bento station and visited:
- Rua das Flores (shopping street)
- Prometeu Artesanato had a nice gift shop with handmade crafts
- Igreja dos Clérigos (the church with the bell tower)
- Universidade do Porto (university with a nice fountain)
- Rua de Cedofeita (an ornately paved shopping street) (another shopping street with ornate pavings)
- Porto City Hall (with the obligatory city name sign)
No Cais da Ribeira 😞
I covered quite some ground even without a tour guide, but I would have benefitted from their quick pace to see more! Due to a lack of time, I regret not visiting Cais da Ribeira (a promenade on the riverfront with all the restaurants). I also did not try any port wine but bought a bottle of white port wine for later consumption on the ship.