Week 3 - Porto

Rain, Wine, Hot Dogs, and Surprises

After feeling a little “meh” about Lisbon, we were looking forward to moving on to Porto. And it definitely turned out to be our type of city. About 3.5 hours north of Lisbon, Porto is Portugal’s second-largest city — but you’d never guess it wandering its charming streets. Even with 1.3 million people in the metro area, Porto feels intimate, colorful, and full of life.

Funny enough, while sipping coffee one morning, we overheard a solo traveler telling her friend, “I really liked Lagos, didn’t like Lisbon, but as soon as I saw Porto, I knew.” Same, girl. Same.

Now, it wasn’t all smooth sailing — we landed right in the middle of some of the worst rain the city’s seen in years. Picture marble-sized hail hammering down during bike rides. Good times! But eventually the sun came out, and Porto showed us why it’s so beloved.

We stayed in an Airbnb perched right along the Douro River. Gorgeous views, yes — but every trek to the city center meant either hiking endless stairs or catching a free outdoor escalator. (Pro tip: Porto loves its hills.) It took about 20 minutes to get to the action, which kept our step count high and our patience tested. Next time? Might splurge to stay closer to the center.

Rain, Grapes, and Port Wine Dreams

The Douro River — the lifeline of the Iberian Peninsula — splits Porto right down the middle. It winds up into the Douro Valley, a dreamscape of vineyard-covered mountains where the grapes for Port wine are grown. (Fun fact: “Port” can only be called Port if it’s from here — otherwise, it’s just sweet wannabe wine.)

We grabbed a rental car and spent a day twisting and turning up and down the valley’s steep roads, jaws permanently dropped at the scenery. Think ancient-world vibes — if Sonoma is the new kid on the block, the Douro Valley is the wise old grandpa. Oh, and by the way, a rental car for the day is only about $30 here!

Back in Porto, we crossed the river to tour the famous wine cellars, where barrels of magic have been aging for generation

When It Rains, We…Chill (Mostly)

April’s always rainy in Porto, but this year? Next-level wet. In our old life, rain just meant a soggy dash from car to office. Now, walking is our main mode of travel — and Porto’s storms forced us to slow way down. Honestly? It was a good for us. We’re still learning how to balance “go, go, go” with “just be,” and Porto’s rain helped teach that. Kind of. I have a harder time not being busy, but I am learning.

A Few Highlights (and Misadventures)

• Markets! As always, we flocked to every market we could find. Porto’s did not disappoint.

• The Overhyped Bookstore: Paid €10 each to enter Livraria Lello, rumored to have inspired Harry Potter. It was beautiful — but honestly? Overrated unless you are a die hard Harry Potter fan.

• Fish Market Adventure: Hand-picked a fresh fish in a nearby village and had a local chef cook it up for me. Simple and perfect.

• Blue and White Tile Envy: Porto’s churches and cathedrals are covered in stunning blue and white tiles, especially magical around Good Friday and Easter.

• The Hot Dog Fiasco: Tried Porto’s famous cash-only hot dog spot — with no cash and a dead ATM card. (We made it work.)

• Francesinha: I tackled the legendary Portuguese sandwich — basically a meat-lover’s dream drowned in sauce. Worth every calorie.

Lessons from Porto

• Tiny cars can rocket through absurdly narrow streets.

• Blue and white tiles make anything look magical.

• I’ve been in more churches this month than in my lifetime combined.

• Taxi drivers love the challenge of cramming a packed bike into their car.

• Bus stations? Way less stressful than airports and the busses are nice.

• Paying a small fee for public restrooms…makes them cleaner. I get it now.

• Portuguese people will stare. (Not unfriendly, just…direct.)

• ChatGPT is clutch for answering random questions on the fly.

• Washing clothes is important and having a washing machine in an AirBnb is a must-have

A Moment of Reflection

While we were here, the world mourned the passing of the Pope — a deeply humble leader beloved by many, especially in Catholic-majority Portugal (around 80–85% of the population, thanks, ChatGPT) with American’s closer to 20% to compare. It’s been a heavy, humbling moment to experience in a country so closely tied to its faith.