A Day in Porto: Exploring Portugal’s Gem with Eddie
My friend Eddie flew in from Denver with the intent to do the Camino Portugués in Galicia and visit Andrea and me. To meet him, I woke up early and took a bus down from Pontevedra to Porto’s airport, excited to catch up with him and explore the beautiful city. I had last saw him at the Ride the Divide Returns film festival in Boulder.
After Eddie’s arrival, we hopped on the light rail to Trindade station, ready to start the day’s adventure. From there, we made our way toward the Douro River, descending (and later climbing) plenty of steps that rewarded us with stunning views of Porto’s architecture. We crossed the iconic Dom Luis I bridge that spans the Douro, taking in the magnificent panorama of the river and the colorful buildings lining the hillsides.
We continued walking along the river, which had plenty of boats drifting along, and eventually crossed to the other side for a well-deserved lunch. The setting was perfect, with the river shimmering in the afternoon light. During our meal, I couldn’t help but share my enthusiasm for the non-alcoholic beers widely available in Iberia, like Super Bock from Portugal. I explained to Eddie how I much preferred these to alcoholic ones, but being from Northern Colorado—often called the Napa Valley of beers—he remained skeptical, sticking to his regular brew loyalties.
After lunch, we continued our exploration and walked past the Livraria Lello, famous for being inspiration behind the Hogwarts scenery in Harry Potter books. We then headed to the Clérigos Tower, where we admired its grandeur, followed by a visit to the Porto Cathedral. We paid the entrance fee to go inside, and it was definitely worth it, especially for the splendid views of Porto from its elevated location.
We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through Porto’s Old Quarters, losing ourselves in the narrow streets and soaking in the city’s historic charm. The old buildings, vibrant street life, and the mix of modern and traditional elements gave the area a unique atmosphere that left a lasting impression on both of us.
Our walking route through Porto is shown below, albeit with two more kilometers since I forgot to start recording from when we got off the train at the Trindade stop. So we hiked about 8.6 kilometers in total in the city.
As the evening approached, we caught a bus back from the Porto airport to Pontevedra. Andrea was happily back from her 24-hour shift, so we were all able to have dinner at Taberna Kamelia.
We ended the day with a hearty meal, and also a chupito (shot) of orujo that this restaurant traditionally gives to its patrons at the end of the meal. By that time it was dark, and we started to mentally get ready for the journey ahead on the Camino Portugués, which we’d begin the next morning in Pontevedra.
This day in Porto was more than just sightseeing; it was a chance to reconnect with an old friend, share some of our favorite things, and set the stage for the adventures in Galicia that lay ahead.
