Today we decided to go on a walk to explore Porto. A LONG walk.
We started by walking from our apartment to the river, crossing over the Luis I Bridge. This is a pedestrian/metro bridge, and when the train comes through, everyone moves to the side. The views from either side of the bridge are amazing.
High on the hillside, directly on the river, is the Monastery Serra do Pilar. It is now part of a military installation, so there is not anything to see inside the imposing walls, but there is a great overlook at the end of a steep climb.
There is a beautiful park on this side of Porto, with access to roads (some very steep) that snake their way down to the water's edge. We walked down to the bridge stanchion, before walking along the river.
The weather was fantastic, and it seems that everyone was out exploring the city. We found a cool food hall, and grabbed a beer, a charcuterie cup, and an order of bacalhau (cod cake).
We crossed back over the river to access the north side, and the very popular Cais de Ribeira walk along the water. Big crowds, full cafes, and a very lively atmosphere.
We really enjoy this area, particularly the narrow curvy streets, with unique architecture and very old buildings. After exploring this area a bit more, we headed into the heart of the city, finding new, interesting sights around every corner.
We eventually made our way to a series of parks and natural places. Loads of trees, beautiful spring flowers, couples strolling or relaxing on park benches. It was a nice escape from busy streets. The biggest noise we heard were the constant mating calls of the dozens of flamboyant peacocks throughout the park.
More walking and more exploring. So many amazing buildings and sights in this hilly city.
After dinner, I walked down to the bridge to see how it looked at night. The city is lit up beautifully.
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