Welcome in Porto! The city of the port wines in the picturesque and spectacular Douro Valley. Take Porto City Tram linha 1, to discover the city by tram, starting point is by Ponte Dom Luiz 1. When you descend the steep streets and alleys in Porto you will arrive at the river Douro river. You will see the rabelos,  the traditional boats on which the barrels with  port, were transported. On the sails you see the famous names, like Sandeman, Dow’s and Taylor’s. Cross the bridge to the other bank and you arrive in Vila Nova da Gaia. Here you find all the port cellars; like Kopke (de oldest, since 1638) and other names like Calem, Cockburn, Graham’s and of course Sandeman. In the cool buildings you can enjoy a 30 – 45 mins tour and tastings, for +/- € 15,-. We liked the Calem tour and tasting that comes with “live” fado music.

Have a drink in the afternoon on Cais da Ribeira. Even in winter this is a fun place to hang out, with many cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, art and street performers. The houses of the Ribeira neighbourhood are colourful and decorated with the famous tiles, azulejos.

Baroque churches and neoclassical buildings dominate the skyline, the many museums display their valuable content that take you back centuries. Porto has a thriving modern arts scene and music venue. Crossing the bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia is a sightseeing highlight. Consider a cruise along the Douro and a ride on the cable car that glides from one end of the quayside to the other. Stroll the Avenida dos Aliados and admire the Estação de São Bento and Praça da Liberdade. If you want to unwind on the nearby beach, Praia de Matosinhos is where the locals hang out and popular with the surf crowd.

Where to sleep in Porto? Eurostars Porto Douro is great value for money. Al rooms have a french balcony with a view onto the river and Dom Luiz I bridge. Everything is on walking distance. Tip: book a parking spot for your car at the hotel as limited parking space. Our best find in the centre of PortoBay Flores in Porto is Cale Guest House, very affordable and supurb lodation! A bit more luxurious in the same area is Port Bay Teatro.

Where to sleep in Porto when travelling with your adolescent children? Travelling with your adolescent children and looking for a family hotel in the centre of Porto with two full-size beds for your children and no sofa bed? All family members will love the Chic & Basic Gravity Hotel 700 meters from the Sao Bente train station.

EXPERT TIPS PORTO

For a longer stay in Porto you can benefit from discounts with the Porto Card.

FOOD & WINE tips for Porto
Café Majestic on Santa Catarina, in Art Noveau style, originates from 1912 and is one of the 10 most beautiful cafés in the world. J. K. Rowling author of Harry Potter, wrote his favorite chapter of the book here.
Fish lovers have to taste the typical dish Bacalhau (cod in a salt crust) at restaurant Bacalhau (Ribeira), Muro dos Bacalhoeiros 154, www.bacalhauporto.com,  +351 960 378 883.
Everywhere in Portugal you will find the influences of the Arabian rulers, so why not indulge in it!
Belly dancers, water pipes and typical Arabic drinks and food at  at Khan el Khalili,  Rua 5 de Outubro, +351 226095729.
If Fine Dining is your thing, you defenitely have to visit Chama restaurant. Too busy? Try its off shoot The Lucky Duck +351 936 374 359. Another restaurant of a very passionate chef downtown in in a beautiful property is Ode +351 913 200 010, they serve incredibly delicious food. Elemento serves also very good food and lovely drinks, in winter you can warm yourself at the open fire.

Lunch! Between Rua de Formosa and Rua des Fernandes Tomás you will find farmers market, Mercado do Bolhão. On Friday and Saturday this market is the busiest. Foodstalls with olives, cheese, fish, meat etc.

A typical dish in Porto is Francesinha, a Portuguese sandwich made with sausage, steak or roasted meat and topped with melted cheese. The sauce and the beer are the secrect ingredients. Find here the best spots to eat Francesinha.

Calem Port tasting, there are many places where you can taste the port wine of Porto. We liked Calem as they start with a very informative tour about the different port wines and their port cellar is impressive. Another cellar we can highly recommend is Burmeister, right at the bottom of the Dom Luiz I bridge on the Gaia Nova side.
Another option is a tour with a local port specialist for 4 hours, inclusive tastings.

Shopping! We enjoyed shopping at Rua Santa Catarina em Porto, see my insta post

Plenty of choices for what to discover today:
Livraria Lello & Irmão is the most famous bookstore of Portugal, read here why.  This store is dating back to 1883 and has awesome staircase and tons of books along the wall. Be early! You need an admission ticket today (next door) and the store opens at 10:00h. Start queuing before 10:00h.
Torre dos Clérigos, visiting this 75-meter-tall, 18th-century granite-hewn rocket, historic structure should be high up on the “things to do” list.
Porto Bridge Climb/ Arrábida Bridge climb the arches of the Arrábida Bridge
Igreja de São Francisco make a tour of the ancient catacombs underneath the church and museum afterwards.
Ponte Dom Luís I The grandiose Dom Luís I bridge is one of the most iconic structures in Portugal. An outstanding view of the bridge can be had from the terrace of the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar, on the south bank.
Sé (Cathedral) An imposing 12th-century landmark, the cathedral has the appearance of a fortress, such is the forbidding look of its towers and the shadowy complexion of its façade.
Vila Nova de Gaia is the area on the southern side of the river. It’s landscaped quayside is fringed by a long line of stylish restaurants and cafés and departure point for numerous Douro River cruise boats.
Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis (Soares dos Reis National Museum) the “must see museum of Porto”. Fine Portuguese glassware from the 18th and 19th centuries complement rare ceramic pieces that include porcelain from China, and examples of Delftware.
World of Discoveries  interactive museum and theme park, board a boat and follow Vasco da Gama route.
Igreja do Carmo the exterior of this church is a blaze of blue and white azulejos (tiles), and the striking façade is one of the most instantly recognized in the city.
Casa da Música (Music House) Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas designed this building, tours available.
Fundação de Serralves Museu de Arte Contemporânea (Contemporary Art Museum)The museum grants an exciting and unpredictable visitor experience.
Café Majestic relax in this gem of a coffeehouse with a Art  Nouveau façade of curvaceous stonework and undulating motifs, or Foz besides the beaches, Foz (river mouth) is a place of recreation and terraces by the sea, The tram line 1 will take you from the historic center of Porto near Palácio da Bolsa (the Stock Exchange Palace) all the way to a street called Passeio Alegre in Foz.
Centro Português de Fotografia (Portuguese Center of Photography)The Portuguese Center of Photography will appeal to anybody with an understanding of the photographic process.
Avenida dos Aliados “Aliados” is the city’s clamorous commercial hub, lined both sides with shops, stores, boutiques, cafés, and restaurants.

EXPERT TIPS

From our travel app on your smartphone, you can navigate to all of the above highlights.
Although the climb from river Douro into the city is rather steep, the shores are with the seven impressive bridges are great to explore by bicycle. If you do not like walking or cycling and want to discover Porto at your own pace, rent a Twizy electric car, a segway, or hop on a tuktuk or a boat.

MEET THE LOCALS
Do you want to learn how to cook a typical Franceshina? Or back the famous pastel nata? Or just go where the locals go and visit a market, buy the ingredients for a meal and cook together with a bunch of other people? Whether you are travelling as a couple or you are a single traveler wanting to meet up with other people, Eatwith, is the food experience you are looking for.

Your are leaving Porto and drive to the Aveiro, “The Venice of Portugal”. This town at sea is full of canals with water from the Ria, hop on one of the long slim boats called moliceiro,  to discover Aveiro. The city supplies free ”bugas”, bicycles, to discover Aveiro and its beautiful Art Nouveau buildings.
Continue to Coimbra, displaying Europe’s greatest and oldest universities and stroll through the ancient streets and squares of Coimbra.

Coimbra is known for its old university and its lively, friendly atmosphere. The university is the oldest in Portugal and a true landmark. In fact, it is one of the oldest and most famous universities in Europe. Because many students still study and live here, Coimbra has a lively centre. Stroll through the Botanical Gardens of Coimbra. In the city, buildings in different architectural styles can be found.  The old cathedral Se Velha, the new cathedral Se Nova and the impressive city library are also worth visiting. The Machado da Castro Museum has the largest collection of gold jewellery and religious relics of Portugal. Coimbra is also known for Fado, the Portuguese song of life. The music tells about the history of the city and former life here. This art of singing can be heard in many of Coimbra’s cafes and restaurants, and is seen as real party music.

Good place to enjoy your dinner in Coimbra is Solar do Bacalhau. You can “live” navigate to this restaurant if you have this itinerary downloaded onto your smartphone.

EXPERT TIPS FOR COIMBRA

Looking for a room with a view in Coimbra? The roof top of Hotel Oslo in Coimbra is the perfect spot to wind down after a long day full of sightseeing. If you like a more green setting during your stay in Coimbra, than Hotel Quinta das Lagrimas is your place to overnight. The hotel has beautiful gardens to relax in. Do you like a pool with your hotel to cool off during those hot summer days? NH Hotel Doña Ines right in the centre of Coimbra, has a pool and also offers a great breakfast.

There is so much to see and learn about Coimbra, why not book a guide for 3 – 4 hours who can tell you all stories and facts about Coimbra during a city walk. Don’t leave Coimbra without visiting its impressive university. Buy your ticket (in advance!!) for a visit to the famous University of Coimbra, with guide and no queue.

Coimbra has some amazing guest houses on offer, like Oryza with a lounge bed next to the pool. We have a list with the best guesthouses in Coimbra for you.

Your next stop is  Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela. Estrela means “star”, the mountain tops in this park rise up to 1,993 meters above sea level and are covered with snow in the winter months.  This is the biggest national park of Portugal, it has a mountain range that consists of granite plateaus, green valleys and shady forests and 25 natural lagoons. The rivers Zêzere and Mondego have carved wide glacier valleys, covered with deep green forests. The straight glacial valley of the Zezere is 13 km long and is the longest glacial valley in Europe. This area is very popular with hikers, you will find several hiking routes of 5 -10 km that start from the villages. The Serra da Estrela  used to be home to bears, wolves and sheep,  in medieval times it was a wool trading post. Today more common fauna to be seen are wall lizards, midwife frogs, otters, gennets, badgers, wild cats, water moles and red breasted bullfinches,

The mountains are home to the Serra da Estrela sheepdog. This breed is unique to Portugal. Most likely you come across locals walking one of these powerful but mild-mannered dogs. In Manteigas you will find shops where they sell the products of the wool of this are, called Burel. These sheep that live at high altitudes have more and thicker hair to protect them from the cold. The area is also known for the deliciously rich and creamy Serra cheese – arguably Portugal’s finest cheese. Look for it on sale in the stores that serve many a local village.

EXPERT TIPS FOR SERRA ESTRELA 

If you love to stay in guesthouses, Manteigas has a great variaty to choose from. The popular Casa das Penhas Douradas in the middle of the Serra Estrella National Park offers great views, delicious food and very comfortable rooms. The same hotel group offers a more luxurious boutique hotel option: Casa de São Lourenço. Your room has a huge terrass with stunning views of the mountains.
Looking for family accommodation in Serra Estrella? Casa das Muralhas in Covilhã, 13  km South of Manteigas, offers family rooms and an outdoor pool.

Get up early if you want to enjoy one the most beautiful sunsets of Portugal. From your hotel it is a 10 min. walk to the highest point of the plateau (1540m). On a clear day, you can see as far as 300 km. After breakfast you can visit the quaint town of Manteigas. From here you can hike several beautiful routes by using the Komoot links.
You can also drive to the center of one of the villages in the park. Most villages, towns or hamlets in the Serra da Estrela will have signposted routes, between approx. 5 – 20 km.
1. Covão dos Conchos Loop from Sabugueiro 1. 8,6 km/ 2,5 hours/ suitable for all skills
2. Start om Manteigas and walk Hiking Loop from Manteigas 15,2 km / 4:45 hours/ suitable for all skills
3. Another beautiful hiking route from Manteigas is a Loop  with views on the reservoir and many boulders in the mountains 10km/ 2,5 hours / suitable for all skills

Please find all 19 Komoot hiking routes through the Serra da Estrela Natural Park here.

Another route is a pleasant 11 km long hike from Manteigas to the waterfall and back. The trail leads mostly in the forest and luckily the place is very quiet and private.

If hiking is not your thing, you can visit Manteigas or Covilha. In Covilha you can visit the Serra Cheese Museum that is located in the parish of Peraboa, just outside of town or the wool museum.

Over many centuries, the location of Viseu was of significant advantage. Here one finds many traces of Roman occupation.  The Sé Cathedral, located at the highest point in the city, was built on top of Roman ramparts in the 13th century, and Viseu’s oldest monument, the Cava Viriato, is a remnant of an ancient Roman fortress with a watchtower. The Muralha Romana, part of the original 3rd century Roman wall protecting the city, still stands. Like many Portuguese medieval towns, Viseu’s historic center is made up of a maze of small, narrow streets lined with houses of the former nobles.

Gastronomy, good food and wine are very important in Viseu. Some specialties of this area are roast goat and lamb dishes,  smoked meats and sausages, often used as ingredients for tasty stews. Viseu is the center of the famous Dão (red) wine, Viseu prides itself on its wines, visitors can enjoy wine tastings in the region. Visit the Solar do Vinho do Dão wine center in Viseu to prepare your wine tour.  We can recommend diner in Vissaium Taberna for great local dishes of the area.

Fancy some exercise after all the lovely food? Cycle the 49km long bicycle tour from Viseu with Eco Pista Portugal.  The Dão Line, the old railway line between Santa Comba Dão and Viseu, deactivated in 1988, was transformed in 2011 into the beautiful Dão Ecopista. It is now the longest Ecopista in Portugal and perhaps also the most beautiful.

WHERE TO SLEEP IN VISEU?

Pousada De Viseu is huge and has a lovely pool and good food so great for families too. The town centre is just a short stroll away. Bemyguest Loft Guest House Jardim das Mães is right in the centre of Viseu, very close to all the wonderful restaurants.

EXPERT TIPS FOR VISEU

In the old town it is full of great restaurants and little tavernas, where you can tast local cheeses and other products from the local farmers. Vintage Bistro is popular with locals. The dishes are particularly tasty and the décor is artistic and full of funny touches. Taste the local white sangria full of fresh fruit.

Eco Pista BICYCLE tour:
Great for families and everybody that likes some exercise during their holiday. As you cycle down hill from Viseu, this Eco Pista tour is a lot of fun and a great way to collect unforgettable memories of Portugal. The bicycles are in perfect condition as this tour is run by Dutch cycle enthousiasts.  The tour is including transfers and we recommend wearing an an helmet. We cycled this tour on a hot day, see our review and pictures on Facebook.

Leave early so you can visit some wineries on the beautiful Douro River. Travellling on the A24, you take the scenic N222 on your right, just before you cross river Douro.  The stretch between Peso da Régua and Pinhão, a village that is all about cultivation of vines. Visit the railway station in Pinhão, and admire its ancient tiles dedicated to the art of wine growing.  A must-do is going up the hill to Double Viewpoint De Loivos, for an stunning view over de river and all the vines in the area.

Winemaker Jorge Moreira of the Quinta de la Rosa estate has twice been named Portugal’s Winemaker of the Year. Besides tasting his wines, this wine farm is also a wonderful place to stay. Quinta do Pego, another wine farm that offers accommodation, has sweeping views of the surrounding vineyards and Douro river and offers unforgettable “food and wine pairing” . The 5 star The Vintage House do Douro is right on the banks of Douro river and offers great value for money.

Today you can enjoy some wine tastings in the area. At Quinta das Carvalhas you can taste 4 port wines, a white port, a rosé port, a ruby and a vintage.
Quinta do Bomfim has a very interesting port wine tour with tastings. Do not miss out on the picknick lunch on a hill. It is just 15 minutes walk from the farm, with stunning views of the area. Both, tastings and lunch, have to be pre-booked well in advance.
This whole area is not only great for grapes. Have you ever experienced an olive oil tasting? The Douro Valley in Portugal produces one of the best olive oils in the world. It is the result of the area’s unique climate and soil, centuries of growing and harvesting experience, as well as state of the art pressing and bottling technology. The olive oil is one of the world’s finest, low-acidic, naturally flavorful olive oils.

When did Portugal start with growing olives? During the late 18thcentury, most of the country’s vineyards were decimated by small lice called Phylloxera.  Olive trees were planted to replace the lost income from wine.  Fortuitously, olive trees flourished with some of the finest varietals in the world, now recognized globally. Learn more about the art of making the very best olive oil and see an old olive oil press in the Olive Oil Museum. Rua da Praça, nº 4, Casal de Loivos https://dorigem.pt/en/olive-oil-press/

Go on board of one of the Douro cruise boats to enjoy this beautiful area from a different angle.

Continue to Guimarães. Guimarães is the former capital of Portugal and the birthplace of its first king Afonso Henriques. The many ancient landmarks are today part of the  UNESCO World Heritage Site. The medieval castle dominates the sky line of the old town.

Adding to the allure are some fabulous museums housed in beautiful convents and monasteries. Sightseeing extends to the city’s outlying districts, where verdant woodland and fun-packed water parks are waiting to be discovered. And not far from Guimarães is one of Portugal’s most impressive archaeological sites and a deserved tourist attraction in its own right, the evocative Citânia de Briteiros.

The following city walk will take you along the most important highlights of Guimarães.
Start in the heart of the city at Largo da Oliveira, where you find the Padrão do Salado and the Collegiate Church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, the buildings host the Alberto Sampaio Museum. Pass the city hall, Paços Municipais and cross the Praça de Santiago, now a popular area with restaurants and terraces. In the Middle Ages the starting point for the pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela.  Rua da Santa Maria, links with the upper city, here you find stately mansions. Walk up this street and continue via Largo Martins Sarmento to the  Palace of the Dukes of Bragança (15th century) and the castle (10th century).  Walk back via Largo Martins Sarmento, take a right into R. Augustino de Barbosa and left into Av. Humberto Delgado and continue to Largo do Toural, with its 16th century fountain.  Walk into Rua D. João I (corner Guimaraes Boutique Hotel), which in the Middle Ages was the road to take to Porto. This street boasts old houses with wooden balustrades and 17th century facades.  Go back to the Largo do Toural and enter Rua de Paio Galvão. On your left you will find the neo-Romanesque Martins Sarmento Archaeological Museum. A little further is the old market hall building, which today houses the José de Guimarães International Arts Centre. Visit the Vila Flor Palace and Cultural Centre (650 meter) by walking back to Largo do Toural, pass the fountain into the Largo Bernardo Valentim Moreira de Sá. If you prefer to visit the  Baroque Church of Nossa Senhora da Consolação e dos Santos Passos at the far end of Largo da República do Brasil, you walk from the fountain on Largo Toural to the South, left into Almeda de São Damâso, park on your left, at the end right into Largo da República do Brasil.
For another view of the city you can go up in the cable car ( Teleférico de Guimarães) to Monte da Penha, (Shrine of Lady of Penha)  to enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramas in the north of Portugal.

EXPERT TIPS FOR GUIMARÃES

DOURO: visit the wineries on the N222 between Peso da Régua and  Pinhão.
GUIMARAES: families will love the Scorpio Water Park with a 30-meter water tube and a 40-meter water slide. Take the N206 West , pass the viaduct (N105) and take a left at the 2nd roundabout and follow the signs Complexo Piscinas de Gimaraes.

About 15 km North of Guimaraes you find Citânia de Briteiros. A reconstructed fortress, dating back to 200 BC.
You can visit it on the way to Braga. Braga, formerly know as Bracara Augusta,  is not just another historical town, it is founded more than 2000 ago by Emperor Augustus as it was the administrative seat of the Roman Empire. Braga is therefore nicknamed “The Rome of Portugal”.
The Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte is located in Tenões, just outside Braga. Climb the 580 stairs and bear in mind that the devoted Catholic people do this on theirs knees during their pilgrimage. Once you have reached the top, you can enjoy one of the best views in Portugal. There is a hydraulic funicular too, Elevador do Bom Jesus, you will find it at the base.

EXPERT TIPS FOR BRAGA

BRAGA
Festival: Each year around May 20st, the city of Braga looks like a Roman capital again during Braga Romana.
Coffee: This sister café to the original Café A Brasileira in Lisbon has been a popular spot for Braga locals since it opened as a coffee shop in 1907, located at Largo Barão de São Martinho.

Today you can relax on the lake  at  Alqueirão Beach and Waterpark de Gerês. Kids can enjoy the inflateable water slides in the lake as well as the pontoons.  You can visit the São Bento da Porta Aberta Sanctuary nearby. From N308-1 over de bridge that cross the Cavado River and right onto the N304 for 3 kms.  This sanctuary was built in 1880 to host the more than 2,5 million pilgrims that visit this place each year.

EXPERT TIPS FOR PENEDA-GERÊS

HIKING in Peneda-Gerês National Park
in If you plan a long hike in Peneda-Gerês National Park, check the weather forecast as things can changes rapidly in the mountains and you do not want to get lost in the mist. Mind that your cell phone might not work that well in the mountains. Of course take lots of water and wear comfortable shoes.

If you have purchased this route for your travel app, you can download the following hiking routes from the tab “documents”:

PR1 TBR “Cidade da Calcedónia” Trail, 7 km, 5 hours, extremely difficult
PR14 TBR Sobreiral da Ermida, 14 km, 5 hours, moderate
PR3 Trilho dos Currais, 10 km, 4 hours, circle route
PR5 Trilho Águia do Sarilhão, 9 km, 3 uur, medium
PR7 Trilho de São Bente, 14 km, 6 uur, medium

Today you have a full day for exploring the only one National Park of Portugal, Peneda-Gerês. This National Park in the North, bordering Spain, is home to Iberian wolves, boars, wild horses, otters and deer. In the park you will find several granite villages . The most well known one is Castro Laboreiro, with a Roman Bridge, Cava da Velha, 3 km south of the village. Due to the altitude of the park, this area is popular for herding sheep and goats. Cão Castro Laboreiro is a dog breed, that originates from this area.  Stop at Miradouro de Tibo and soak up the most beautiful view of the area. In Soaja you will find 24 restored granite granaries (grain storage) dating back to 1782, some of them are still in  use. When driving from Soajo to Lindoso, you pass by Alto-Lindoso dam, the biggest and most important hydro electric power plant in Portugal. Visit the famous Portela do Homem waterfall, located close to the Spanish border. Park your car at the Spanish  border and walk 800 meters back, in order to be able to make pictures from the water fall. Take the path on the right of the waterfall, walk for a few hundred metres. You arrive at the river, you can swim here away from crowds. See if you can find the ancient Roman road that connects Braga and Astorga (in Spain), it runs on the righthandside of the water fall. Take the Roman, pass by a small wooden bridge and then São Miguel bridge. From this moment onward, you’ll begin to climb to Portela do Homem, where you parked your car.
Visit the healing hot water springs, Termas de Gerês, at Vila do Gerês, here you can rent a boat and visit the lake.  Drive to the south over N308-1, on your way you pass the Cavado River that has some beaches where you can take a swim.

Viana do Castelo, The Pearl of the Costa Verde, (green coast) is located at the mouth of the Lima River. Because of this strategic location, the town was also closely involved in the Portuguese voyages of discovery. Viana do Castelo has an attractive medieval centre. In addition to a the many cultural attractions, this part of Portugal is also popular with sun-worshippers. There are a number of beautiful beaches just outside the city.
Drive up the hill to the Santa Luzia Sanctuary for a magnificent view over the river, the ocean and the coast.

Today is your last day in Portugal. Drive back to Porto for the drop off of your rental car and check in for your flight.