Highlights of the Day
After a long, refreshing night’s sleep, we enjoyed a hearty lunch featuring Francesinha and fried sardines, while watching amusing pigeon antics. We visited the Porto Train Station with its beautiful murals and explored the “Double Churches.” A scenic Douro River cruise followed, passing under seven bridges.
We ended the day with a visit to the Calem wine cellar, then dined at Fishfish, where we savored local dishes and connected with a Greek couple.
Logistics
Accommodation: YOUROPO – Torre (highly recommended)
Transportation: Public transportation or rideshare
Travel Journal
We arrived in Porto on a red-eye flight and finally rejuvenated ourselves with a glorious eleven hours of sleep. For lunch, we stumbled upon a charming little restaurant nearby, drawn in by a tantalizing photo of a wet sandwich on the menu. This local specialty, the Francesinha, is a delightful indulgence that’s definitely high in calories—just one bite was enough to confirm that! The fried sardines were surprisingly delectable; having had little experience with sardines before, I can already tell they’ll be a staple on our dinner table from now on.
As we dined, we witnessed something rather amusing: pigeons flitted about the restaurant, charming us with their antics, though a couple at the neighboring table seemed utterly repulsed. The situation escalated when one of the pigeons brushed against a woman’s leg, prompting her to let out a startled scream. The couple promptly left, their coffees abandoned.
After lunch, we headed to the famous Porto Train Station to purchase tickets for our upcoming trip to the Douro Valley. We also took a moment to admire the famous station itself, adorned with large tile murals that beautifully showcase Portuguese culture.
Next, we visited the “Double Churches“—the Carmelite Church (Igreja dos Carmelitas), home to nuns, and the Carmo Church (Igreja do Carmo), where monks resided. These two architectural gems, constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries, are merely a meter apart, separated by a quaint little house. One tale suggests this small house was built to keep the nuns and monks apart, while a more credible account claims it filled the space between the churches. This house once served as a shelter for workers during renovations and was the venue for many secret meetings during Napoleon’s occupation of Portugal.
Douro River Cruise was also high on my list of must-dos. During our hour-long journey, we glided beneath seven bridges, including the iconic Maria Pia Bridge, named after the wife of a former Portuguese king. Designed by the renowned engineer Gustave Eiffel—famous for the Eiffel Tower in Paris—the bridge was a breathtaking sight.
Our last stop before dinner was the Calem wine cellar across the river. Unfortunately, all tours for the day were fully booked, so we made a reservation for the day after next. After wandering a bit on the other side of the river, we returned to dine at Fishfish Restaurant, a restaurant highly recommended by our hotel staff.
I couldn’t resist ordering their gin, served in a stunning 24K gold bottle for 29 euros, alongside a glass of delightful local red wine. For the main course, I savored a spread of bread, tuna paste, olives, Iberian ham, and grilled squid. The entire meal came to less than 80 euros, reinforcing the value of traveling in Portugal—a sentiment often echoed by fellow travelers.
During our meal, we struck up a conversation with a lovely Greek couple at the next table, and we hit it off wonderfully. The lady even exchanged WhatsApp contacts with my husband, promising to recommend restaurants in Lisbon. However, we never saw any follow-up messages from her, likely due to safety concern, which is completely understandable.
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