Travel Blog: Porto, Portugal

 

The last city we visited in Portugal was Porto, known most famously for its history in port wine production. I did not know what to expect but we made sure to get out of the city and visit the Douro Valley region where the port wine vineyards are. It was stunning and a worthwhile experience for sure.

Before we get into the touristy things we did while we were in Porto, I wanted to talk about Porto's ties to Harry Potter. Yes, you read that correctly. I said Harry Potter. It turns out that J.K. Rowling taught English there in the 90s and wrote some of Harry Potter while she lived there. She was found of one particular cafe (Majestic cafe) and was inspired by a local bookstore's architecture. I am an HP fan -- we have been to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour in Leavesden, England -- so naturally we had to visit the cafe and bookstore while we were in Porto.

What surprised me were the young people we saw walking around Porto who looked as if they had stepped right out of McGonnegal's class at Hogwarts. Portuguese University students in Porto wear capes and may have been J.K. Rowling's inspiration for the Hogwarts uniforms. Seriously. Google Porto university robes -- it will all make sense.

I love outdoor cafes. I wish they were more popular where I live.

Porto lies along the Douro River and you can cross over at a number of bridges to see the different views. I liked standing at the edge with the old merchant ships that would carry the port wine down from the vineyard region up river.

The views from the bridges are pretty spectacular.

We also visited the Palacio do Bolsa, which is the Stock Exchange Palace and was built in the 19th century. I won't ruin it for anyone interested in going on the tour but I recommend stopping there if you find yourself in Porto. It has an office for Gustav Eiffel!

You can't go to Porto without visiting at least one port wine house. We went to a few, including Taylors. As we started the tour I noticed a vintage bottle on display along sides letters and pamphlets for the British royal family. The late Queen Elizabeth II received Taylor's port wine as a wedding gift upon her marriage to Prince Philip. 

And we enjoyed a tasting sample of the various port wines along with a selection of charcuterie.

We also booked a small tour to explore the Douro River valley, which is the oldest demarcated wine-growing region on the planet. Portions of it are even a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Our tour guide's name was Marcio and he was so great. He was knowledgeable of all the different port wines and houses and kept us interested the whole time. 

We visited a number of vineyards and learned the history of port wine and why the region is best for growing the grapes.

After visiting some of the vineyards we shifted to a boat to cruise down the river and see the vineyards from that vantage point.

We definitely did not get to see everything Portugal has to offer but I think we had so many good experiences. I was happy to be returning home but sad to stop traveling. There are so many places we want to see and not enough time to get to all of them! Until I pack my bags for the next adventure, share your thoughts...

1. What is your favorite wine?

2. Do you prefer cheese or chocolate with your wine?

3. Would you want to visit Portugal? If you have been there, what was your favorite thing you did? If not, what is one thing you would want to do?