So an online friend of mine has a girlfriend (I know! Shocking! :p) and she was going to Porto, Portugal with a friend soon and as I am from Portugal he asked me if I had ever been there.
Have I ever been to Porto? Why yes I have and I know the city VERY well!
I might be a wee bit out of date but most of the good/great places are the same and I have come to know some of the new places as well. So I made a little list that turned out to be a very long and intensive description (with Google map links) of good places to visit, essential places to visit and how to get there. And because she is going with a girl friend the best shopping places too! I even told them what foods to try and where to get them!
As I did put in effort (I'm such a great person!) I decided to post it on the blog to help other people and to have opinions and comments of places you feel a tourist shouldn't miss! So here it is:
Porto - all in walking distance from each other
(I advise you to make a plan so as to not have to go back and forth or in Porto's case up and down the hill)
São Bento: train station
http://goo.gl/maps/ZbFl2
Trindade (http://goo.gl/maps/R85kD) - Metro Station
Torre dos Clérigos:
http://goo.gl/maps/jM9U2
Jardim da Cordoaria:
http://goo.gl/maps/hIE9z
Courthouse building:
http://goo.gl/maps/Gv5n5
Livraria Lello & Irmão (Library):
http://goo.gl/maps/6ylWa
Aliados (Avenue with city hall at the top, loads of old buildings at either side, there is a Macdonals on the
right side of the street which is in a very old building that used to be a bank, I recommend to go look inside even if you don't eat there):
http://goo.gl/maps/OZ6qu
Praça Dom João I:
http://goo.gl/maps/vlVPe
Rua Santa Catarina (shopping street and more old buildings, shopping mall):
http://goo.gl/maps/6hHIQ
Palácio da Bolsa (Palace):
http://goo.gl/maps/wD3hC
Ponte Dom Luiz I (Famous bridge):
http://goo.gl/maps/2qDgf
Cathedral (Sé) (there is a funicular near the bridge on Porto's side of the river Douro that will go up to the Sé if you are already downtown):
http://goo.gl/maps/ZGZTr
Cais de Gaia (there is a boat ride you can catch here that will take you through the five bridges of the river, there are always two or three people advertising this and also you can catch the telepheric (?) to the upper tray of the bridge):
http://goo.gl/maps/k904D
(there is also the bus 901, 906 at Trindade that stop there)
Jardins do Palácio de Cristal (Gardens of the Crystal Palace but now it's called Rosa Mota Pavillion - very beautiful, has a restaurant):
http://goo.gl/maps/tjPZr
Casa da Música:
http://goo.gl/maps/emI1R (catch any of the trams (ask someone the direction to be sure but the side that does not got to Estádio do Dragão is the one you want to be on) at Trindade (http://goo.gl/maps/R85kD)
- get off at Casa da Música
Jardim da Boavista:
http://goo.gl/maps/Gc14V (go to http://goo.gl/maps/rrboe - small shopping mall)
Loads of cafés, restaurants, shops:
http://goo.gl/maps/3paf1
Shopping Malls (biggest in Portugal):
NorteShopping - catch any of the trams (ask someone the direction to be sure but the side that does not got to Estádio do Dragão is the one you want to be on) at Trindade (http://goo.gl/maps/R85kD)
- get off at Sete Bicas (http://goo.gl/maps/zz54q - you can see Norteshopping on the map) and walk a bit (5min)
Arrábida Shopping (http://goo.gl/maps/fzXnm)
- catch the 903, 902 bus at Casa da Música metro station (mentioned above)
Gaiashopping (http://goo.gl/maps/A59My) the previous 903 and 907 (also at Casa da Música) will stop there Dolce Vita Porto (http://goo.gl/maps/y7f6L and you can see the football stadium - Estádio do Dragão)
- any metro going in the direction Estádio do Dragão
Parque Nascente (http://goo.gl/maps/0AIoQ) use GPS to go by car
Eating traditional:
http://goo.gl/maps/V6Kmi - anything in that area should be good and Portuguese.
http://goo.gl/maps/PyhGa - anything on the right side area should be good and Portuguese.
I suggest you try Francesinha, Cachorro Especial, Carne de Porco à Alentejana or Bacalhau (whatever is on the menu as there are many dishes).
At night I suggest:
http://goo.gl/maps/ft70C - there are some clubs there
http://goo.gl/maps/V6Kmi - get drinks and ice-cream
http://goo.gl/maps/B2cAZ - Caipicompany (Drinks - really good and around 3€ for Caipirinha - highly recommended, I go there all the time)
Have I ever been to Porto? Why yes I have and I know the city VERY well!
I might be a wee bit out of date but most of the good/great places are the same and I have come to know some of the new places as well. So I made a little list that turned out to be a very long and intensive description (with Google map links) of good places to visit, essential places to visit and how to get there. And because she is going with a girl friend the best shopping places too! I even told them what foods to try and where to get them!
As I did put in effort (I'm such a great person!) I decided to post it on the blog to help other people and to have opinions and comments of places you feel a tourist shouldn't miss! So here it is:
Porto - all in walking distance from each other
(I advise you to make a plan so as to not have to go back and forth or in Porto's case up and down the hill)
São Bento: train station
http://goo.gl/maps/ZbFl2
Trindade (http://goo.gl/maps/R85kD) - Metro Station
Torre dos Clérigos:
http://goo.gl/maps/jM9U2
Jardim da Cordoaria:
http://goo.gl/maps/hIE9z
Courthouse building:
http://goo.gl/maps/Gv5n5
Livraria Lello & Irmão (Library):
http://goo.gl/maps/6ylWa
Aliados (Avenue with city hall at the top, loads of old buildings at either side, there is a Macdonals on the
right side of the street which is in a very old building that used to be a bank, I recommend to go look inside even if you don't eat there):
http://goo.gl/maps/OZ6qu
Praça Dom João I:
http://goo.gl/maps/vlVPe
Rua Santa Catarina (shopping street and more old buildings, shopping mall):
http://goo.gl/maps/6hHIQ
Palácio da Bolsa (Palace):
http://goo.gl/maps/wD3hC
Ponte Dom Luiz I (Famous bridge):
http://goo.gl/maps/2qDgf
Cathedral (Sé) (there is a funicular near the bridge on Porto's side of the river Douro that will go up to the Sé if you are already downtown):
http://goo.gl/maps/ZGZTr
Cais de Gaia (there is a boat ride you can catch here that will take you through the five bridges of the river, there are always two or three people advertising this and also you can catch the telepheric (?) to the upper tray of the bridge):
http://goo.gl/maps/k904D
(there is also the bus 901, 906 at Trindade that stop there)
Jardins do Palácio de Cristal (Gardens of the Crystal Palace but now it's called Rosa Mota Pavillion - very beautiful, has a restaurant):
http://goo.gl/maps/tjPZr
Casa da Música:
http://goo.gl/maps/emI1R (catch any of the trams (ask someone the direction to be sure but the side that does not got to Estádio do Dragão is the one you want to be on) at Trindade (http://goo.gl/maps/R85kD)
- get off at Casa da Música
Jardim da Boavista:
http://goo.gl/maps/Gc14V (go to http://goo.gl/maps/rrboe - small shopping mall)
Loads of cafés, restaurants, shops:
http://goo.gl/maps/3paf1
Shopping Malls (biggest in Portugal):
NorteShopping - catch any of the trams (ask someone the direction to be sure but the side that does not got to Estádio do Dragão is the one you want to be on) at Trindade (http://goo.gl/maps/R85kD)
- get off at Sete Bicas (http://goo.gl/maps/zz54q - you can see Norteshopping on the map) and walk a bit (5min)
Arrábida Shopping (http://goo.gl/maps/fzXnm)
- catch the 903, 902 bus at Casa da Música metro station (mentioned above)
Gaiashopping (http://goo.gl/maps/A59My) the previous 903 and 907 (also at Casa da Música) will stop there Dolce Vita Porto (http://goo.gl/maps/y7f6L and you can see the football stadium - Estádio do Dragão)
- any metro going in the direction Estádio do Dragão
Parque Nascente (http://goo.gl/maps/0AIoQ) use GPS to go by car
Eating traditional:
http://goo.gl/maps/V6Kmi - anything in that area should be good and Portuguese.
http://goo.gl/maps/PyhGa - anything on the right side area should be good and Portuguese.
I suggest you try Francesinha, Cachorro Especial, Carne de Porco à Alentejana or Bacalhau (whatever is on the menu as there are many dishes).
At night I suggest:
http://goo.gl/maps/ft70C - there are some clubs there
http://goo.gl/maps/V6Kmi - get drinks and ice-cream
http://goo.gl/maps/B2cAZ - Caipicompany (Drinks - really good and around 3€ for Caipirinha - highly recommended, I go there all the time)
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