Day 5: Porto
By Kyra & Sophia
We started our day early, waking up around 6 in the morning to catch our train to Porto, known for its creation and exportation of port wine. After grabbing a simple breakfast, we began our three-hour journey. The time passed quickly as we grabbed snacks and slept. Those who were awake enough to look out their windows were presented with a beautiful view of the Douro River and Douro Valley, a UNESCO heritage site, and its surrounding greenery. Porto’s unique charms began to appear in its centuries-old, coastal atmosphere. The familiar red roofs we saw in Lisbon still decorated the city and waterfront properties in this new city.
After arriving in Porto’s center, we were given one hour to find a lunch spot or just explore the nearby shops. After that delicious lunch we were off to explore the next place. Our lovely guide Guillermo told us all about the Dom Luís I Bridge over the Douro River as we crossed it to the other side of Porto. The river cuts right through Porto separating it with two sides known as Ribeira and Gaia. We began in Ribeira but, as we crossed the bridge, we were just starting our adventure in Gaia. Once there we hopped onto a boat tour on the Douro and got to see the beautiful view of the bridges and both sides of Porto. We were given more time to explore Gaia as we got off the boat. Gaia was filled with various different shops and wonderful places to find a sweet treat or snack. Guillermo then took us to a beautiful monastery with a gorgeous view of the city of Porto.
Before returning back to the other side of Porto, we encountered an elderly gentleman who had set himself up near the monastery with only a microphone and a laptop. Though we heard an occasional computer notification from his speaker, our group enthusiastically danced along to his very unique rendition of “Funky Town.” Perhaps it was his special rhythm, vocal tone, autotune, or simply his large smile, but something about his special artistry ended in us extending many obrigadas before our return.
Before we got on the bus to our hotel, we had to walk across the bridge and through the Ribeira side of Porto. The walk was worth it, however, because we got to see an adorable black stray cat that watched us just admire it.
The bus took us to our third and final hotel of the trip. We checked in and dropped off our bags in rooms quickly to head on a five-minute walk to the restaurant where we had our dinner. Most people had chicken with rice and fries, except for the vegetarians and vegans, who had the same but with falafel instead of chicken, and various different desserts. After we were full from a delicious dinner, we walked back to the hotel for a wondrous night of sleep.