Off to the mainland - Porto, Portugal

Porto is situated on the north-western side of Portugal. A cozy city with vibrant music, red roof houses, and colourful hand-painted tiles.

Let me start by saying that if you didn’t bring walking shoes then you’re doing Portugal all wrong. The easiest way to get around is by foot or occasionally hop on the metro. But many attractions aren’t near a metro station so you’ll just be going in circles. Porto is filled with cobble stone, hilly streets, I learned this within the first hour of arrival but the views are worth the soar legs!

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Hand-painted tiles - One of my favourite parts of the city was finding various colourful tiles. It’s almost like a scavenger hunt, you turn the corner and see another beautiful design.

A trip to Porto, wouldn’t be complete without trying some Port wine. I headed to Burmester Cellars to learn about Port production and sampled some delicious wine and chocolates. A tribute to my tato (dad), the true wine connoisseur!

A newly built attraction in Porto is WOW (World of Wine). It’s an area with museums, restaurants, shops, an event space, wine school and not to mention an incredible spot to see the sunset. Head to the “V.P.” restaurant, ask to sit on the patio, order a drink and enjoy the sun go down!

Half Rabbit street art -

In addition to the tiles, Porto features various other art within the streets. This piece is titled “Half Rabbit” and is created by artist Bordallo II, it’s made out of trash collected within the city. It serves as a critique of society’s wastefulness and its consequences on the natural environment.

Alibi restaurant - I stumbled upon this restaurant and am very glad I decided to stop in for dinner. They create unique dishes using various flavours and encourage guests to share plates.

Make sure to ask to sit on their back terrace if you want the best spot in the house.

*white asparagus soup w truffle oil + caramelized peanuts

*snapper ceviche

*glazed scallops

*poached pear in saffron + spices

MUD (Manufacture Under Design) shop - This family owned and run shop, started operating when the husband had an idea to build and sell wooden bikes (made from birch). They had lots of wood scraps left over and wanted to do something with it, from that came the idea for a purse.

They decided to use leather to make the shape and then added leftover wood on the sides and used pure cork as the interior lining, since it’s very durable (more than fabric). All products are handmade in Porto by the family. I couldn’t resist supporting the shop and buying a local product.

SO Coffee Roasters Torrefação -

A great coffee/tea shop tucked away is SO coffee roasters. The service and quality is superb! I recommend stopping in and then heading south to Livraria Lello and Miradouro da Vitoria.

There's also a shop in Lisbon so I'll be sure to check it out!

On my last day I headed out of the city to the Atlantic ocean. I highly recommend making this trip if you have an extra day. Watching the waves crash into the shore, while eating Portuguese pastries is an experience in itself. A great bakery in the area is Tavi. In addition to pastries, they serve many delicious brunch and lunch items. It’s a 45 mins walk along the shore or 12 mins bus ride from Matosinhos Sul metro station, but I recommend walking (at least one way) if you want to enjoy the views.

There are many places to explore in Porto, so be ready to get those steps in!