I'm tagging along with my husband on a business trip to Portugal. We'll have three days on our own... any suggestions on good restaurants or sights to see while we are there...
Posted by
Adelaide, SA, Australia
977 posts
You lucky lady. Porto is a great place. So many fantastic restaurants along the river. Take the train from Porto and do a day trip to the Douro Valley.
Posted by
Seattle
77 posts
Porto is a charming city and reasonably compact, although HILLY in places. The hop-on, hop-off bus tour is only 10 Euros and the 24-hour tickets also let you ride the city buses. The riverside down by the Ponte Dom Luis has MANY restaurants, they are somewhat "touristy" because of the fabulous location but we have had pleasant meals there.
The port wine lodges on the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the river (an easy walk across the bridge) are interesting to tour, and the heart of the city's history. Sandeman's is a good basic tour and the Ramos Pinto house is full of beautiful antiques. We have had two nice meals on the outside terrace at the restaurant at Taylor's, UP the hill. The view is amazing and while not cheap, we found the prices reasonable.
Tromba Rija in V.N. de Gaia is a buffet-style restaurant of Portuguese specialities, wine included. It's a huge meal and not necessarily gourmet but is a unique experience.
A local specialty is a sandwich called a "Francesinha"; loosely based on the French croque monsieur. Bread, sausage, ham, more sausage, maybe some beef, bread, sauce (this is the key--everyone has their own secret recipe) then cheese and broil it a bit. With fries, a real heart attack on a plate.
The blue tiles on buildings all over town are amazing, with the main train station being a stunning example. Rua Santa Caterina is a shopping street that seems also frequented by locals. I bought a beautiful woven tablecloth there.
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
You must do a day trip or cruise to Douro Valley!!!