Perfect Porto

Thinking about my summer holiday begins as soon as the Christmas tree goes in the dump. Desperate to divert January blues, I get googling for the destination that has it all: delicious food, a beach, a bit of city, the interesting culture/relax balance and on a very small budget.

IMPOSSIBLE?

Then I stumbled upon Northern Portugal. Porto and Lisbon have somehow dodged the unaffordable Euro problem and ticked every criteria.

With the destination decided, I began spending more time researching where we would stay and what we would do than I actually would be on the holiday.

Azureus tiles, Porto

The Duro River, Porto

As soon as we stepped off the plane, my love affair with Porto began. It is a city on the cusp of being discovered by tourists who love all a classic city break has to offer (it has just got it’s first modern art museum, Michelin stat restaurant and a great metro). We were entertained by just wandering through the town and its maze of tile covered buildings, popping into beautifully ornate churches and stopping for deliciously strong espressos. We found the inhabitants of Porto take their drinks very seriously. In the morning, no one does anything before having their strong espresso and as the home of Port wine, the evenings are served up with a glass of port and a view of the sparkling Duro river.

We Stayed

Our apartment's garden

In the Porto Hotel B + B for the first 2 nights. Only 2 years old and housed in a converted art deco old cinema, €46 bought us a bking sized bed, very friendly staff and a lovely court yard to sip a Super bock in. The final 3 nights were spent in an apartment in the arty part of Porto. For a ridiculously cheap €55, we had a beautifully modern 1 bedroom ground floor flat with a huge garden. 

We Ate

Brasa dos Leoes

Nandoes was inspied by Portugese cuisne and if you are a fan like me, then this little restaurant will satisfy any piri piri craving. Packed with locals, the portions are huge and the wine is cheap. When you arrive, the busy waitors even bring you a lovely little spicy sausage on the house.

Music in the Placa

We Saw

Feeling full after pigging out at Brasa dos Leoes we stumbled out into the placa and were met with a jam organised by Porto's University. A band of 50 people had assembled with their instruments  to play whatever they felt like to a crowd of all ages, from babies on their parent's shoulders to grannies sitting on deck chairs. This kind of spontaneity is what makes Porto so fun and unspoilt and proves that no matter how much you research, there are some things so special, that you just can't plan.