Tag Archives: Port

Mastering the Miroduoro

We headed back to Lisbon on a very early train to take advantage of our last day in Portugal. No rest for the weary, once we arrived we quickly headed out again. There were two more sights that I really wanted to take in before leaving – the Tower of Belem and Mosteiro dos Jeronimos – the Jeronimos Monistary.

The Belem district of west of Lisbon by about 5 miles. Since we needed to keep our track record of 10+ miles a day, we decided to hoof it there. On the way we made a quick detour to the “must-eat” Timeout market in Cais do Sodre.

The Timeout market – yes, named after the magazine – boasts stall after stall of traditional and not so traditional Portuguese food and drinks. There are 35 food and drink stalls. You can take your pick from typical bacalhau (cod), pasteis de nata, sardines or you can feast on delights from other countries – including pizza and a good old fashioned burger.

It was a madhouse in there! It was lunchtime so it makes sense but it was just packed. I am, however, glad we went. We stumbled upon Oh Prego da Peixaria – a stall that sells one of Portugal’s national sandwichies. A prego is a beef sandwich that can be served in bread (with mustard or hot sauce) or in a platte (with fries, rice and fried egg). We ordered Prego Motard – “A Kind of Burger”. It was a burger covered with chorizo and fried egg and it was oh so good. The place was cool but very, very touristy.

Time Out Market Lisbon
Time Out Market Lisbon

Again taking the road less traveled we began our trip to Belem – passing by the docks and the trains where almost no people ventured. Often we thought we were lost but as usual we found our way and ended up fighting the wind along the Tejo estuary between the unbelievable Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument and the Torre de Belem.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument
Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument

The Padrão dos Descobrimentos – the Monument to the Discoveries – is a massive sculpture made of limesone brought from neighboring Sintra that sits directly on the river. The sculpture depicts the front of a ship used in early Portuguese exploration with a figure of Henry the Navigator at the head. On either side are 16 figures (33 total) representing figures from the Age of Discovery. The sculpture is breathtaking – especially against the deep blue sky and deep green Tagus river.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument

You can see the Torre de Belem come into view as you stroll away from the monument. Another magnificent site as it beckons you down the river. The tower was built in the 16th century as both a fortress and a port from where Portuguese explorers departed. It is now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Torre de Belem
Torre de Belem
Jeronimos Monastery
Jeronimos Monastery

Jeronimos Monastery is across the street from the Tower of Belem. I’d wanted to go into the monastery but was just too tired at that point. The early morning, the distance we’d walked and the relentless wind from the Tagus made us both want to hop on some public transport for a quick trip back to our apartment and a nap. But you can’t miss this monastery if you’re anywhere in Belem. It’s Gothic facade is absolutely awesome. It is also been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And pictures do not do it justice – it’s something you have to see to believe.

It was our last night in Lisbon 🙁 And we’d learned a lot. All we wanted was a last beautiful sunset, some gorgeous food and SOME TAWNY PORT!

We finally mastered the Miroduoro! This time we were headed way, way, way up to the highest hilltop in Lisbon – to Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte.

Ok, this is the way to do a Miroduoro:

First, pack your bag with a wine bottle opener and two glasses – something bigger than demi-tasse espresso cups!

Second, stop at a wine bar on the way and pick up a huge bottle of 10-year-old tawny port. We’d passed this wine bar so many times during our visit. Cleverly, it’s called Cheap Wine Bar & Shop (clearly it struck a cord!) This time we finally went in where we chatted with the bar manager – Vera – who gave us tastes of different aged tawnys. She was super helpful and kind.

Happily buying a Tawny Port at Cheap Wine Bar & Shop

Third, stop at a mini mercado (mini market) for a delicious mix of prosciutto ham, goat cheese, fresh fruit and chocolate.

Fourth, haul your loot to the highest hilltop in the city and settle in for a lovely picnic as you wait for nature to smile down on you.

Let me just say, we had the best picnic in the park that night! I mean, meat and cheese and port – YES! The miroduoro wasn’t even crowded. And the sunset was one of the best we’d seen. There were wispy clouds in the sky to provide that additional touch of ethereal color. Unforgettable!

Miradouro da Nossa Senhora
Locks of Love
Stunning Colors
I’m a Port kind of girl
More Stunning Colors
Miroduoro Selfie
Gorgeous Sunset at Miradouro da Nossa Senhora

We were on a bit of a high, as it was our last night in Portugal and we still had some port left in our bottle so decided to go back to Vera and Cheap Wine Bar & Shop. She welcomed us back with open arms. Even brought us a free appetizer of pizza and olives. And we got to have a nice chat with a lovely woman who took the time to share part of her story with us. When we finally left, I got the traditional double-cheek kiss from Vera! It made me feel like a million bucks!

It was the perfect end to an incredible trip. The experiences, the memories, the conversations – these are what will keep me going during the stressful and complicated days of our so-called normal life. This – THIS – this is why I love to travel.

Serendipitous in Porto

Ever have one of those days where things just continue to work out? Today was one of those days.

John and I really wanted to check out Livraria Lello which is simply a bookstore in Porto. Not so simply it has been said that this bookstore is the 3rd most beautiful in the world. It has also been said that J.K. Rowling’s inspiration to write Harry Potter happened here. In fact the staircase in the store is quite similar to the one in Hogwarts.

Apparently this is a big draw for tourists as I read that people wait hours to get in. Instead John purchased our tickets online and we were in the store within 20 minutes of opening. Serendipity #1.

It really is a gorgeous store! Books in all languages line the deep brown wood walls. There is a massive stained glass ceiling and the red wooden winding staircase dominates the space. There is a small room even devoted to all of those Harry Potter fans.

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Next on the agenda was the famous Clérigos Church of Porto. And of course it’s tower – Torre dos Clerigos. Wherever you are in Porto you cannot miss the most visited monument in the city. The tower is rich in history but the real reason we were there was to make the climb to the top as apparently from there you get the best 360 degree views of the city. To get to the top one must climb 240 steps. If it sounds daunting it’s really not. The biggest trouble is that the stairs are so narrow that sometimes only one person can pass at a time. It’s not a place for someone who is claustrophobic. The climb is worth it! The day was brilliant and the views from the top did not disappoint. You really can see the entire city, as well as Gaia in the distance, from this monument. Serendipity #2

It was such a stunning day that of course we went to the riverfront for lunch – this time sitting on top of the pedestrian area and right against the wall. The view from there was not too shabby either! We were at Ribeiras Restaurante where we fought a little with the seagulls that were after our lunch (we won!) but it was a nice relaxing time. Serendipity #3

Finally! Back over the Luís I Bridge to Gaia for our port wine tasting. Our Airbnb host had recommended Taylor’s Port and wine cellar. We also liked it as it seemed to be off the beaten path so less likely to be super crowded. What a cool experience! You get an audio tour of the cellar plus a port tasting for 15 Euros each. The tour is very interesting and informative and you wind your way through the cellar out to a peaceful and lovely garden where you are seated to try their port. We were ready!

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The tasting included a white port and a ruby port. First, before coming to Portugal I wasn’t even aware there was a white port! But I thought, with my passion for white wine, that I’d prefer white port.

My impression of port…wait for it…absolutely amazing! I never thought I’d like this stuff! And…I preferred the red. Now things were getting a little crazy 🙂 We really enjoyed the time in the garden appreciating the port, and the beauty of the entire place. Again, more on port later… Serendipity #4

It was time for another sunset. This time we’d planned even better. We’d brought wine and demi-tasse cups to drink it from. And on the way to the Miradouro we stopped for a takeaway falafel sandwich. Yes, falafel in Porto. We were prepared but – all of the sudden there was just no sun. We’d been blessed with 3 amazing sunsets so far so we couldn’t complain too much.

We were anxious to try a port we hadn’t tasted at the cellar – tawny. Tawny ports are usually made from red grapes aged in wood barrels. They age to a golden brown color and are described as having a nutty flavor. So we wandered around Praca de Liberdade – which is where we got so lost the previous night – in search of a place to try this traditional port. We thought maybe a hotel bar would be pretentious enough to work! But the hotel bar was closed. Instead the helpful concierge directed us to Cafe Guarany which had also been recommended by our host. What a sweet little place! Actually not so little. And they had live music in the form of a pianist which made it more perfect for our needs. We thought, “What the hell”, let’s just order a 20-year old glass of port! When in Porto right?!?! The consensus? Even yummier than the white or ruby! Tawny port does have a rich nutty taste – not sweet or syrupy. It was honestly wonderful! We sat, drank our port and enjoyed ourselves immensely! Serendipity #5

Like I said earlier this was a day where things just worked out as they should. It was a wonderful, eye-opening, yet relaxing day in a beautiful town!

Porto may be my motherland

After a brief stop at the famous Fiera da Ladra flea market in Alfama, we got on a train to Porto, Portugal which is 310 km – or less than 200 miles – north of Lisbon and is famous for it’s Port wine. When we first booked the trip our plan was to stay in Lisbon for the entire time. But so many people highly recommended that we spend some time in Porto. And now I can see why!

We arrived via train at the famous Sao Bento train station. This train station is on many must-see lists because of it’s interior lobby designed with traditional Portuguese tiles. It is truly lovely – maybe that’s not the right word for it as it’s packed with tourists and locals alike. It is more awe-inspiring.

Walking out of the train station we were again greeted by brilliant blue skies and so many colors. It really is a feast for your senses. John’s comment was “This place has a great vibe”. Mine was more about this place being my motherland! Because everywhere you looked was wine! And Port of course. Much more to come on Port… But wine menus, wine stories, wine cellars, wine tastings. Oh, I’ve come home 🙂

Another thing we saw everywhere we looked was teenagers wearing clothes from Harry Potter. Literally they are all over the streets of Porto! We just thought these were kids come to honor the series – the idea of which was born in Porto. More on the students later.

We headed down the hill toward to famous Cais de Ribeira all the while gawking at the architecture and the colors like silly tourists!

We had just a small amount of time before meeting our host so stopped into the Church of Sao Francisco. Another awe-inspiring structure bearing both gothic and baroque styles. It is quite overwhelming and a LOT to look at.

Back up the hill to meet our sweet Airbnb host who sat us down with a map and marked it all up. If you know me you know I like a marked-up, well-used paper map. Now we had some local recommendations and we were off to see the town.

Our first stop was the riverfront of course. This is the most instragramed area of Porto. When you google Porto this is what you see. Seeing it in person is even better. People walking shoulder to shoulder; little kiosks selling touristy junk; restaurants with views of the river; musicians making money doing what they love. It was quite something!

Starving, we did the tourist thing and sat at a restaurant on the riverfront. And it was a great decision! Sometimes – I feel – doing the touristy thing is necessary. We got to sit and watch the people and the water and the stunning Vila Nova de Gaia across the river. We got to eavesdrop on the stag party going on right next to us and we got to listen and watch an amazing musician right in front of us. And of course the food. We both tried a traditional dish of Porto – the Francesinha. It’s a sandwich with ham, sausage and beef in the middle covered with melted cheese and a sauce made of tomato and beer. Sounds great, doesn’t it?! Hmmm, not so much. The meat was good, the bread was good, the sauce was interesting and the cheese was…icky. Do I recommend it? Everything I read said it’s a must-try. I wish I’d had something else!

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Up, up, up some more hills in Porto and then we headed over the top of the famous Luís I Bridge. This bridge famously crosses the Duoro river between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia where the port wine cellars that gave Porto it’s name are located. This is the bridge where most of those stunning pictures of Porto have been taken! Pedestrians can take the upper or lower part of the bridge and should definitely take the upper part for the incredible views! Just do t be afraid of heights!

We’d come up, up, up the hill to pass the Luis I bridge at the top so we needed to go down, down, down the hill to get to the sweet town of Vila Nova de Gaia. As usual, we took “the road less traveled by” and “that made all the difference”. We ended up on a small dirt path that was restricted to pedestrians due to construction. But we were all by ourselves! And the views from there were incredible. We’d take the road less traveled by more than once on this trip…

At the bottom of the hill…We really wanted to do a port wine tour but I hadn’t had the forethought to make a reservation nor check the closing times so we were out of luck. But we stumbled upon Mercado Beira-Rio – a small market with a dozen or so restaurants and bars within it. And community style seating in the middle. John had his first(!) glass of port and we picked up a bottle of white from the Duoro valley for me.

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We took our wine and plastic cups to another Miradouro at the top of the hill – Parque Municipal das Virtudes – opposite the famous Cais de Ribeira to watch another stunning sunset. This is where all of those incredible photos of Porto come from – across the river! Again, the park was filled with people. People with kids; playing music, eating their picnics; drinking their wine. And again, the simplicity of life and the beauty of nature and the gratitude one can’t help but feel there gives way to meaningful conversation and overwhelming feelings of love. When the sun dropped into the water of the Duoro river and the sky became pink everyone in the park clapped 🙂

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It had been a long day and we decided to head back to our apartment. On the way we stumbled upon a musician playing guitar and singing in the street adjacent to the Sao Bento train station. Something about her voice and the harsh way she played the guitar caused us to stop and listen. And I’m so glad we did. Her name is Susana Silva. Her voice had a strong, “see me roar” vibe and her words – because a few songs were in English – spoke to us in a profound way. It is called “B U“. It says, “Be Yourself”, “Love Yourself” – these were the themes. More than anything they reminded us of our prayers for the kids. We walked away hand-in-hand me with a soft smile on my face and John with a tear in his eye.

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The peaceful feeling got completely obliterated as we got crazy lost trying to find our way back to the apartment! And remember the crazy kids dressed like Harry Potter? They’d multiplied! There were even more of them and now they were chanting as the walked the streets of Porto. I needed to do some research on this…

Eventually we found our apartment and decided to treat ourselves to a yummy gelato to calm us down before bed 🙂