FRAMED WITH WONDER

Robin Kory

Aspiring Photographer, Traveler at Heart

Porto, Portugal: Port Wine, Tile Walls & Timeless Views

Riverside view of colorful buildings in Porto’s Ribeira district along the Douro River.
Close-up of a seagull perched on a stone wall with blurred background.
Cluster of colorful old buildings with orange rooftops on a hillside in Porto, Portugal.
View of Porto’s Ribeira waterfront with colorful buildings and outdoor cafes along the riverbank.
Traditional Porto buildings with red tiled façades and wrought-iron balconies decorated with flower boxes.
Inside Porto’s McDonald's with stained glass windows, chandeliers, and Art Deco details above the order counter.
Aerial view of Porto’s Ribeira district with colorful buildings along the Douro River and Sandeman Port Wine sign in the distance.
Close-up of traditional Portuguese blue and white azulejo tiles with an ornate floral pattern.
A layered cityscape of Porto with colorful houses, historic buildings, and a tall brick chimney stack from the wine cellars.
Church bell tower with clock face rising above pastel-colored buildings in Porto, Portugal.
View across the Douro River from Porto, showing the colorful waterfront of Vila Nova de Gaia and distant city skyline.
Porto’s hillside filled with tightly packed colorful houses, churches, and historic buildings under a cloudy sky.
Narrow pink house squeezed between two larger buildings in Porto, Portugal.
Porto’s iconic Clérigos Tower with a large blue Porto sign in the foreground under a cloudy sky.
A beige vintage van parked on the street in front of a corner building decorated with a geometric black and white tiled facade in Porto.
Metro train crossing the Luís I Bridge with Porto’s historic district in the background.
A close-up of multicolored glass lamps and light bulbs glowing warmly in a Porto shop window.
Historic yellow tram traveling along the tracks at dusk with an old stone building in Porto, Portugal, illuminated by soft evening light.
Statue in front of the illuminated façade of the University of Porto at night, with people walking around the square.
Night view of Jardim da Cordoaria with trees silhouetted and the University of Porto reflecting in the still water of a small pond.

Portugal, one of Europe’s oldest nations, sits on the western edge of the Iberian Peninsula, bordered by Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. With a rich maritime history, it played a central role in the Age of Discovery, launching explorers like Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan across the globe. Today, Portugal is known for its historic cities, tile-covered churches, and diverse landscapes—from rugged coastlines to rolling vineyards. Its second-largest city, Porto, reflects this heritage beautifully: a place where centuries-old architecture, world-famous wine, and vibrant culture meet along the banks of the Douro River.

In February, we traded Germany’s winter gray for a few unforgettable days in this soulful northern city. Porto, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and its neighbor, Vila Nova de Gaia (Gaia)—welcomed us with colorful streets, panoramic views, and a rich mix of history and culture. Best known for its namesake Port wine and beautifully preserved medieval center, the city surprised us at every turn with hidden corners, local flavor, and a distinct character all its own.

Waking Up in the Heart of Porto

Our home base was a sunny studio apartment nestled between two leafy parks in the historic center. Our Tripas-Coração airbnb felt like a curated love letter to Portuguese design. Think warm wood floors, modern furnishings, and pieces crafted by local artists and artisans. Best of all? A wonderful balcony with beautiful views of the Douro River and sunsets that bathed the entire city in orange and gold.

Cozy and sunlit interior of an apartment in Porto, featuring tall wooden shutters, soft pendant lighting, and a simple wooden dining bar with stools in front of the view.
Layers of buildings with terracotta rooftops stretching toward the horizon, captured at sunset from Porto looking toward Vila Nova de Gaia.

Two Cities, One River, Infinite Beauty

What makes Porto unique isn’t just the history or the food—it’s the way the Douro River divides and defines the landscape. On one side: Porto, with its maze of narrow streets, tiled churches, and vibrant squares. On the other: Gaia, home to the famous Port wine lodges that have shaped the city’s economy and culture for centuries.

We spent our days bouncing between both. In Gaia, we wandered the riverbank, soaking up views of Porto’s skyline and watching traditional rabelo boats—flat-bottomed wooden vessels once used to transport barrels of Port wine—float lazily past.

High above Gaia, the Monastery of Serra do Pilar (a 16th-century former monastery, now a military site) and the Jardim do Morro (Garden of the Hill) offered sweeping views of red rooftops, church spires, and the iconic arc of the Dom Luís I Bridge.

Of course, no visit to Gaia is complete without a Port wine tasting—or two. Lodges like Kopke, the oldest Port Wine House (dating back to 1638), were high on our list, though we couldn’t fit them all in. Luckily, we did make it to Niepoort, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip (more on that below). Be sure to book your tastings in advance—spots fill up quickly, even in the off-season.

Gaia

The Dom Luís I Bridge stretching across the Douro River with the Serra do Pilar Monastery perched dramatically on a hill in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
Front view of a small chapel covered in blue and white azulejo tiles with a wooden door in Porto.
Close-up view of the Serra do Pilar Monastery in Porto, showing its round dome and weathered stone walls.
Aerial view of the riverside promenade in Vila Nova de Gaia with port wine boats on the Douro River.
View of the white Caves Cálem building along the Douro River with colorful houses in the background.
Walking past history: The weathered stone walls of Cockburn’s, one of Porto’s iconic port wine lodges.
Giant rabbit street art installation made from recycled materials on a yellow building in Gaia.
Two pigeons perched inside the frame of a weathered window in Porto, Portugal.
The Serra do Pilar Monastery with its round church and terraced stone buttresses overlooking the Douro River in Porto.
A panoramic view of Vila Nova de Gaia’s waterfront, with the famous CALEM wine lodge and colorful buildings along the Douro River.
Traditional Portuguese rabelo boats loaded with port wine barrels floating on the Douro River, with Gaia in the background.
The lively riverfront of Vila Nova de Gaia across from Porto, lined with colorful buildings, bars, and modern high-rises in the background.
The domed Serra do Pilar Monastery seen from across the river, framed against a moody sky in Porto.
The Vila Nova de Gaia riverside filled with famous port wine lodges, with BARROS and Cockburn’s warehouse signs visible.

Getting Lost in Porto (On Purpose)

Back on the Porto side, we dove headfirst into the city’s textured layers—each corner revealing a picture-perfect scene.

Front façade of the Igreja de Santo Ildefonso in Porto, Portugal, featuring blue and white azulejo tiles under moody clouds.
Blue and white azulejo tiles blanket the façade of Igreja de Santo Ildefonso.
View of the Porto Cathedral with colorful houses and the Episcopal Palace in the background.
The dramatic Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto) rising above the patchwork of city rooftops.
Narrow, winding cobbled alleyway in Porto lined with potted plants and colorful old buildings.
Porto’s backstreets—where cobbled alleys, potted plants, and pastel-colored facades wait around every turn.
Clérigos Tower rises dramatically into the cloudy sky with a red historic tram and colorful row houses in the foreground.
Iconic Porto: The Clérigos Tower framed by street life, trams, and tiled buildings.
Tram crossing the upper level of the Dom Luís I Bridge in Porto with the cityscape in the background.
A tram makes its way across the upper deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge.
Porto City Hall building with its iconic clock tower and green dome under a partly cloudy sky.
Porto’s grand Câmara Municipal do Porto (City Hall), standing proudly at the top of Avenida dos Aliados.
Ornate turquoise fountain with winged lion sculptures in front of the University of Porto building.
The striking Fonte dos Leões (Fountain of the Lions), just outside the University of Porto—a popular meeting spot for students and visitors.
A red British-style phone booth stands in front of a row of colorful, weathered apartment buildings with wrought iron balconies in Porto.
A little slice of London tucked into a Porto street scene—yes, that’s a red phone booth among the azulejos and iron balconies.
A stone statue of a robed figure holding a sword stands in the foreground, with the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lapa church and its bell tower visible in the background in Porto, Portugal.
The church, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lapa—where history stands tall in more ways than one.
Monument to Prince Henry the Navigator in Porto’s Jardim do Infante Dom Henrique with historic buildings behind.
The Monument to Prince Henry the Navigator, honoring Portugal’s Age of Discovery, located in the Jardim do Infante Dom Henrique.

For sweeping city views, Terreiro da Sé, the plaza beside Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto) gave us a fantastic look across the city’s hilly skyline. From up here, it’s all terracotta rooftops, narrow lanes, and tightly packed buildings climbing in every direction. It’s one of those classic Porto vantage points you won’t want to miss.

Rooftop view with moss-covered chimneys and a distant view of Porto Cathedral and other historic buildings.
Even the rooftops in Porto feel like artwork—layers of red tile, mossy chimneys, and grand cathedrals beyond.
Panoramic view of Porto’s terracotta rooftops with the Clérigos Tower rising in the distance under a cloudy
Looking across the sea of terracotta rooftops towards the iconic Clérigos Tower.
Close-up of a stone statue of a Roman soldier holding a spear, with Porto’s City Hall clock tower and modern buildings blurred in the background.
A stone sentinel overlooks Porto’s downtown, with the Câmara Municipal do Porto clock tower in the background.
View over red-tiled residential rooftops in Porto, with a mix of painted facades and exposed brickwork, and church towers visible in the distance.
A patchwork of tilework, weathered walls, and gardens tucked into Porto’s urban hillside.

Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto)

Front view of Porto Cathedral’s façade featuring two towers, a rose window, and the Gothic entrance portal on a cloudy day.
Inner courtyard of Porto Cathedral’s Gothic cloisters, featuring pointed arches and a weathered stone cross at the center.
Close-up of a blue and white azulejo tile mural in Porto, depicting 18th-century hunters on horseback with ornate framing and cherubs.
View from the upper level of Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto), looking across the Romanesque stone towers, battlements, and down into the Gothic cloisters with pointed arches below.
Exterior view of Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto) with the twisting stone Pillory of Porto (Pelourinho) in the foreground under dramatic clouds.
A wooden door framed by Gothic stone arches and surrounded by classic blue and white azulejo tiles at the cloisters of Porto Cathedral.
Detailed view of one of the bell towers of Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto), with Gothic and Romanesque stonework under a cloudy sky.
A view down the nave of Porto Cathedral, showing stone arches and vaulted ceilings leading to an ornate golden altar.
Ornate baroque room inside Igreja de São Francisco, Porto, filled with painted ceilings, gilded woodwork, religious paintings, and carved furniture.
Stone fortress walls with pointed battlements, a modern highway bridge in the middle distance, and a mountain range under cloudy skies near Porto.

We also wandered along the Cerca Primitiva, the remnants of Porto’s original medieval city walls. These quiet stretches of ancient stone are easy to miss but offer a glimpse into the city’s fortified past—and a striking contrast to the colorful houses that now surround them.

Some of our favorite moments, though, weren’t planned at all. We got delightfully lost in Porto’s maze-like alleys, stumbled into quiet hidden squares, browsed a temporary riverside market inside the Mercado Ferreira Borges—a 19th-century iron market hall turned cultural space—and ducked into a tiny café for a pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tart) just because the door looked inviting.

A quiet square with outdoor tables and bright red closed umbrellas, surrounded by tall, narrow buildings with tiled facades in Porto.
A quiet corner of Porto, waiting to be discovered.
A steep, narrow alleyway lined with pastel-painted houses in Porto, with laundry lines and a distant city view at the end.
A cheerful descent through Porto’s colors and cobblestones.

Of course, no visit to Porto feels complete without stopping at Livraria Lello, said to be the most beautiful bookstore in the world. Yes, it’s touristy, but the dramatic staircase and stained glass ceiling really are something special. If you go, book your ticket online and arrive early—it gets busy fast.

Interior of Livraria Lello bookstore with its famous red staircase and stained glass ceiling.
Wooden double doors with glass panes and brass handles, offering a view into the ornate interior of Livraria Lello bookstore in Porto, Portugal, with its famous red staircase.
Close-up of detailed wooden carving on a column or staircase in Livraria Lello.
Close-up of the curving red staircase inside Livraria Lello, surrounded by wooden carvings and bookshelves.
The decorated facade of Livraria Lello, also known as Livraria Chardron, with stained glass and neo-Gothic detailing in Porto, Portugal.
Iconic red double staircase inside Livraria Lello bookstore, viewed from the balcony above.
View looking up at the stained glass skylight inside Livraria Lello, framed by carved wooden railings.
Book-lined walls and wooden railings inside Livraria Lello with visitors browsing.

For something a little offbeat, we tracked down Casa Escondida (the Hidden House)—a tall, narrow home wedged between the twin churches of Igreja do Carmo and Igreja dos Carmelitas. Just 1 meter (about 3 feet) wide and three stories tall, this unusual structure was built in the 18th century to comply with building regulations that required separate walls between churches. According to local legend, it also served to prevent direct contact between the nuns of one church and the monks of the other. Blink and you’ll miss it from the street, but if you visit Igreja do Carmo (the church on the right), you can step inside and explore this little piece of Porto history.

View of the Igreja do Carmo and Igreja dos Carmelitasin Porto, showcasing ornate Baroque architecture and detailed stonework with a checkered pavement.

Even São Bento train station felt like a destination in itself. Built in the early 20th century on the site of a former Benedictine monastery, its grand entrance hall is wrapped in over 20,000 azulejo tiles—Portugal’s signature glazed ceramic tiles, often painted in striking blue and white. At São Bento, these murals vividly depict key moments in Portuguese history, from royal battles to rural traditions. Whether you’re catching a train or not, it’s absolutely worth stepping inside.

Massive blue and white azulejo tile mural inside São Bento train station in Porto, depicting historical scenes with people and carriages.
A close-up of a decorative azulejo wall tile at São Bento train station in Porto, featuring a yellow, blue, and white starburst and floral pattern.

Flavors of Porto: From Street Snacks to Michelin Stars

Porto’s culinary scene gave us everything from casual bites to fine dining moments. We sipped espresso at sidewalk cafés, sampled rabanadas (Portuguese-style French toast) at the iconic Majestic Café—one of Porto’s most beautiful spots, once frequented by writers and artists—and indulged in long, slow meals that felt more like events than dinners.

Majestic Café

Art Nouveau façade of the Majestic Café on Rua de Santa Catarina, Porto, with outdoor tables and decorative white umbrellas.
Majestic Café’s grand dining room with a central black piano, Art Nouveau décor, and guests seated at wooden tables.
Corner seating area at Majestic Café Porto, featuring wood-paneled walls, large mirrors, and a pastry display case.

One standout? Apego—a cozy spot in Porto’s Marquês neighborhood that just earned a Michelin Star for 2025. The tasting menu was creative and delicious, mixing French and Portuguese flavors in unexpected ways. Every dish felt like a little surprise, and the whole experience was warm, relaxed, and memorable.

Cozy dining space at Apego Restaurant in Porto, featuring stone walls, wood tables, and soft lighting with wine glasses set for dinner.
Inside Apego—one of our favorite food finds in Porto.

We wrapped up our time in Porto with dinner at eMotivo, a unique tasting menu experience that takes you on a culinary tour of Portugal. Designed for two, the seven-course meal includes a playful twist: a short game at the start determines which regions you’ll explore through your dishes. Each course highlights local ingredients and traditional flavors, with an emphasis on organic and regional sourcing.

Getting Around: Tuk-Tuks and a Hidden Park with Big Views

To cover more ground (and give our legs a break from Porto’s famous hills), we booked a private Tuk-Tuk Tour via Get Your Guide.

Our guide didn’t just hit the standard stops—he took us to a quiet, almost secret park with panoramic river views where we had the city nearly to ourselves. The tour ended with—you guessed it—a Port tasting with sweeping views of the river from the Monastery of Serra do Pilar.

If your schedule allows, book this for your first day. It’s a fantastic way to get your bearings and decide where you want to dive deeper.

A wide view of Porto’s Douro River with the Arrábida Bridge in the distance, framed by orange rooftops and green hillsides.
A small moss-covered fountain surrounded by trees, shrubs, and winding paths in one of Porto’s gardens.
A white tuk tuk parked next to a grand stone building with red accents and iron balconies in Porto, Portugal.

Port Wine Dreams: Niepoort Cellar Experience

Speaking of diving deeper… we booked a tasting at Niepoort in Gaia, a family-owned wine house dating back to 1842.

Inside, time seemed to slow. Cobwebs draped the stone walls, and dim light cast soft shadows across rows of weathered barrels. Every corner felt like a page from history—wooden beams darkened by time, cool stone underfoot, and the sense that generations of Port had been aging here, patiently waiting for their moment to be poured.

We tasted multiple styles, including a rare 1968 vintage poured straight from the barrel. The cellar also houses one of the most expensive bottles of Port in the world—Niepoort IN LALIQUE—a true collector’s piece.

Space is limited, and tastings often sell out well in advance—definitely book ahead.

Cozy interior of a Porto wine tasting room with wooden tables set with dozens of wine glasses ready for tasting.
Shelves filled with dusty vintage wine bottles, old books, and various glass containers in a cellar with warm lighting.
Wall mural of an astronaut in white suit and helmet placed at the end of a dim, narrow wine cellar corridor in Porto.
Small historic wine testing laboratory with old bottles, glass beakers, and vintage photographs on the wall.
Close-up of a limited edition crystal Lalique decanter with "Niepoort" engraved on the front.
Stacked wooden wine barrels labeled Niepoort 2013 Vintage Port, with bottles lining the shelves behind them.
Modern backlit wooden shelves filled with various wine bottles and gourmet products for sale at Niepoort.
Multiple rows of wooden port wine barrels stacked high inside a dimly lit aging warehouse at Niepoort.
Rustic tasting room inside a Porto wine cellar featuring a large tile mural and a knight statue.
Rows of dusty old glass demijohns and bottles stored in stone shelves inside a dark wine cellar.
A large wooden port wine vat at Niepoort, labeled “Velha 2007” with a capacity of 890 liters.
Old weathered blue wooden double doors with visible cracks and peeling paint, set in a stone wall.

From Soulful Fado to a Dazzling Light Show: Experiencing Porto After Dark

We also spent an evening at Ideal Clube de Fado—a small, intimate venue dedicated to classic Fado, Portugal’s soulful, melancholic traditional music genre. A single vocalist, backed by the distinctive sound of Portuguese guitar and classical guitar (viola de fado), delivered performances so raw and emotional it left me almost in tears.

A Fado singer performs passionately on stage accompanied by two guitarists in an intimate setting.

For something completely different, we booked tickets to the Spiritus Light Show at Clérigos Church—a vibrant mix of lasers, soundscapes, and digital projections swirling across the church’s historic interior. The experience landed somewhere between art installation and high-tech fever dream.

Close-up of the ornate stone façade of Igreja dos Clérigos in Porto, Portugal, illuminated with warm lighting against a twilight sky.
Colorful flower-themed light projections on the dome ceiling inside Igreja dos Clérigos during the Immersivus Porto show.

Porto Stays With You

Porto isn’t a city you simply visit; it’s a city that lingers.

It lingers in the scent of wine-soaked cellars, in the sound of Fado carried on a cold February breeze, in the feel of cobblestones under tired feet.

We left with full cameras, full bellies, and already… a list for next time.

Panoramic view over Porto’s red rooftops with the Porto Cathedral and Episcopal Palace in the distance under a cloudy sky.
Rooftop views over Porto’s historic center, with the Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto) and Episcopal Palace along the skyline.

Location & Getting There

Porto is located in northern Portugal along the Douro River, just a few miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. It’s Portugal’s second-largest city and easily accessible from many major European hubs.

For this trip, we flew with RyanAir from Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport in Germany. Since we had an early morning flight, we drove from Stuttgart (about 1 hour 15 minutes under normal traffic conditions) and stayed the night before at the B&B HOTEL Baden-Airpark—just steps from the airport terminal.

After a short, direct flight, we landed at Porto Airport (Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport – OPO). From there, it was an easy 20- to 30-minute Metro or taxi ride into the city center.

Whether you’re arriving by plane, train, or even coming from another Portuguese city like Lisbon, Porto’s compact size and great public transportation make it an easy destination to reach and get around.

From Porto to Portugal’s Birthplace

Want to see more of northern Portugal? Check out my next post where we take a day trip to Braga and Guimarães—two historic towns filled with centuries-old churches, hilltop sanctuaries, cobbled streets, and a strong sense of Portugal’s rich cultural roots: Beyond Porto: A Day Trip to Braga & Guimarães.

Foggy side view of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte with Baroque twin towers in Braga, Portugal.
Dom Jesus do Monte emerging from the mist—a hauntingly beautiful moment at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, just outside Braga.
The iconic Guimarães Castle, a medieval fortress stands proudly under the Portuguese flag.

Have you been to Porto? Have a favorite spot we missed? Drop a comment or question—I’m always collecting ideas for future trips!

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