As always, the images and any videos in this post are best viewed on the web page. View the complete set of blog posts here.
The following image was taken from the sliding door of our stateroom.
Tour – Porto by Foot – Get to know the city named for the famous fortified wine. Straddling the Douro River, Porto is a vital center of education, religion, trade, and industry. You will meet your guide at your ship, then head into the heart of the “City of Granite.” Thanks to the frequent use of this stone in the architectural landscape, the city has a grand appearance. In the Cordoaria district, you will view the masterful exterior of the Clérigos Tower, or Clergyman’s Tower. Once Portugal’s tallest structure, it was designed by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni. Continue past the city’s Romanesque cathedral, built in the 12th century, and stop to admire its facade. En route back to your ship, pass through Aliados Avenue and gaze up at the beautiful buildings that line the street.
On the drive into town, we passed a piece of art called “She Changes”, representing the fisherman’s net, which is located along the Atlantic Ocean in the Praça da Cidade do Salvador. We also saw the remains of St. John’s Fortress.
The first stop was the Palácio da Justiça (Palace of Justice). The first image is ‘A Justiça’ (Statue of Justice) with non-traditional open eyes to show active observation and independence, rather than the traditional blindfold used in many other countries. The Jardim de João Chagas (Jardim da Cordoaria) city park, directly across the street, contained the “Thirteen Laughing at Each Other” exhibit, with four stands of 13 statues of men facing and laughing at each other. Very interesting. The park also had 37 London Plane Trees with “bulbous” trunks due to “a combination of old age, historical pruning practices, and biological reactions to past environmental stress or canker diseases“. They were very odd-looking all in all. The locals have nicknamed them “elephant feet”.
A prominent Porto feature is the Torre dos Clérigos, designed by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni, completed in 1763, standing 75 meters tall, and offering 360-degree views of Porto from its peak. It is part of the Clerigos Church complex built in the 1700’s. We just viewed the tower from a distance and did not enter. I did get to play with a fun dog along the path.
The Igreja dos Carmelitas Church is located near the Jardim da Cordoaria, and like many buildings in Porto, this Baroque structure, known for its gilded woodwork on the interior, also has iconic Portuguese blue art tiles (azulejos) on its exterior. It is adjacent to the Igreja do Carmelitas, separated by a narrow “hidden house”, only about one meter wide, constructed to ensure the monks and nuns from the two separate convents did not live together.
City scenes of Porto. Many buildings are painted pastel colors and/or have beautiful tile facades. Image 3 shows a portion of the original city wall along the harbor.
We walked down a narrow street near the Douro River, lined with historic homes. From the internet: “Porto’s historic riverside homes are considered historic because they anchor a 2,000-year-old medieval port landscape recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spared by the 1755 earthquake that destroyed Lisbon, these colorful facades and tightly packed, deep townhouses showcase centuries of evolving architecture, medieval trade, and clever tax-saving designs.“
The sign in the first image says: “This house, with the small tower of which dates from the Middle Ages (XIVth century), still preserves its original structure. In this area, there used to be other houses, such as number 55, which still has its original Gothic doors and windows on the ground floor.“
The homes are all occupied, very historic, and very expensive.
The next image is the Fonte dos Leões (Fountain of the Lions), a 19th-century bronze fountain known for its distinct green patina. The second image is the famous Livraria Lello bookstore, opened in 1906 and renowned globally for its stunning interior, particularly its grand wooden staircase, which is sometimes falsely rumored to have inspired J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts library. There was a long line waiting every time we walked by.
The third and fourth images show the City of Vila Nova de Gaia looking south across the Douro River. Gaia is the home of the original Port wine, and many cellars remain today; however, production has largely moved outside the city. Very scenic.
We left the tour in old town Porto at Ribeira Square, right next to the river, and Kara Cornelius joined us for the afternoon.
We visited the Sé do Porto (Porto Cathedral), one of the oldest monuments in the city, dating back to the 12th century. It is on a high hilltop, and the views of the city and the Douro River were terrific. Obviously a great spot for photos….
In the next set of photos, the first image is Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace), the second and third images show remnants of the old city fort walls, the fourth is of Henry the Navigator (the “armchair” navigator), and the final image is a building I thought was interesting.
More views from our afternoon walk. With the river, hills, and architecture, Porto is a photogenic city.
We crossed the Douro River on the Luís I Bridge. There were numerous Crimson Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus) plants along our walk. It is a hardy, evergreen shrub endemic to Australia that attracts pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies. They are nicknamed “the Australian Christmas Tree”.
We had lunch at Casa Guedes right next to the Douro River. An authentic and very tasty Portuguese meal. Lots of pork.
Returning to the ship was difficult today. After the lunch mentioned above, we crossed the Douro River, made a quick stop at a local artisan shop to purchase some tiles, and then hoofed it to the Palácio da Justiça to catch the shuttle bus. After a lengthy, uphill, and fast-paced walk from the other side of the river to the bus stop, we found numerous fellow Sky cruisers also waiting to be picked up. After exchanging information, we determined that there had been a traffic accident, and the last scheduled shuttle was significantly delayed. Apparently, the bus scheduled 30 minutes earlier had left early because it was full (as is the norm), so some passengers had been waiting at that point for well over an hour. Quite a few grumpy cruisers were, rather nervously, waiting. Fortunately, someone had called the ship, and they knew of our situation. After 30-45 minutes, a local transportation staff member and then a shuttle appeared, and we returned to the ship without incident, which had fortunately waited for us. (Note: there is always a bit of a concern about getting back to the ship by “Back on Board Time”). We’d hate to be left behind!
There was music on the Pool Deck this evening: Jazz Night: Relax and unwind by the pool, allowing the music of our Guitar Entertainer, Dan, to wash over you as we celebrate International Jazz Day.
I was hoping Dan would play his Gibson electric, but he played his trusty acoustic. He was joined for a couple of songs by a woman playing a flugelhorn. The one and only time I saw either the woman or the brass horn. They played very well together, and I really enjoyed listening to them
The screen says that there was a BBQ. There was no mention of the cuisine in the Viking Daily, and unfortunately, I do not remember the food at all. It is hard to remember all the pool deck parties we have had on this trip!
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