More and more as I travel, it becomes clear that there's more than one way to enjoy a place. We've all been to Disney and we've seen what's designed for tourists. One of the best ways to enjoy a place is to enjoy the simple things and appreciate what the locals appreciate.
In Porto, we stayed in a moderately touristy neighborhood. We were right across the street from one of the city markets. It was the most touristy one and you could even buy a glass of Port and drink it while you shopped. They had a second level with high priced restaurants for the tourists. It had its pros and cons as a place for us, but we did visit that market. We didn't go to the restaurants, but we did get some take away food and had a couple of afternoon noshes there. Of course, we got a glass of Port. It was too kitschy not to participate.
But one of the things that we found annoying was that most of the businesses in our little neighborhood were designed for the tourists. There were nonstop bakeries selling Pasteis De Nata or Nata as the locals called them. They are a lovely egg tart and if you go to the right place, which is not in the touristy areas, you can try different flavors as well. There's also a dozen or so places in a confined area where you can buy the Porto specialty sandwich, the Francesinha. This is a heart attack on a plate, but is delicious and everyone should try it once while in Porto.
Our question became where do we find what the locals are eating? The only place near us that sold normal food or drink was the coffee shop, My Coffee Porto, where we went for our morning coffee. They had the Natas, but they also had all the normal things you'd expect at a coffee shop. My favorite part was that they had an iced latte. Not something that we found in most places in Porto and it was really nice as was the atmosphere and the staff. They were wonderful gentlemen and I can't recommend this place enough. We made a point to go there every day, even though we could have made coffee in our apartment. It's wonderful. Yes, there was a Starbucks around the corner but I was enjoying Portugal, not Seattle.
To be honest, if you're in old town, as we were, you'll be working hard to find a restaurant that isn't meant for tourists. Even the Korean, cook it on a bbq at your table restaurant that we went to was in a very touristy spot and only took Portuguese credit cards and cash. However, in the middle of a club neighborhood that was full of Francesinha restaurants, we found an authentic Portuguese Restaurant. We had to look for it online and find it on a side street, but it was there. It was a regular restaurant, as opposed to the famous Majestic Cafe and all their J.K. Rowling stories, but the food was local and so were the customers. The prices were realistic, which didn't always happen in the area, because it's full of tourists, and the people who operated that place were fantastic. Murca No Porto was the name and it's on Rua Da Alegria. We went there twice. Great food for a good price and great atmosphere.
One of the big things we learned was to stop at a small restaurants instead of an actual bar to have a drink. We found that being in a tourist neighborhood, the bars were meant for tourists once again. We even had a couple of bars around us that were what we would call in the United States; dive bars.
We learned what kind of Port we liked. Yes, there are several. We learned about the local beer, which was overwhelmingly Super Bock and came in many different brews. We went to a wine tasting and tour in Villa Nova de Gaia which is a standard tourist thing to do. But we did take our walking tour guide's recommendation on what wasn't a tourist trap rip off. Always take the advice. We were very happy we did.
Simply remember to include some more touristy stuff with your local experiences. Just like in the markets. You can buy fish and veggies and some fabulous cheeses, but you can also buy chocolate sardines, Nata, and drink a glass of Port while you shop. Always have a mix of the two.
We visited a local church, just around the corner from our apartment. It was free to go inside, because it wasn't on the tourist list. It was covered in the iconic tiles and was gilded inside and was stunning. But, it was not the tourist trap that the Igreja de Sao Francisco Cathedral in Ribeira was. Because it was in the most touristy part of the city, they charged 10 Euros per person for entry. Ribeira is where the tours go, and where the tourists congregate. They have a busy McDonald's down there. Just saying. One of the main things I always do, and in Porto it was no different, is I spend very little time in the most touristy parts of the city.
We went to a Fado Performance at the Sao Bento Train Station. It was touristy, but it was just a taste of the national music, and it was worth every penny. I stand by that one. Some things touristy are worth it. We took a walking tour to get an idea of how things worked in the city, and I stand by that. I learned a lot, and I'm glad I went. The train station itself is ground zero in the city. It's where you can take a train anywhere you want. It's a museum with the beautiful tiles in the entry area, which tell some historic stories of Portugal. This is also where you can go to a Fado performance. You also get your tourist passes for the metro and bus there. The train station is a one stop shop if Porto's old town has one. We went there a lot for many reasons.
Don't be a tourist when it comes to transportation. There's a hop on hop off bus that goes around Porto. There are also guided bus tours, tuk tuk tours, and a magic train that I don't truly understand. That's more of a carnival ride. Putting all that aside, you have to get around and the hills are steep. I was advised, and after seeing Porto I understood not to rent a car and try to drive. You'll get killed or at the very least wreck the car or get lost.
I've rarely been to a place that had more public transport options than Porto. I've said it before, you can get a three day pass for all the buses and metros. It's a great way to get around. The 500 bus goes along the shore just like the tram and further out along the coast. The 200 bus goes to the Jardins do Palacio de Cristal, which is a great park and that route ends at the Castelo do Queijo; a fabulous old fort along the shore. The park is free, because it's a city park. The fort cost us .50 Euro to go inside. The beach and the shore are right there and free. They are areas where the locals go. Along the 500 bus route is the river with a lot of parks, beaches along the shore, and a lighthouse. All free places to visit. Save your money some days. Go local.
Transportation can be part of the fun. Porto has a Funicular next to the Luis I Bridge, and if you need to get up the hill, you can ride it to the top for 4 euros. Great tourist attraction and public transit. You can ride the old trams for 6 Euros and get a nostalgic trip. There's an elevator that takes you up the cliff from Ribeira to the Porto Cathedral neighborhood which is free. You just have to find it and figure it all out. Great views of the river though. The metro goes across the Luis I Bridge with amazing views of the river and inches away from the pedestrians. Quite a trip. We walked across to Gaia and took the Metro back to get a mix of experiences. The cable car that takes you down to the wine tasting district will cost 7 Euros one way or 10 Euros round trip, but what a view. I love cable cars and didn't want to miss that. If you wish to have a great view from below; and it is great; take a water taxi. They run back and forth most of the day and cost 3 Euros.
Once again, there are many ways to enjoy a location. You don't have to spend a fortune every day to enjoy a place like Porto. There are so many things to do and see that don't cost an arm and a leg that you'll never be bored. So, get away from the obvious tourist traps and do a little local living in a place like Port, Portugal. You won't regret it!
So, get a pass, take a walk, go to a park or a beach and enjoy!
