All the great cities have their defining landmarks. Porto has several worthy candidates like Porto…read moreCathedral and Torre dos Clérigos, but I would argue this double-deck metal arch bridge should hold the title. Among the six bridges that cross the Douro River, this is far and away the most distinctive due to the design by Théophile Seyrig, a student of Gustave Eiffel. The resemblance to the Eiffel Tower is there only horizontally with a 172-meter span. That made it the longest of its type in the world at the time of its construction in 1886. The structure features two distinct levels. The upper deck is where Jamie W and I enjoyed the panoramic views of the river with Porto to the north and Vila Nova de Gaia to the south (Video 3). The Porto Metro line passed by pedestrians without incident (Video 2). The lower deck handles both vehicles and pedestrians without the need of climbing steps. CORRESPONDING REVIEWS Porto Cathedral: https://yelp.to/VaFX8OAzu2 Torre dos Clérigos: https://yelp.to/bxdCZlsZFs RELATED - Exploring Porto? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/31m_Ir-k4Q

Iconic bridge in the heart of Porto…read more Dom Luís I Bridge is a 19th century double-deck iron bridge spanning 172m across the Douro River between downtown Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. It was designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel who incorporated a metal arch reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower that blends modern design with versatility to this day. The upper level is used by metro streetcars while the lower level 45m below it for cars. Each offers a unique perspective to those of us who walk across it. From Gaia, many locals and tourists alike come for the sunset view next to this UNESCO world heritage landmark. At golden hour, the view of the bridge was picturesque with Porto's historic backdrop and drifting boats under the bridge. While huge crowds gathered at Jardim do Morro with a tree obstructed view, we found the best view to be on the other side above it at Miradouro da Serra do Pilar by the monastery. Don't try climbing Pedra dos Gatinhos, as it was fenced off along the path underneath the monastery. While bridge viewpoints at golden hour are busy, we felt the energy of local musicians playing relaxing tunes. This bridge can also be viewed from the Teleférico de Gaia cable car including during sunset. After dinner the bridge is brightly illuminated and we observed locals gathering merrily at Jardim do Morro. Conveniently there's a metro station nearby for the streetcar which crosses Dom Luís I Bridge back to Porto. Skip it or hit it? Walk it twice if you can for both upper & lower bridge crossings experiences.

Our tour only stopped here for 20 minutes after a long bathroom break - too few booths (two for…read morewomen and one for men) with too many of us, on a rainy afternoon. We missed ton!

Last year when we visited Guimaraes it was a holiday and the castle was closed…read more You have to purchase tickets on line- barcode available at the entrance. Staff check your online tickets and you're allowed in. When my husband was younger, he indicated he was actually able to walk in the castle. The staff stated about 3 years ago, stairs and trail were built to conserve the castle. Great views from the top of the castle. There are huge boulders on the grounds and as part of the castle itself. Street parking.

The Ponte da Arrabida, or Arrabida Bridge, is a classic…read morecase of "less is more." In Portugal's second city, this principal bridge is not at all about playing second fiddle to the Ponte 25 de Abril in Lisbon. It's a case of exactly what the situation called for. Porto, and its twin city of Vila Nova de Gaia, are separated by the Rio Douro coming in from the Atlantic. It does not make for a harbor, but it is dotted with boats carrying port wine and some personal craft. Even further upstream from the Atlantic is the city's most well-known bridge - the Ponte Dom Luis - which is located right in the historic center and was designed by Gustave Eiffel. They made a bold move whereby its principal task became to carry the newer Metro do Porto between the twin cities. Pedestrians are able to walk across on both sides of it. It is considered the city's iconic bridge. As Porto became a larger and more modern city, more roads and bridges were needed. The main motorway from the north going south to reach Lisbon obviously goes through the Porto area, but it does not go through the center. Rather, it feeds its ring road. The ring road proceeds to cross the Douro River twice, both here, close to the Atlantic, and further east and upstream on the lesser known Ponte do Freixo. The Ponte da Arrabida, which opened in 1963, was the solution to carry the western side of the bypass and facilitate traveling south to and from Lisbon. It also held a record, with it being the largest single span reinforced concrete arch bridge in the world at its inception. They kept this project local, and it was both designed and built by the Portuguese. Lisbon's Ponte 25 de Abril figures prominently as a notable point of reference when anywhere near its waterfront. That is not the case with this bridge. That's because most of the touristic and civic activity in Porto is upstream near its historic waterfront called the Ribeira District. From there, you might notice the Ponte da Arrabida in the distance downstream and closer to the mouth of the Douro as it meets the Atlantic. That said, many tourists might never use it, nor even go near it. I prefer to stay on the south shore of this metro area, and have thus become both familiar with both the Arrabida and the historic Dom Luis bridges. The Ponte da Arrabida crosses the Douro at a fairly high elevation, springing from two promontories on both sides of the river, and with the river being about 230 feet down below. It carries 3 lanes of traffic in each direction and has sidewalks for foot traffic providing stunning views on both sides. While the Metro travels on Ponte Dom Luis, the local transit system - STCP - ties into the south shore via the Arrabida Bridge using buses. They practically careen down Porto's streets after leaving the Casa da Musica Metro station, cross this bridge, and first stop at Arrabida Shopping, from which about three bus lines then diverge to service different areas of a Vila Nova de Gaia. A new and much needed Metro line (Linha Rubi) is in the works, but will use a much more slender and similarly styled bridge parallel to the Arrabida to carry it over the river. Lisbon's big harbor bridge might be a workhorse, but it seemingly functions in a more "isolated" manner in relation to its context. On the other hand, the Ponte da Arrabida seems better integrated with its neighborhoods adjacent to the river. On the north shore in Porto, the transit system's double-decker bus 500, popular with tourists, follows the waterfront next to and under the bridge, giving many views of it as it heads out to affluent Foz do Douro and its working port at Matosinhos. Inboard from the bridge on the south shore is the Cais de Gaia, where people enjoy seafood restaurants and taste port wine from the many wine lodges. On the western side of the bridge toward the ocean is the increasingly popular small fishing village of Sao Pedro de Afurada, where people also go to eat fresh fish. One can also go to the beach in Sao Pedro da Afurada and always have this bridge a ways off in the distance as a backdrop. One could easily become very fond of the Ponte da Arrabida. If staying on the south shore or needing to move between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia by car frequently, it may become a part of your routine. Its look is simple and elegant and, despite being somewhat dated, it still continues to look imposing and dignified. There are 4 upward protuding but truncated Art Deco-like towers on each side of the ends of its big arch which used to have elevators to the street level in them. The elevators have been decommissioned. The only reason I may not be giving the Ponte da Arrabida 5 stars is because it is not the well known engineering marvel that is Lisbon's harbor bridge. However, if you keep using it and studying it, you'll find that there's a lot to like about it.

Another bridge that connects Porto with Vila Nova De Gaia crossing the Duoro River. We saw it when…read moretaking the 6 bridges river cruise. It is a single span arch bridge.

Avenida dos Aliados is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Porto. This large avenue…read morefeatures the local government's city hall and other buildings and statues that were built in the 19th and 20th centuries, and it has a central square where locals meet and hold events. My tour guide took my husband and me on a drive down this avenue. We liked seeing the architecture of the city hall and the statue of King Dom Pedro IV.

Monument of Pedro, short history of how Porto was named. Near central bank. It is said body of king…read morein in Brazil but heart remains in Porto

I thought I'd have to bribe Jamie W to climb this historic tower, but he surprised me by not…read morewhining about it. I knew from more youthful vloggers on YouTube that the panoramic views were spectacular from the top. At 246 feet, the tower is the highest point in Porto's historic center. However, before we climbed the inevitable 240 steps, the museum beckoned. It was formerly the private quarters of the clerics who founded the church. The space now houses religious artifacts and related art exhibits and extends into the High Church Gallery, a balcony promenade that provides an elevated view of the church's ornate nave (Photo 5). Before entering the stairwell, we had our photos taken in front of a green screen for souvenirs they pitched to us later. The climb wasn't that bad, just a bit claustrophobic in some sections, specially when we had to squeeze by perspiring tourists. They were more spritzing than sprinting. There are two observation floors. The first is about 2/3 of the way up, while the narrower space at the summit provides the ultimate payoff with panoramic cityscape and river views (Video). As usual, the climb down was easier since we knew how long it should take. And yes, there were photos of us standing at the summit in comic poses. I usually bypass them, but for 8€, I couldn't help myself (Photo 7). RELATED - Exploring Porto? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/CzAl-vBlP0

A historic climb for a view of Porto's skyline…read more The Clérigos Tower is a baroque landmark easily spotted from vantage points across historic Porto, and therefore one that's worth climbing for that panoramic view from above. The 75m bell tower monument is connected to a church that was built for the Clergy brotherhood in the 18th century. The ornate church and relic exhibit are also worth sightseeing to gain appreciation of its history. We pre-booked our visit (€10) and were serenaded with a concert taking place in front of the brilliantly lit church altar. From there we were able to head above the nave for a full vantage of the church and dome in its pink & white marble tones. At our exact booking time, we were able to queue in line before taking the steps up the actual tower. The queue was slow-moving because the staircase is narrow and the steps themselves were quite steep making it challenging particularly for those with knee pains. Once we made it to the top, we were rewarded with the 360 panoramic views including the famous bridges connecting to Gaia, and the historical city centre with orange rooftops underneath. It can be a workout getting up and down as the tight staircase has to accommodate the constant two-way flow of visitors. Skip it or hit it? This is one of the prominent sites in Porto but be ready for the stairs.

This 'Fountain of the Lions' located in the downtown of Porto, is a gorgeous centerpiece for the…read morecity with interesting stories surrounding it. For instance, JK Rowling lived here for awhile after writing the first Harry Potter and it's said that she based the Gryffindor icon off of the fierce lions in this fountain. There is a gorgeous book store (Livraria Lello) close by this fountain that she took inspiration from for the Diagon Alley bookstore with the crazy staircase. It's also been named one of the most beautiful bookstores in the country. Definitely come explore this area, as EVERYTHING around it is gorgeous. This fountain is also in front of of a university where the students literally do where capes around as if Harry Potter has come to life. It's awesome!

Fonte dos Leões (Fountain of the Lions) is a 19th century fountain in the Praça de Parada Leitão…read morenear the famous Igreja dos Clérigos. According to sources, it is a copy of the fountain in the Town Hall Square of Leicester, England. The central fountain has a cruciform layout with the group of sculptures of winged lions at the base. The water flows from each of their mounts into the fountain. It's a great meeting spot!

This statue near the Douro River commemorates the 5th centenary of Price Henry's birth and was…read moreinaugurated in 1900. He was the main figure of the Portuguese Discoveries. The statue is of Prince Henry the navigator, in battle dress, beside a globe and symbolically pointing overseas. Though the tour guide suggested that perhaps he is pointing at the nearby church where his parents are laid to rest. The statue involves a few parts. At the top, the prince standing next to a globe of the Earth. The pedestal features a neo-gothic phytomorphic stylisation (nope, I have no idea what that means). At the base, a statue of Victory leading two steeds and two tritons, representing the triumph of the Portuguese sea voyages. There is also a feminine shape symbolizing the Faith in the discoveries. And the low reliefs represent the conquest of Ceuta and the Prince in the Sagres promontory. I did wait about five minutes but that damned pigeon wouldn't fly off! [Review 9914 overall, 1492 of 2018.]

Born in Lisbon in 1798, Dom Pedro I was the founder and first ruler of the Empire of Brazil. Later…read moreas Petro IV of Portugal, he reigned briefly in 1826 before abdicating his throne to his eldest daughter, Dona Maria II. But then her throne was usurped by Prince Don Miguel, Pedro I's younger brother (and I imagine, Maria's uncle). Pedro I invaded Portugal at the head of an army in July 1832, he ended up involved in a conflict that took over the entire Iberian Peninsula in a struggle between proponents of Liberalism and those seeking a return to Absolutism. Unfortunately, he died of tuberculosis shortly after he and the liberals were victorious. He was hailed by contemporaries and by posterity as a key figure who helped spread the liberal ideals that allowed Brazil and Portugal to move to representative forms of government. This equestrian statue of Dom Pedro IV features him holding a document in his right hand. It symbolizes the new national charter of representative government.