A petite pause in Porto

Porto has been on my travel list for a long time. Recently, I spent a weekend in this delightful Portuguese city. The purpose was to visit the venue of my eldest son’s wedding in July. He and his wife, who is Brazilian, have already had the registry office ceremony in the UK. The one in Porto will be the main celebration with family and friends travelling from Brazil, the States, Canada, and beyond!

I travelled to Porto with my youngest son. Unfortunately, Mr FF couldn’t join us as he had used all his Schengen days. We flew from Gatwick on TAP Air Portugal. This was my first time flying with this airline; from start to finish, all went smoothly.

Our hotel was the Pestana Douro Riverside, located on the right bank of the Douro River, ten minutes away from the centre by car. The hotel is situated on the premises of a former soap and candle factory. The large brick chimney in the reception is a visible reminder of its history. I found the chandeliers, which can also be found in the reception area, fascinating.

When we first caught a glimpse of the hotel, it was evident that it was originally a factory.

We had a balcony room with stunning views overlooking the Douro river. We were blessed with blue skies and sunny, hot days. I believe both the previous and following weeks were wet, so we were so lucky!

I was fascinated with the pink building on the other side of the river, as glimpsed below.

On our first evening in Porto, we decided to take the easy option and eat in the hotel restaurant but it was fully booked. We were recommended a local venue where we were served some delicious food. Unfortunately, I was so busy eating that I neglected to take photos! My youngest son did have a sandwich, similar to the one in the video clip below, as a starter… I like to think of it as a Portuguese croque monsieur.

During our first morning in Porto, we took a leisurely stroll following the Douro River, into town, which took us about an hour. Although we were short on time and couldn’t engage in any proper sightseeing, we made the most of an opportunity to soak up the vibrant atmosphere. We also made a mental list of all the things we would like to see and do when we return for a week in July.

Our walk took us to Ribeira, a lively area full of restaurants, where we stopped for a quick beer, before continuing our stroll through the old town.

I’m sorry to say that the few photos I took were rather rushed and of poor quality. As a result, I have used some Pixabay images. I was very impressed with the beautiful blue tiles. The photo below is my one real success!

I’m optimistic that when we return in July, I’ll have more time to visit Porto in-depth and take some decent photos!

The highlight of our visit was a seven-course tasting menu at the wedding venue.

We had a busy but enjoyable ‘pause in Porto’ and I can’t wait to return in July.