Train to Porto: Day 8
We took the Alfa Pendular express train from Oriente train station in Lisboa and arrived at Campanha station in Porto around noon.
A rideshare took us from the station to the Laranjais apartment-hotel on Rua da Almada, near where we stayed in 2022. It was a beautifully designed apartment, with a bedroom at either end. In the middle there was a pretty big kitchen area and a comfortable group of couches. They even provided yoga mats. It was just right for two couples traveling together.
We had lunch around the corner at O Balcão, a restaurant where we had a dinner last year, but is wasn’t too good this time.
We visited São Bento train station to see the tiled interior. Then we walked across town to visit the Sé (the city’s main cathedral) and Bishop’s palace.
Images of São Bento, Porto’s Sé and Bishop’s Palace
Porto sightseeing: Day 9
We waited in line just before noon to get a ticket for a 2pm tour of the Palácio da Bolsa. This ornate building was the business center of Porto after it was built in the mid-1800s. It is still the home of the Commercial Association of Porto. You can’t just wander around its rooms, you have to book a tour time. The building is spectacular and full of history. The famous Arab room is startlingly ornate, but still had an airy feeling due to its light colors.
Palácio da Bolsa
We wandered the riverfront and had some lunch at one of the crowd of restaurants there. Then we crossed the Dom Luis I bridge to Vila Nova da Gaia.The landmark bridge was designed by a student of Eiffel, which you could see in the metal structure.
On the other side, we walked through Jardim do Morro, a famous spot for viewing the sunset, high above the river. We found stairs to get down to the riverfront level and walked along the shore. There were lots of souvenir vendors, which we tried to ignore.
Bordalo II’s half rabbit sculpture is in Vila Nova da Gaia. Like his other animals, it is constructed of discarded plastic and other trash. These intriguing sculptures are great and are often tucked into odd corners waiting to be discovered. We make a point of finding them wherever we can.
We had a light dinner at Piadina Mia in a little food mall. We also made an important stop at Chocolataria Ecuador, a boutique chocolate shop that has lots of delicious varieties. (There is one in Lisboa, near Praça do Comércio, too.)
Porto Riverfront
