Porto, Portugal: Four Days of Tiles, Tarts, and Tawny Port

By liketheteaEATS on June 6, 2025 • ( 4 Comments )

Painted Tiles and a Porto Sunset: The Perfect First Day

After a few days in the Azores, my wife and I landed in Porto and immediately made the only logical choice: pastel de nata. These silky, flaky egg custard tarts are a Portuguese specialty, and they’re addictive in the most delicious way. Our first day kicked off with a few bites of heaven followed by a leisurely stroll through Mercado do Bolhão, an open-air market where we snagged some salmon tartare, pasta tossed in a cheese-wheel, and shared a glass of wine. Candy was purchased (of course), and we were already making plans to return the next day for fresh fruit juice.

We spent the rest of the afternoon admiring Porto’s iconic azulejos—the stunning blue-and-white tiles that often depict religious or historical stories. Chapel of Santa Catarina, AKA the Chapel of Souls, the Church of Saint Ildefonso and the São Bento train station left us in awe. We wrapped the day with an overpriced but very pretty coffee at Majestic Cafe, and ended our night with a sunset at a park across the river. Locals and visitors gathered with drinks in hand, watching the sky go gold. We capped it all off with street artists, wine, and small plates for dinner at Mistu. The salmon tartare was excellent

The Great Pastel de Nata Quest

There wasn’t much structure to our second day—just the kind of relaxed wandering that Porto is made for. We kicked things off with (you guessed it) more pastel de nata. In fact, we stopped at five different spots, Manteigaria was our favorite. Locals say you need to try them all. Challenge accepted. My wife is now inspired to make them at home, I am looking forward to it.

We also popped into the bookstore that reportedly inspired J.K. Rowling while she lived in Porto, Livraria Lello. You do need to purchase a ticket ahead of time but we enjoyed our visit. For lunch, we tried bifanas from Taxca, Portugal’s spicy pork sandwich, served with a splash of piri piri au jus. Another dish my wife is determined to recreate. Along the way, we popped in and out of some stores and spend our time strolling through Porto. Naturally, we stopped at the ornate, chandelier-adorned McDonald’s for Diet Cokes. (Culture is all about balance.) We ended our day with a delicious dinner at Mito.

Wine Not? A Day in the Douro Valley

Our Douro Valley day trip booked via GetYourGuide started exactly right: pastel de nata in hand as we hopped on our tour. The first stop was a family-run wine estate surrounded by mountains and citrus trees. We tried kumquats fresh off the tree and were treated to “Portuguese land sushi” aka a very lovely charcuterie spread. My wife even sabered a bottle of bubbly.

From there, we drove to the town of Pinhão for a traditional Portuguese lunch, followed by a peaceful boat ride on the Douro River. Our second winery offered not only stunning views but also some really great port—sweet, syrupy, and perfect for sipping.

That evening, back in Porto, we had one of the most fun dinners of the trip at O Carnicerio. This restaurant was giving butcher shop vibes. At the butcher counter, you choose your meat, and they cook it to order.

Our Last Day in Porto: Tiles, Bridges & Port Wine

Our final full day started again at Mercado do Bolhão for pastel de nata and an incredible peach mango juice. We walked down to the Ribeira neighborhood, crossed the Ponte Luís I Bridge (designed by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel), and made our way into Vila Nova de Gaia—home to the famous port wine houses.

We toured two: Calem, a large, polished porthouse with a thorough history lesson, and Ferreira, the only major porthouse still owned by a Portuguese family and led by a woman winemaker. Both were worth visiting, but Ferreira felt more personal and grounded.

For lunch, we stopped into Mercado Beira Rio to try Porto’s heavyweight champion of sandwiches: the Francesinha. Layers of meat, smothered in cheese and a beer-tomato gravy. We loved it. Especially the sauce.

We finished the day with a short gondola ride, more shopping, and dinner at Flow in a serene garden to say goodbye to the city.

Obrigada, Porto

We grabbed a final few pastel de nata before flying out to the Azores. After all, how else do you say farewell to Porto? The city welcomed us with flavor, charm, and a good dose of sunshine. From the azulejos to the Douro wines, it was the perfect blend of culture and carbs.

We’ll be back. Certainly for more pastel de nata.

Our full iteniary including where we stayed is linked here.

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