CityLust: Porto and Lisbon

Porto

Porto was our first stop in Portugal and I’m so glad it was. This coastal city has a quiet hum about it. There’s a fair amount to do but you don’t feel rushed to tick all the things off a list. We had a few things we wanted to make sure we did and saw, but as we walked around the city we would stumble upon other fun bits of the city.

We stayed in walking distance to the river, which was perfect. A few short blocks and we were at the Duroro river. A block or two more and we could cross that river to the next town over, Gaia, where all the port wine cellars.

Port Cellars - while we did do an official tour of a port cellar, we did sit down at Calem and sample their wines.
Tram 22 - Tram 22 takes you on a loop through the city, great see the big sights
All the sandwiches - These sandwiches are amazing and after walking all the hills of Porto they’re filling and seem to restore your energy and tired feet. Try the pernil com queijo (roast pork and sheeps cheese), bifana (roasted pork and bread), cachorrinho (skinny baguette, sausage and cheese), francesinha (pork, cheese, egg smothered in sauce)
Livraria Lello - This place is a tourist trap (now) but it is beautiful and if you’re so inclined, worth a visit. This humble and beautiful bookstore was made popular by JK Rowling, and inspired some part of Harry Potter.
6 Bridges Tour - After the hills of Porto you can take a respite by boarding a boat to learn about the 6 bridges of Porto. We purchased tickets with the first boat group we came across. They’re all relatively the same, around €15 and 30 minutes long.

Lisbon

Pena Palace - Just an hour outside of Lisbon lies Pena Palace. A summer palace built by King Ferdinand II, who decidedly wanted every sort of design element possible at the time. The 200 acres of garden surrounding the palace is just as fascinating as the palace.
Sintra - the town just outside of Pena, where the nobility settled around the palace to be cool and in. I didn’t spend much time hear but it’s a lovely little town to wonder and spend a few hours. If you do a Pena Palace tour it’s likely you’ll also make a stop in Sintra.
Tram 28 - Just like the tram in Porto, the tram 28 in Lisbon will zip you by the main sights in Lisbon. This tram is very popular and we waited in a long line to board. If you’re not feeling up to a long line catch this tram early in the morning or late a night. Tram timetables are wholly unreliable during the
Claus Porto - A 130 year old soap shop is lovely and pricey. It makes the list because it’s a fun shop to stop in to smell amazing smells and marvel at the beautiful packaging. There is a shop in Porto and Lisbon.

In both cities make sure you take advantage of..

Egg tarts - these tasty little custard tarts are ubiquitous in Portugal. Some places if only order a coffee you’ll receive a miniature egg tart along with your beverage. During our trip I only had one subpar tart, every other one was well worth the calories.
Blue tiles, or Azulejo - building decorated with tile are everywhere you turn, but the azulejo, or blue and white decorated tiles are unique and often depict a story. Most adorned a side of a church but the ones in the Porto train station make the crowded visit worth it.
Trams - Or as I kept saying, trolleys. For all the public transport these are mostly touristy, but for a good reason. One or two lines in both Lisbon or Porto will take you through and across the city.