This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Sobe, desça, sobe… Go up, down, up… Overlooking the Douro with its banks sculpted into terraces where its colorful houses with multicolored tiles cling, Porto, planted in the granite, slowly unfolds through its winding streets from another time often leading to places with country charm. Stay.
“God writes straight with curved lines,” says the Portuguese proverb. This is even more true in the country’s second city, which, like its wine, delicately fruity, is savored in very small sips.
It is completely open to you from the top of the Torre do Clérigos, an 18th century baroque tower.e century which served as a lighthouse for ships entering the port. After 162 small and narrow steps, you are there: 76 meters lower, the city spreads out along its river with its old popular district of Ribeira, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Such bandeiras (flags), on the railings of the balconies of often dilapidated houses in pastel colors, the linen of Portuensescolloquially called Tripeiroshangs.
Ali Baba of ports
At the foot of the tower, Assunção Street has its souvenir shops and an Ali Baba’s cave of ports. “She’s the only one on the street who sells them. We have between 5000 and 7000 bottles. The most expensive dates from 1963 and costs 6,500 euros [environ 9400 dollars canadiens] “, proudly says Fabio Neves, 40 years old.
He’s been behind the counter for twenty years and he knows what he’s talking about. “The port we know today, we owe it to an English merchant from the 18the century. He had bought a barrel of wine in the Douro Valley. His barrel had badly digested the sea journey to his country. He then put brandy in his piquette: port had just been born! »
True or false ? Regardless, there is always a little truth in myths. For example, the magnificent Lello bookstore. With its neo-Gothic architecture, it is one of the most visited in the world. For what ? She would have inspired JK Rowling her saga Harry Potter.
The British novelist lived well in Porto in the early 1990s. She married there, but never set foot in the bookstore. Unlike the 200 visitors who enter every 30 minutes.
“She didn’t even suspect his existence! » says Flavio Miller, one of the many bookstore guides who are overwhelmed with all kinds of books. It doesn’t matter, myths have a thick skin and deliveryinaugurated in 1906, also known as Chardron, is worth the detour provided you are patient.
You also have to be patient to enter the Majestic café on Santa Cataria Street. This time, it’s true: J. K. Rowling spent hours in this café with its large mirrors, plaster sculptures and worked metal lighting fixtures, all in Belle Époque style.
After a francesinhaan emblematic dish of Porto composed of sausage, ham and beef in particular, washed down with a small beer to wash down the 1500 calories swallowed at once, a boat awaits you.
It takes you under the six bridges of the city, especially that of Dom Luis, built in the 19th century.e century by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel, and also listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. It connects Porto to Villa Nova de Gaia, where the barcos rabelosthese boats of around twenty meters which have long transported barrels of wine.
In summer, on the lower deck of the bridge, the city’s emblem, kids rush up about ten meters to collect a few coins from the bottom of the river thrown by tourists in search of excitement.
Like sardines
In the 50-minute “cruise” under the six bridges, you will be packed like sardines. Another cruise is available to you. It lasts ten hours and allows you to discover the Douro in all its splendor with its tumultuous waves, its steep terraced vineyards and its numerous sleepy villages.
More simply, you can walk for an hour along the promenade which runs along the river. No more climbing! In a straight line, you move away from the city atmosphere to emerge onto the Atlantic with the Felgueiras lighthouse and waves high enough to surprise you.
But the most gigantic blades in the world are found in Nazaré, a surfer’s paradise, located 215 kilometers south of Porto.
“Porto is a very pleasant city. I especially like the mix of coastal oceanic and river landscapes,” explains geologist Alexandre Lima. I also love the cultural heritage and the genuine and warm people of my city. »
Porto has finally joined Lisbon, its great rival, on the list of the 100 most visited cities in the world (Montreal and Quebec are not there, unlike Vancouver and Toronto).
Back in the network of streets that climb and descend, the bell towers of around twenty churches often serve as a landmark and you always end up finding yourself in front of the Porto Cathedral.
The 12th century fortress churche century of novel style is located a stone’s throw from the best places where the fado of the diva Amalia Rodrigues (1920-1999) is incarnated every evening in other voices, always to express the difficulty of living, the sorrow, the saudade .
Three days in Porto and an air of delicious nostalgia…
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.