Porto, the second time around

The colorful Porto waterfront is seen from Vila Nova de Gaia.

Three years ago, we made our first visit to Porto. Evidently, we liked it because this year we decided to make the city our base for exploring Northern Portugal. Our apartment's location is perfect. It's an easy walk to restaurants, shopping, and transportation. In fact, after getting reacquainted with Porto's hills, we very smartly buy bus passes, which allow us the freedom to go anywhere we want without having to worry about the walk home.

 The Gustave Eifel-designed Ponte de Dom Luís I was the longest
bridge of its kind when it was built over the Douro in the late 1900s.

Once the mainstay of Porto public transportation, the city now has only
three lines using these historic electricos. 

Stopping to admire murals helps ease the pain of climbing a
long, long stairway in Porto.

Our host has given us a good list of restaurants, and in the course of our week here, we try them all. The best place to get a Francesinha (Porto's decadent sandwich) is two blocks away at Restaurante Capa Negra II. The place is huge and packed. We refuse to regret splurging (calorie-wise), but we vow to make this our only Francesinha meal this week.

The view of the Douro River from Vinum in Vila Nova de Gaia is almost
as good as the restaurant's food.

We enjoy an entirely different eating experience at Vinum, the beautiful restaurant located in Graham's Port Lodge. Locally sourced, fresh and healthy. I finish my meal with a glass of port instead of dessert. Unheard of for me!

While waiting for our bus, I take one more photo of Porto's Ribeira district.

Praia de Lavadores in Gaia marks the beginning of a stretch of beaches along
the Atlantic.  

After lunch we walk down to the river and look at Porto from the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the Douro. We think we're pretty clever taking a bus back home, but I've forgotten to check the route of our transfer bus and we end up at the ocean. Not an awful detour on a day such as this.

Porto's new-ish attraction for families is World of Discoveries.

Another new Porto experience is World of Discoveries, an interactive museum that opened since our last visit. Through video screens, life-size dioramas, and a boat ride across the world, visitors can learn all about Portuguese exploration.We have fun here, due especially to the young enthusiastic staff (most of whom are university students), and families with children should definitely put World of Discoveries on their lists of places to visit in Porto.

Interactive information screens (in a choice of languages) teach
visitors about exploration at World of Discoveries in Porto.

A life-size diorama shows the ship-building process at World of
Discoveries in Porto.

Boats carry visitors to the Amazon rain forests at World of
Discoveries in Porto. 

A simulated trip around the globe is the main attraction at Porto's World of
Discoveries. 

One afternoon we decide to go to the movies. I know roughly where the theater is — just up the street from the top of Praça da Liberdade. However, we have a heck of a time finding it as there is no marquee. Eventually we arrive and after buying our tickets I pop into the ladies room. There are three stalls here, but something is a bit odd. There's a bidet in each stall! Now, I have no problem with bidets although I don't generally use them when we are traveling. But I've never seen one in a public bathroom, and I can't ... well, let's just say, it seems very, very wrong.

I am bewildered by bidets in a public restroom in Porto.

Colorful tile buildings brighten up this Porto street.

Soon our visit to Portugal will be over. We're about to head to Spain where we will meet some incredible and inspiring new friends. In the meantime, see pictures from our first trip to Porto here.