A Perfect Day in Porto Ends With a 6 Bridges Cruise
Peacocks in the gardens, hills under our feet, and six bridges from the water.
We started the day walking to the Crystal Palace Gardens, where we were checking in on our bird friends, and, more importantly, seeing how the peacock babies were faring.
The answer: still adorable, and some new babies have hatched!
The views here never get old …
While wandering through the gardens, we discovered a turret with spectacular views over the Douro and Porto’s bridges. Later that day, we would be seeing those same bridges from a much more relaxing vantage point.
Next we were in search of sustenance.
We walked from the Gardens to the Ribeira district, which is a bit of a hike, but mostly downhill.
On the riverfront, we stopped for a little Portuguese breakfast of a ham and cheese toastie, (I love that they call it a “toastie”), fresh-squeezed orange juice, and coffee. The perfect fuel for the next half of our walk.
After breakfast, we walked back up hill a short ways, out of the Ribeira district to the walkway along the river, and then all the way to the grocery store at the bottom of our hill.
After getting a few necessities for our last week here, we walked up the (steep + long) hill to our apartment.
By the time we got home, my legs had officially filed a formal complaint.
After spending the afternoon recovering, we headed back out that evening for a 6 Bridges Sunset Yacht Cruise with Atalaia Gold.
We managed to get prime seats on the bow, where there is room for two couples to sit comfortably, so we had an unobstructed view as we cruised along the Douro.
Our host was wonderful, bringing us wine and snacks as we sailed. Also seated on the bow was a lovely couple from Malta, and we spent much of the cruise chatting with them as Porto drifted by around us.
As the sun began to set, the bridges became even more beautiful. The light softened, the city began to glow, and the Douro turned into the perfect setting for an evening cruise.
After a day that began with peacocks, continued with hills, and involved so much walking, ending the day on the water, with wine, snacks, new friends, and spectacular views, felt pretty close to perfect.
And then, we had to find dinner.
Unfortunately, it was now 10 p.m., which, in the historic district, is prime dinner time. The restaurant we wanted was packed, with a line waiting to get in. We wandered around for a while, hoping something would magically open up, but eventually accepted that our options were becoming increasingly limited.
So we ended up at McDonald’s. Our first time on this trip we have succumbed to the golden arches.
But this was not just any McDonald’s. It had a patio with a view of the Douro River.
After nearly two months of travel, one late-night happy meal with a river view felt like a perfectly respectable way to end the day.
