[Porto, Portugal, May 7, 2025]

A rail strike that had just started sent us scrambling for other transportation options to Porto. Luckily, our friend Vessi, who lives in Lisbon, was aware of all this and got us tickets for the bus a couple of weeks prior. The tickets only cost EUR6 for a 3-hour bus ride!

We had some time in the morning before our bus departed. I set out to get some Euros from an ATM, where I encountered a slight issue. The ATM asked me twice if I consented to a 13% fee, which I declined both times. I took my card and walked away from the machine, not realizing it had given me my money anyway! I tried another ATM up the street. It asked for the same fee, and I said yes, thinking that was the only way to get some money out. When I checked my account later that day, I saw both transactions had gone through! I disputed the earlier one with my bank and luckily, they gave me my money back. It goes to show, even as an experienced traveler, you will still encounter hiccups sometimes!

My second objective was to get some pasteis de nata, Portugal’s famous pastry. Teddy had found a shop nearby the day before and brought some back to the house, which we promptly devoured. A lot of people line up for hours at Pasteis de Belem, in the district I visited yesterday, but I found the Manteigaria ones really good and there was no line at the Parque de Nacoes location! The traditional tarts have flaky, layered crust and rich, creamy egg custard filling. They are often dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar and are a beloved dessert in Portugal.

We caught the bus from the Oriente bus terminal. I only found this out when I wrote this blog post, but the Oriente, which also has a train terminal, was designed by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava! Just last year, I saw his Turning Torso in Malmo, Sweden. Oriente was inaugurated in 1998, in time to bring visitors to the World Fair, which took place in the Portuguese capital that year. Two decades later, Calatrava would design NYC’s World Trade Center station in New York using the same materials and his signature design. That was my first introduction to Calatrava’s architecture back in 2018!

The bus ride to Porto was smooth and uneventful. We loved the view from the balcony of the AirBnB Vessi had selected!

Of course, we promptly went out to explore. It wasn’t long until we started seeing buildings adorned with Portugal’s signature azulejos!

We were hungry by then, so we got a light snack at one of the many cafes that spilt into the street.

We soon found ourselves on a square with a gorgeous fountain in the middle, the Fountain of the Lions from the end of the 19th century.

Nearby we found a gorgeous church… or was it? Upon closer inspection of the signs, we realized there were two churches separated by one of the narrowest houses in the world! The Carmelitas church is on the left and the Carmo church is on the right. The narrow house inbetween prevented any contact between the nuns and monks. It’s only 3 ft (1m) wide! The Carmelitas church has a classical facade and a single bell. The Carmo church is a great example of baroque arthitecture.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go inside since they were both already closed. But we marveled at the blue azulejos on the side of the Carmo church.

Our next stop, Livraria Lello, was also nearby. Together with Bertrand in Lisbon, it is one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal. It is also frequently rated among the top bookstores in the world. It now requires an an entry fee, which you can get back in the form of a discount if you buy something from the bookstore. We managed to snag tickets for the last entry time of the day on the spot. Despite the ticket requirement, the bookstore was crowded and getting a decent photo with the magnificent staircase was impossible. Did that stop me from taking a gazillion photo? You be the judge.

Next, we walked by the Clerigos church and its 75-ft tower. They were built in the 18th century in Baroque style for the Brotherhood of Clergy.

We walked around the area some more and just marveled at the colorful buildings and architecture.

Before long, we had worked up an appetite again. We zeroed in on a square with a few eateries with tables outside. After inspecting the menus, we picked Tasca da Cordoaria. Meanwhile, our fourth friend landed in Porto and promptly made her way to the restaurant to join us for dinner. We started with the pork sausage, salad, octopus and a cheese board, as well as plenty of wine. I finally go to try the famous Portuguese dish, Bacalhau a Braga, fried cod with peppers and potatoes. We had a great time chatting and eating outside. It was a great end to our first day in Porto! We had already seen so much in less than half a day!