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| Porto is known for ... yes, Port |
As we traveled south in Portugal, we weren't sure what we wanted to do.
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| He doesn't look undecided |
One of the downsides of our aggressive travel schedule (even though I didn’t think it was all that aggressive when I put it together) coupled with unfamiliarity with the area is that we spent more time than I would have liked on major interstate-type highways. What I had envisioned was a Pacific Coast Highway along the rugged coastline. But, we were only able to find small pieces like that — most likely because of the frequent viaducts running from the mountains to the sea. A highway on the edge would require too many bridges. So, we may have missed a lot.
We saw multiple signs for ancient churches and Roman ruins as we made our way south. We didn’t want to go all the way to Lisbon, so we spent the night in Porto (also called Oporto).
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| Too may roads without views |
Porto, the town from which Portugal gets its name (which, obviously, means “port”) is a working city. It’s gritty and, although it has an old city, it is not a major tourist attraction. Portugal's second-largest city, Porto is built on hills overlooking the Douro River and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 14th-century São Francisco church is a main attraction, as are the local port wine cellars, mostly located across the river at Vila Nova de Gaia. We were there on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, so the port cellars were closed (had we not tarried so long, we could have made it, but we didn't plan that very well).
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| Photo: Infante Sagres |
We booked a room in the Hotel Sao Jose that was described as the winner of Porto’s “best” in 2014 and that had parking available. While its location in the old city area was great, it was pretty shabby. Clean and serviceable, but old with very outdated decor that wasn’t quite old enough to be quaint. Two twin beds and a parking garage that the clerk told us was too small to accommodate our VW Golf. So, we had to park in a garage several blocks away. But, as I said, the location was good for Porto.
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| The hardest beds we have ever slept on |
The desk clerk recommended that we walk to the main pedestrian thoroughfare a few blocks away for dinner. He mentioned the Cafe Majestic, the oldest continually operating and most elegant restaurant in the area.
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| An Art Nouveau masterpiece |
We found it rather easily.
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| We got in -- most likely because it was fairly early |
Some of it even reminded me of Disney World
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| Haunted Mansion, anyone? That's the original owner's wife, by the way |
Although it seemed a bit of a tourist place (and had a rather casual menu), it was quite lovely. Of course, we had to stop gawking to order something to eat.
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| Distracting |
We had some delicious white sangria filled with a mixture of berries and we shared a Francesinha (a huge meat-filled sandwich topped with cheese, smothered in a beer-based sauce, served with French fries).
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| Not may favorite; at least there wasn't an egg on it (there often is) |
As we walked around after dinner, we saw numerous young women who looked as though they had just gotten off the train from Hogwarts: black skirts, black suit coats with insignia on the breast pocket, white shirts, ties, black hose and shoes and magnificent black capes.
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| Time for some wizarding |
We believe they were recent or soon-to-be graduates and these were their school uniform. We thought they were gathering for some sort of ceremony or entertainment, but nothing came together while we were there. We also saw lots of store windows featuring brightly colored top hats, sashes and canes (orange was a top color) and we later found out the students wear these at graduation. The colors signify which school and what area of study. We weren’t sure if the students were from Porto or nearby Coimbra, which is home to Portugal’s oldest and most-respected university, founded in 1290 with campuses in Lisbon and Coimbra. It settled in Coimbra in 1537.
The next day, we headed south. It was a drizzly Sunday, making exploring Porto’s deserted streets not very appealing. As we drove through Porto, we started to see buildings clad in tiles -- a theme that repeated itself throughout Portugal and southern Spain.
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| Amazing |
The tiles as building decor had their start in the times of Muslim domination and continued thereafter. Interestingly, the Portuguese used to import the tile from Spain. Then, they began making the tiles and now tile is often more associated with Portugal than Spain.
We decided to stop in Coimbra, with thoughts of seeing the Roman ruins, which it turns out aren’t actually in town. Instead, we saw a few parks and ended up at the cathedral and university.
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| Lots of gates |
The medieval capital of Portugal for more than a 100 years and site of the country's greatest university for the past 500 years, Coimbra sits on a hillside on the east bank of the Rio Mondeg.
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| The river |
The city – Portugal’s third largest – mixes old stone walls and Roman ruins with modern buildings. University of Coimbra students celebrate graduations with the eight-day Queima das Fitas (Burning of the Ribbons) festival.
We parked and walked up a steep hill through some restoration work. This is very common throughout Europe and can often create disappointment when the building you came to see is shrouded in netting. But, many of these building sorely need the attention. In Coimbra, many were black instead of the original white or golden-colored granite.
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| Some cleaned and some not |
On this walk, the construction or general lack of directional signs made it a bit hard to find the actual buildings, but (in an event that was to repeat itself over and over), we did find the cathedral.
Since it was Sunday, it appeared that locals were on their way to mass, so we went on up to the University of Coimbra.
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| University (perhaps the home of the wizards) |
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| The Yellow Room |
The San Miguel chapel, built in the late 15th and early 16th centuries where photography is forbidden is small but covered with tiles from 1663.
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| I snuck one shot |
Tile is everywhere.
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| In the hallway |
The Ceremonial Hall, where the university still holds most of its official events and where doctoral oral exams are conducted, has ornate ceilings.
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| Designed in 1665, it features portraits of Portuguese kings |
And, the hallway outside the rooms has shutters that open to reveal great views.
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| It's a bit ragged, but pretty |
Plus a front balcony looks out on courtyard.
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| Panoramic |
And beyond.
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| Taking a look |
In both Spain and Portugal, the Catholic Church dominates everything, so universities seem almost as cathedral-like as churches.
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| So many paintings, so many tiles |
And the school uniforms do look like they are straight from Harry Potter.
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Called a traje, this is actually the inspiration for the Hogwarts uniform
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The streets in the area are narrow and winding ...
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| You can easily get lost |
... offering a mixture of both Art Nouveau and Medieval architecture.
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| It looks somewhat gloomy |
On the way back down the hill ...
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| This way; Photo: Scott Stevens |
... we decided to check out the cathedral.
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| A mass (not heavily attended) was in progress, so we slipped in |
We were rewarded with a beautiful liturgy sung by a nun in Portuguese. The acoustics were incredible and her voice was clear and pure. I didn't take any photos for fear of disturbing the mass with the sound of my camera.
After Coimbra, we headed south for our two days in Lisbon.
Trip date: April 25-May 15, 2015
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