GAIA
Porto is sort of split in two: Ribiera and the city of Porto lies to the North; and on the south side of the Douro river is Vila Nova de Gaia. It’s in the latter, you’ll find the port houses but you’ll first have to cross the Ponte Luis I Bridge. If you don’t fancy a port tour, then I’d recommend heading to The Yeatman Hotel, where you can enjoy some rooftop drinks with a spectacular view of the city.
TILES
If you’re a lover of azulejos (blue tiles Portugal is famous for) and happen to be in the are, pop into the Sao Bento train station. Housed in a Beaux-Arts building, it’s decorated with intricate azulejos on all four corners. However, don’t go out of your way just to check this out as you can often stumble upon buildings bearing beautiful tiles all across the city.
RUA DE MIGUEL BOMBARDA
There are a number of nice shops on this street. Turn into Rua do Rosário and you’ll find Patch, a charming vintage shop stocking a curated selection of garms and crockery for the home, all at really affordable prices e.g the mustard jars (above) were just a few euro and a vintage leather bag for €17, so Patch won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
K A N N D I D 