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may have to wait a short while in the bar area before being shown to your
table but you’ll have realised why when you see some cold starters already
set out. This is done so that everything is ready for the diner as soon as
they sit down, as it would be in someone’s home.The good thing about this
restaurant is that you are given the option to choose other starters if you
don’t like the ones on offer. Delightful starters, mains and desserts include
local creamy cheese and cod ceviche and cod salad; veal terrine with port
sauce and roasted black pork tenderloin with mashed apples; and delicious
deconstructed lemon meringue with lime sorbet and hazelnut tart with
lemon sorbet.
Another recommended restaurant is ODE, a family-run eatery that offers
a cosy and intimate atmosphere, with tables that looks out to the river.
The menu consists of locally-sourced food to ensure an organic, delicious
and fresh dining experience.There are a selection of shared starters, mains
and desserts to choose from including smoked pork tenderloin and sheep’s
cheese served with two varieties of bread and fresh vegetable soup; pork
tenderloin with beans; and molten chocolate fondant with tangerine sorbet,
which is absolutely to die for.This homely restaurant found in a small rustic
side street, alongside the Douro River, also has a distinctively impressive wine
list and a décor featuring wine barrels and crates dotted around it, as well
as slate tabletops. Other places where food can be bought and consumed
include the Mercado do Bolhão, a colourful market that has the usual fruit
and vegetables as well as meat and fish – both fresh and salted. In the centre
and around the market, there are several cafés and restaurants such as the
Cafeteria Pintinho, Café Majestic, Restaurante Abadia do Porto, Guarany and
La Ricotta.
For interesting sights in the city, the entrance hall of the railway station,
Estacao de São Bento features amazing glazed tiles in which the panels
(azulejos) shows scenes from rural Portuguese life as well as various battles
and Avenida dos Aliados, the monument heart of Porto, is a wide boulevard
lined with grand buildings and a central promenade with statues. If you’re
into the history and beauty of churches, Igreja de Santo Ildefonso (Church
of Saint Ildefonso) located near Batalha Square has a very ornate tiled
frontage and highly decorated interior while Igreja de São Francisco (Church
of Saint Francis) is said to be the most prominent Gothic monument in
Porto. It’s noted for its outstanding Baroque inner decoration and located in
the historic centre of the city, is declaredWorld Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Other historical churches include Antiga Casa da Câmara, Church of São
Martinho de Cedofeita, Igreja de São Bento da Vitória, Igreja dos Grilos and
Porto Cathedral.
On Sundays, when there isn’t much to do and the shops are shut, why not
take a day-long tour to Santiago de Compostela, one of the major Christian
pilgrimage destinations? The cathedral holds regular Pilgrim Masses and
if you arrive in time, you may witness the point during the service where
everyone turns to their neighbour and shake or kiss as a ‘sign of peace’
which can be quite beautiful and moving to see.The cathedral is where the
bones of St James is said to be ‘buried’. He was charged with spreading the
gospel to the ends of the earth and therefore travelled west from Jerusalem
until he could go no further, hence the name Finisterre meaning the end of
the land (world). His bones became a point of pilgrimage and those who
made the pilgrimage used to collect a scallop-type shell from the shoreline
to demonstrate this.Through this, the shell became a Christian symbol, and
St James’ ‘bones’ are said to be contained in a silver casket in a crypt below
the high altar in the cathedral. Next to the cathedral is the Parador Hostal
Dos Reis Catolicos, a very grand looking hotel that was built over 500 years
ago as a hospital monastery to provide shelter and tend to the pilgrims after
their arduous journey.
Travelling to Porto from London can be made either through London
Gatwick onTAP (TransportesAéreos Portugueses), Portugal’s national airline
and easyJet or London Heathrow via British Airways andTAP airline; London
Stansted via Ryanair; Luton airport via easyJet or by river viaViking Cruises.
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