Porto
Click on picture to view at full resolutionPorto is the famous producer of fortified wines.  This is the second largest and second most important city in Portugal lying near the mouth of the River Douro, about 280 km north of Lisboa.
Click on picture to view at full resolutionThe pictures above and on the left were taken from the Vila Nova de Gaia, across the Douro from the City of Porto.  Most of the Port Wine producers have their offices and warehouses on this side of the river.  The sailing skiffs in the foreground were previously used to move casks of port from the warehouses to larger ships lying off-shore.  They are now permanently anchored here for the benefit of the tourists.  There are a number of larger versions of these skiffs that are used for river tours
The shore line of the city of Porto is famously recognizable by the apartment buildings and stores lining the water front.  Clothes hanging to dry on balconies is an essential part of this scene.

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Photo by Jack & Nikki Goodman
Click on picture to view at full resolutionPorto certainly has an old world look, feel and smell to it.  Narrow cobble stoned streets with narrower walk ways, and balconied apartments overlooking the streets.

Click on picture to view at full resolutionPorto is also congested and more than a little grimy.  We visited Porto in early December and somehow it felt more like winter in Porto than in Cascais and Lisboa, only a few hundred kilometers to the south.

In spite of that it is a very interesting city to visit, and we enjoyed our brief stay.
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Click on picture to view at full resolutionThis is the Igreja and Torre dos Clerigos in the heart of Central Porto.  It is the highest vantage point in the city and open to the public.  We climbed the 225 steps to the top of the tower and took the pictures of Porto shown below.
Click on picture to view at full resolution
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Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill.  When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel.  Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Dom Luis I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.The medieval cathedral on the left is the Igreja de Sao Francisco.  Inside is another exhibit of bones similar, but slightly less gruesome, than the Capel dos Ossos in Evora.  What was it with those Franciscan Monks?  Oh well, I guess having a bone fetish is better than being a pedophile.
The catacombs below the church are open to the public.  We didn't inquire, but we assume the catacombs contain the remains of prominent citizens of Porto.  The bizarre part are the skulls and bones displayed on top of the crypts.  Even more bizarre is the pit below the crypt area where bones of many deceased have been apparently just tossed.  There is a viewing window into this pit, through which the picture below, right was taken. Click on picture to view at full resolution
Photo by Jack Goodman
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Photo by Nikki Goodman
There is a large market in the heart of Porto where you can buy just about any type of produce, fish or meat as well as shoes, clothes, luggage and religious articles.

 Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.
Photo by Nikki Goodman
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.Obviously the market is free of vampires.  Or is it werewolves?  I can't ever get that straight.
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.The Ponte Dom Luis I bridge dominates the Porto waterfront.  This is a two-tiered bridge with auto traffic on the lower level and train traffic on the upper.  Both levels are accessible by foot.
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.Our hotel was located on the upper part of the Avenida Santa Catarina, which on its lower part is a pedestrian shopping district.  This being early December the Christmas shoppers are out in droves.  The mist seen in the picture on the right is actually smoke for the street vendors selling roasted Chestnuts.
Like every coastal city and town we have visited in Portugal, Porto is very hilly and nearly every destination appears to be up hill. When we returned from tasting Port Wine in the Vila Nova de Gaia we had a long uphill climb back to our hotel. Fortunately there is a tram at the base of the Ponte Luiz I bridge that took us more than half of the vertical climb back to our rooms.We spent one afternoon touring Vila Nova de Gaia and the Port Wine Lodges.  We only stopped to sample the wines at one warehouse, Vasconcellos Porto.  This is a relatively small Portuguese-owned producer.  Most of their output is consumed in Portugal and France.  We enjoyed the tour and the sampling and purchased a couple of bottles of their less expensive Ports.  Most of the other, larger lodges were much more clearly tourist businesses (not that Vasconcellos wasn't), and less accommodating.
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Photo by Nikki Goodman