Our last day in Porto was a bit sad, but we kept ourselves busy, checking things off on our to-do list that had not yet been checked. Garin was finally feeling much better and was able to join us for the entire day, with only a short stop back to our apartment, for a rest in the afternoon. We were happy and grateful to have him along. Navigating anything with Garin is always easier. Try as we might, we struggled without his superior planning and navigational skills, while in Porto.
We loved everything about this charming city, but most of all, we were so grateful to spend time with our family. We will miss them very much.
In the morning, we walked down Cais da Ribeira, the old square, on the river bank. After admiring the views from there, we crossed the Ponte Dom Luis I Bridge to Villa Nova de Gaia, where we looked around (mostly for a good place to have an early lunch, since we had skipped breakfast in the morning). The bridge is one of the most iconic images of Porto - truly the Eiffel Tower of that city. https://www.portugalvisitor.com/portugal-city-guides/portugal-attractions/ponte-luis
Once we crossed the bridge to Villa Nova de Gaia and enjoyed the stunning views of Porto from the other side of the Douro River, we happened upon this one-of-a-kind restaurant. It was an old box car that had been converted into a restaurant. Both sides were all glass, so the views were indescribable of both Porto, on the river side, and the city of Gaia, on the other side. We arrived right as the restaurant was opening for lunch so we were able to choose any table we wanted. We lunched on fabulous food (reasonable as well, at only $18 Euros per person for a three-course lunch, including tea or coffee). We gazed over at Porto and watched the various boats go by on the river as we dined. It was perfect!
After lunch we did some shopping, mostly for gifts to bring home. We wandered into three of the most fabulous food shops with fresh sausages, cheeses of every variety, sardines of every sort, and a variety of other fascinating Portuguese food products. I could have stayed there all day!
In the late afternoon, we had our last visit with some family. We met at the incomparable Casa da Musica, in the center of Porto. My cousin Angela wanted us to see this architectural marvel before we departed. And it was spectacular indeed. We sat at the cafe together and had one farewell visit before sadly having to say goodbye.
After eating dinner (delicious local-style sandwiches) at a casual spot near the music hall, we headed back over to the Ponte Dom Luis I Bridge, to see the sunset.
This is a must-do activity when visiting Porto and since it was our last night, we had to make sure to grab our chance. We arrived at 8:30, just in time to place ourselves on the bridge for the 9 PM sunset.
The views and sunset did not disappoint.
It was the perfect way to end our stay in Porto.