Postcard from Porto, Portugal

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever want to visit Portugal. Many years ago, as a sophomore in college, I was selected to participate in an exchange program based in Rome, Italy. As a naive teenager I was excited because I had no idea where Rome was located, let alone Italy. Our schooling was four days per week, Monday through Thursday, allowing us students to have three days to travel. Several of my classmates and I hitchhiked around Europe. There were so many things I didn't realise at the time, but as I have gotten older those sweet memories and foolish adventures dance around in my head. Some make me shake my head when I realise how much I missed and other thoughts make me smile, reminding me how wonderful life can be when you live it to the fullest, especially with true friends.

An old friend shared with me that he was interested in relocating to another country after retiring from many years of working as a health counsellor. I was excited to hear the news. He was torn between places in Italy, Spain, and Croatia, so he packed his bags and prepared for the exploration of his life. After a year of researching and exploring his potential new home, he decided that Portugal was his best choice. Spanish is his second language and his father lived in Spain. In May 2025, he asked me to join him to help set up his new apartment near the beach in Gaia, which is only 11-kilometers from Porto, a 12-minute bus ride or 7 minutes via Uber.

Upon arrival I was overwhelmed by the beautiful landscape as I asked myself why I hadn't travelled there before? Porto is a stunning city with a rich blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. There are cities you visit, and there are cities you feel. Porto is the latter. Perched along the banks of the Douro River with its iconic terracotta rooftops, tiled façades, and timeworn charm, Porto doesn't shout, it simply hums a sweet melody in your ear. From the moment I arrived, I sensed I was somewhere special, in a city with lots of soul. Whether it was the aroma of fresh baked pastéis de nata floating through the cobbled streets or the quiet pride in the smile of a port wine maker, Porto felt like a place where every corner held a story to be shared. This blog post is my attempt to share that feeling, to take you on a journey through a city that wears its past beautifully while embracing the present with quiet confidence.

Travelling from Australia, it took me 28 hours to reach Portugal with two stops along the way. My first stop was in Singapore with a layover, then boarding the next plane to Zurich on Swiss Air, then one more connection to Porto. When the plane landed in Porto, I became very excited to see my friend that I hadn't seen since my visit to San Francisco in 2022. As I worked my way through customs and grabbed my luggage, there he was waiting, waving, and smiling. We couldn't stop jumping up and down with excitement as we hugged each other. The amazing part of being with true friends is that regardless of how long you haven't seen or spoken to each other, the conversation and laughter picks up from the last time you were together.

There has never been a greater feeling for me than being in Europe. All the sights and sounds were incredible. The Uber driver was so excited because my friend and I were so excited to see each other. He started sharing all the wonderful things I should do while visiting Porto. He started speaking in Portuguese, then Spanish to talk to my friend and then he switched to perfect English that made me smile. To my surprise, the driver decided to give us a sneak preview and drove to The Dom Lúis I Bridge, a double-deck metal arch bridge that spans the river Douro between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. The upper level of the bridge is used by pedestrians and by line D of the Porto Metro. The lower level is used by buses, taxis, cyclists, and pedestrians. The lower level links to the Porto active waterfront. There were many Port wine lodges, bars, and restaurants. The upper level connects to Porto City Centre and São Bento Station.

São Bento Station is one of Portugal's most striking railway stations. There were beautiful mosaics in the train station that left me speechless. The station opened to the public in 1916 on the site of a former Benedictine monastery. Although the station is striking from the outside, the real beauty lies inside. The main hall was breathtaking with over 20,000 tiles that reflect the history of Portugal. From there, a train can be taken to the Douro Valley or to any of the picturesque villages in the region.

During my stay we managed to go out for drinks and dinner every night and the food was incredible. In Porto, you can typically eat dinner late, with many restaurants open until midnight or later, especially in busy tourist areas. As a night owl, I love eating dinner and enjoying cocktails late at night. My friend introduced me to the Time Out Market in Porto and I demanded to go there at least once per day for lunch or dinner with cocktails. The best part about Porto is that everything is in walking distance. The narrow streets are packed with lots of outdoor restaurants, bars, people, and beautiful shops. If you love chocolate, it's the place to visit and enjoy. My favourite meals at the Time Out Market were Crispy Fried Sardines, Shrimp Croquettes, a delicious Seafood Risotto and of course, raw oysters. To my surprise, Porto had the best olives I have ever tasted. Did I mention desserts? Well, the Time Out Market has tons of dessert places and delicious coffee shops. I highly recommend checking out the Market.

My friend scheduled two walking tours to learn more about the beautiful wines and beers of Porto. Our first tour, late in the afternoon, was a Wine and Food tour. There were 12 of us on the tour from all over the world. It was so much fun and lasted for over 3 1/2 hours as we were taken from one establishment to another to learn about and sample some of the best wines I have ever tasted. Also, the food served with the wines was delicious. Being a slow eater and drinker, others in the group were helping me to finish my food and wines. Many of the shop keepers wouldn't let me leave until I had emptied my glasses. Our tour guide had a great sense of humour and kept looking for me as I would disappear in many of the shops along the way for tastings of gelato, chocolates, or tarts. Porto is renowned for its Port Wine, with various styles and producers offering unique experiences. They were all delicious. Some of the best Port wines in Porto include Vintage Ports, Tawny Ports, and White Ports, each with their own distinct characteristics that we learned about from our guide. After each wine, he would test our knowledge and our taste buds too. The Port Wine (Vinho do Porto) is the signature of the Douro Valley and aged in wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, just across the river from Porto. Here are the different styles of Port that we sampled on our tour:

• Ruby Port - young, fruity, and vibrant.

• Tawny Port - aged in wood, nutty, complex. You can taste the difference when you sample a 10-, 20-, or 30-year-old Tawny.

• Vintage Port - top tier, made in exceptional years, aged in the bottle.

• Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) - more affordable vintage style.

The next week we thought it would be fun to explore a Craft Beer & Food tour which was incredible and made me appreciate a good beer more than ever before. The tour took us on a journey into Porto's beer scene where we learned about production processes, beer types, and differences. All the beer tastings were paired with a variety of Porto's favourite foods. Our guide taught us about the different regions for wine and beer making in Portugal.

In Porto, you'll find light, lager-style beers. The most common and popular brand is Super Bock, brewed in the north. This became my favourite beer during my visit.

What I loved most about being in Porto was an overwhelming feeling of being welcomed into their culture. Everyone that we met showed authentic kindness all over the city. I was impressed with how beautiful and well-dressed everyone was as we walked around Porto. It made me feel safer than I have ever felt anywhere. Growing up in America, I am always ready to fight for equality for all, but I couldn't stop smiling and chatting with people to learn about their story. The people of Porto are characterised by a strong work ethic and a proud tradition of standing up to authoritarian regimes. The city, with over 200,000 residents, has a diverse population, including Portuguese nationals, Brazilians, immigrants from their colonies, and newer arrivals from Eastern Europe. I met people from the Dominican Republic and Angola, the second largest Portuguese speaking country. Porto also has a significant expatriate community attracted to its quality of life and arts scene.

As my time in Porto comes to an end, I leave with more than photos and souvenirs, I carry the rhythm of the Douro River, the taste of aged Port on my tongue, and the warmth of a city that welcomes you like family. Porto isn't just a place you visit; it's a place that stays with you. I hope this postcard from my journey inspires you to wander with curiosity, savour slowly, and always make room for surprise. Até logo, Porto—until we meet again.