Adventurous Maite: 4- Northern Portugal. 8-9th March 2018 (Porto)

Photos 8th March 2018 (Thursday). Porto

The famous Rua dos Clerigos with Clerigos Church

R. de São Filipe de Nery & Rua das Carmelitas💗💗💗

This rainy morning my friend Daniel and I entered the Clérigos Church

Pictures in the interior of the church

The tower and church of Clérigos are Baroque masterpieces

One of the best-known and most visited churches in Porto must be the Clérigos Church (Igreja dos Clérigos) or the Church of the Clergy. But it is visited mainly not because it is a beautiful Baroque church in Porto, but because of its tall bell tower, the Torre dos Clérigos, which dominates the city skyline and which is one of the best-known symbols of Porto

There is a daily 20-25 minute pipe organ concert at 12:00 really worth the visit

The Passeio dos Clérigos, R. das Carmelitas. This one of the brand new shopping

malls of the city. Back down the Clerigos Tower you will find this gallery

At the Bertrand Bookstore, Rua da Fábrica 90

Livraria Bertrand is the oldest operating bookstore in the world, founded in 1732 in Lisbon, Portugal. The original bookstore in Lisbon's Chiado neighborhood was declared by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest, operating bookstore in the world in 2016. Later on, the Bertrand bookshop started to cooperate with the International Library of Porto; its business expanded in such a way that Bertrand is now one of Portugal´s most important bookshop chains, with 53 establishments across the country. Bertrand has been frequented by numerous famous authors, including Alexandre Herculano, Fernando Pessoa, Eca de Queiros, Antero de Quental and Ramalho Ortigão...

If you enjoy books and history, you are going to love this place too. There is a vast selection of books here, mostly in Portuguese though. However, you will find a dedicated section with English books as well...

In the past and in this same location, important literary people used to drop by for a chat or to attend literary meetings and gatherings...

Rua Santa Teresa, located nearby the famous Torre dos Clérigos,

Lello Library, S. Bento Railway station and the famous "Café Majestic"

Câmara Municipal do Porto - Porto City Council

This striking building, harking back to the architecture of the great communal palaces of the north of Europe, is set at the top of the Avenida dos Aliados (Avenue of the Allies).

Construction began on this robust, imposing building in 1920, according to the design of architect António Correia da Silva, it was only fully completed in 1955.

At the centre, there is a 70m clock tower whose bells ring out as a symbol of the importance given by city citizens to civic life.

With two wide ramps on either side of the main entrance, access to this modern neoclassical structure is easy (as long as you discount the hill leading to the doors), there is a large clock centred in the building’s 70-meter tower, keeping time over the avenida in a most regal way.

The statue in front, by sculptor Barata Feio, is a 1954 study of poet Almeida Garrett (1799-1854)

Portugal's flag

Rua de Santa Catarina, the largest pedestrian and commercial street in the city

It's the ideal street for shopping. With hundreds of shops and constant animation, it has many places not to be missed.

Rua de Santa Catarina has a length of 1500 meters in downtown Porto; it is the favorite place for Porto locals and tourists to shop. Part of this street is pedestrian, which makes it the perfect place to do window-shopping, buying from clothing to traditional Portuguese products or even handicrafts in stalls placed along the sidewalks. It has also become a place of permanent animation, thanks to the many street artists who perform every day for those who pass by.

From the more traditional shops to the international brands, it provides the consumer with a variety to satisfy all tastes. The cafes, restaurants and terraces allow you to rest from your walk or feel an increasingly cosmopolitan atmosphere.

Due to its central location, it is also the ideal starting point to discover Porto

Via Catarina Shopping – housed in a building that once served as headquarters for a newspaper, this modern shopping centre, in addition to numerous shops, it has a restaurant area that resembles a typical street in the city

Plácido clothing store, Rua de Santa Catarina 76

McDonald’s Imperial

This is the most beautiful McDonald’s in the world. You won’t need to do much research to agree with this statement: this is the most beautiful McDonald’s restaurant in the world! Even if you are not into the so-called fast food sold here, the interior is absolutely worth a visit😋

This McDonald’s restaurant in Porto was inaugurated in 1995. I remember coming here when I was a child and this was the Imperial Café, an emblematic historic building from the 30s, just by Aliados Avenue, which was frankly in need for a restoration. The final restoration work is a result of a cooperation between two architects ateliers: Archange and A. Burmester. The idea was to give it a fresh look, maintaining the iconic features and recovering the social gathering spirit once so lively here

The name “Imperial” comes from the Eagle, still preeminent in the facade, in which you can also find the amazing art deco stained glass. If you come to see the interior (which you must do) your head will be looking up: the roofs and the chandeliers are beautiful

The offer is diversified and, of course depends on your taste. The truth is that they sell fast food that tastes equal regardless of which part of the planet you are in and, of course, you can choose among the different classic menus of burger sandwich, fries and a drink, starting at approximately 5 Euros.

However, this is not a conventional McDonald’s, not even in the “McCafé” (the coffee shop, separated from the snacks) where you can find a genuine Portuguese sweet break: coffee with a custard tart… don’t forget some cinnamon on top which takes it to another level.

Again, if you do not like any of the sandwich menus served here, have a coffee and read the newspaper and stare at the stunning interior for a while. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

If you’re into beautiful cafes, don’t skip a visit to Majestic Café or Café Guarany, both really close by and also totally worth a visit.

My new Robin Ruth Porto. I love souvenirs 😛

In Porto you always find breathtaking views and

places to rest and admire the surroundings

Old traditional houses

The evening has fallen over Porto...

Museu da Misericórdia (Rua das Flores)

Book Market at the Museu da Misericórdia is located

on the historic Rua das Flores in downtown Porto

Rua das Flores (Flower Street)

São Bento railway station

Porto A.S. 1829 Hotel - One of Europe’s oldest stationery shops has been converted into a modern yet cosy hotel in the heart of Porto’s downtown area. Artefacts from the former store add to the hotel’s stylish interior design and a street terrace provides a pleasant spot to unwind. The hotel is located at the end of Porto’s pretty pedestrian street, Rua das Flores, and is less than a 10-minute walk to the river

I took part in a rally to mark International Women's Day. The rally started at Praça dos Poveiros located at the end of Passos Manuel Street, a meeting point for locals

Some banners during the demonstration

Coliseu de Porto theatre (Rua de Passos Manuel 137)

venue for music, cultural events, shows, city landmark

Fnac - Rua Santa Catarina

The iconic Sá da Bandeira Street

Rua Infante Dom Henrique

Beautiful building facade along Rua das Flores 😍😍😍😍😍😍

Photos 9th March 2018 (Friday). Porto

Book Market (Mercado do Livro). More than 160 thousand books on sale at the Book Market that takes place at the Museu Da Misericórdia Do Porto from March 1st to 18th between 10 am and 8 pm.

The MMIPO - Museu da Misericórdia do Porto is located in the historic centre of Porto, in the Rua das Flores, at the building that used to be the head office of the institution from the mid 16th century up to 2013. Over the years, the building suffered a number of interventions, the last of which, was its adaptation for museum facilities. The MMIPO has a double purpose, one is letting people know the history of the Misericórdia do Porto and its institutional purposes, and the other is to divulge its artistic collections, through a set of resources that reflect the memory and the identity of the organization, projecting it into the future...

Visiting the Book Fair

Wide variety of books

Affordable prices and the possibility to find “rare” books

are the main reasons that lead visitors to return to the market

Força Portugal Official Store

Equestrian statue in front of one of the BCP

Millennium banks (opposite the Restaurant Palmeira)

Official FC Porto

Confeitaria do Bolhão - Bolhão Bakery

The famous Confeitaria do Bolhão is easily one of the more popular spots for enjoying pastries in Porto and has been since it opened its door in 1896.

Located across the street from Bolhão Market, the Confeitaria was once a breakfast stop for Porto’s wealthier residents before they made their way to the traditional market. Stop by for breakfast or lunch, too, but don’t forget to try one of their many pastries including pastéis de nata, croissants, and various cakes. The snack bar is a visual experience as much as a culinary one and decorated with floor to ceiling mirrors

This is one of the oldest and most picturesque pastry shops in Porto and a very good option as a sweet afternoon snack, before or after you visit Bolhão market which is opposite the pastry shop. All the ingredients here are fresh and all the products are made in-house, a historical part of Porto you should definitely not miss out on

Once you walk through the door, there’s no turning back. The smells and deliciousness are all around. Here you can find an extraordinarily large assortment of breads as well as savory and sweet Portuguese pastries in different sizes.

You can eat them on the spot (they have a tea room on the back, which I don’t particularly enjoy as it lacks natural light) or simply take them to your hotel or apartment in Porto.

Mercado do Bolhão

Mercado do Bolhão is a must see place in Porto. Located in the center of the city, this market is where you’ll find fresh produce, meat, fish and flowers. And you’ll meet the most unique characters in Porto. Dating back from 1839, when the town hall bought the land where the market now stands and defined the area as a market. As there was a small creek running though the square and there was an air bubble (“bolha”) forming on that spot, the market was named Bolhão (as in big bubble). The neoclassic building that now exists was built in 1914 and it divided the market into two floors

Praça dos Leões. This lovely square is actually Praça de Gomes Teixeira (Gomes Teixeira Square). This building is nowadays headquarters of the Portuguese National Republican Guard (GNR)

Gelateria Artesanal Mo-Mo: If you are close to the The Fountain of the Lions (Fonte dos Leões) and feel like having something to sweeten your day – and give you the strength to continue to roam down till Ribeira – give Mo-Mo a try. An artisanal ice cream parlor, located across the street from Jardim da Cordoaria, at R. Campo dos Mártires da Pátria 171. This artisan ice cream shop opened its doors at the beginning of April of last year and has 18 flavors that are made every day in its small place. Without preservatives, artisans and natural