8- Northern Portugal. 15-16th March 2018 (Porto)

Photos 15th March 2018 (Thursday). 

Porto

Thursday morning at the hostel during breakfast... Take That on TV! 

 

Enjoying a calm stroll through the city...

In the background of the photo there is the Arrábida Bridge... A superb piece of ingineering and one of my fav bridges of the city. Nowadays you can climb the arch of the Arrabida bridge from the inside

Watching the river in a climate of genuine relaxation

 The Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto (FLUP)

Madureira's Restaurant

Campo Alegre Street (Rua do Campo Alegre)

FCUP Department of Computer Sciences.  

Ciência de Computadores da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto

Casa de Allen or Palacete Villar d'Allen, Antonio Cardoso Street (Rua de António Cardoso 175). António Cardoso Street, located in a very residential area of the city, is a beautiful street that connects the main Boavista Avenue with the Botanical Gardens. It's named after a poet, like many of the streets in this neighborhood!

In this street, you can find the great Casa d’Allen, a mansion built in 1920 by the 3th Viscount of Villar d’Allen to be his residence. The house was designed by the famous architect Marques da Silva and it was built in a time where a lot of mansions were being erected, giving Porto a true bourgeois look! Nowadays the mansion work a cultural space, with library and archives, in the responsibility of the state... At António Cardoso Street you'll find also the Botanical Gardens :)

Prestigious residential area, between Av. Da Boavista and Campo Alegre, has the Botanical Garden and Casa das Artes in the immediate vicinity and the most diverse services and commerce essential to daily life (Rua de Manuel Bandeira, Rua da Venezuela, etc.)

Clínica Luso Espanhola is one of the most prestigious aesthetic clinics in Portugal

200 Rua da Venezuela

245 Rua da Venezuela

Casa das Artes (House of Arts)↓

Designed by Eduardo Souto Moura in 1980, the building of the Casa das Artes (House of Arts) in Porto is one of the architect's most emblematic works. The project was selected within the framework of a public tender for construction of a cultural facility in the gardens of a manor house that had been built in 1927.

The solution presented by Souto Moura made use of a wall existing on one of the gardens boundaries, thus constructing a “wall-building” that demarcates the boundaries of the terrain and is perfectly integrated within the environment. This integration was also achieved by means of the materials used in the exterior covering of the building such as brick, stone and mirrored glass that create an illusionary effect of extension of the garden.

The interior has one basement floor and houses two auditoriums within an amphitheatre that is used for performances, conferences and exhibitions

 

Porto’s Botanical Garden (Portuguese: Jardim Botânico do Porto) is a space where three dimensions converge: recreation, history and botanics. It's not a very big garden – 4 ha to be precise – but it's full of old town charm. It's located in the gardens of the Campo Alegre Estate or Andresen House. The Porto Botanical Garden is managed by the Faculty of Sciences which pertains to the University of Porto...

This beautiful and lush garden stretches along the land of the former Andersen's family house where you can enjoy the groves of naturalist arrangement, a plants’ collection or even hothouses with orchids, carnivorous plants and ferns, among other tropical and subtropical plants... 

The Porto Botanical Garden might not be the most spectacular green space in Porto, yet it might just as well be visited by holidaymakers...

The garden was created in 1951 under the patronage of the Portuguese state, on the former manor of Joao Henrique Andresen (acquired by the said Joao Henrique Andresen in 1895, and turned by its owner into a romantic garden). In time, the Porto Botanical Garden was greatly diminished, both in terms of size (now, its surface amounts to some 4 hectares) and plant life patrimony (though the diversity of the flora is quite notable)

However, at present the garden shelters sundry rare and exotic plant species, featuring highlights like the cacti garden, a greenhouse and a historical garden (the latter comprising a rose garden). There’s also a lake situated within the perimeter of the Botanical Garden, the habitat of a fairly numerous population of water lilies. 

Camellia trees

For Camellia lovers, you’ll find here a fair number of Camellia Japonica (the most common Camellia), scattered throughout. This is definitely my favorite flower of the entire garden...

This exotic botanical species thrives in Portugal’s mild Atlantic climate, making the city a rich, floral wonderland for almost half the year! From January to March the North of Portugal is completely blanketed in silky multi-colored petals, providing you a wide window to choose from. If you’re planning a spring trip, fabulous! As a result of climate change, Camellias are prolonging their stay in many parts of the North, giving you an extra opportunity to savor their beauty...

The Oporto Botanical Garden used to be the grandparents house of the famous portuguese short story writer Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen and of her cousin Ruben A., also a famous novel writer

While the historical garden is beautiful, the most charming areas are around the greenhouses. Though they look a bit neglected, it makes them even more fascinating. Plants wind through metal frames that once held glass...

Jardim dos Jotas or the J Letter Garden: This garden takes its name from the initials of the former owners of Quinta do Campo Alegre, João Henrique and Joana Andresen, who were the grandparents of the writers Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen and Ruben A. Four boxes are planted in the shape of the letter "J", taking up the entire space.

This garden was always a favourite place for planting bulbs. The tilled-covered bench shaded by a wisteria-pergola is often mentioned in Sophia's works

A magnificent red house surrounded by lush greenery. Built in the early 1900s, the Andresen house is located in a neat and tidy part of the gardens called the “historical garden.” This area is divided into three distinct sections: the Rose Garden, the J Letter Garden, and the Fish Garden, where you can find a graceful pond filled with water lilies

Magnificent panoramic views from the Arrábida Bridge

Collages

 

Photos 16th March 2018 (Friday). Porto

This day I decided to go to see the sea with two German friends I met at the hostel (Michelle and Karine). I really liked everything I was seeing... One of the best thing to do in Porto is either to walk (go by tram or bike) between Ribeira and Foz, going along the river Douro till the sea

 I would still recommend you go to Porto's Atlantic Ocean seafront 
and enjoy a promenade along the sea-front. There is lots to see...

Boats on Douro River

Anchor monument

 

Along the way you'll find this bird watching place. The Observatório das Aves (Ribeira da Granja Observatory Centre) is a popular area with feeding seabirds located by the riverside. It's so peaceful...

Here we can see the bird biodiversity that exists near the Douro River... 

This panel describes the species

The smell of the sea, the sound of the waves and its endless 

gardens are what makes Foz one of the most beautiful areas in Porto

Lovely dogs having fun

The walk along the riverfront is lined with palm trees. Behind these palm trees is 

a large triangular shaped public park called the Jardim do Passeio Alegre

Facing the Atlantic you'll be struck by an incredible quality of life, 

relaxed walks into one spectacular climax... 

Foz do Douro is a splendid part of Porto to visit... almost a mini-city within Porto. In the nineteenth century it was a seaside resort where Brits and well-heeled Porto residents went on holiday. Nowadays, visit it for its beaches (several of them have a blue flag), seaside-y outdoor cafés or a stroll in the sun along the Avenida do Brasil with its view of the Atlantic...

Rocks on the beach in Foz do Douro

The Felgueiras Lighthouse

 The Felgueiras Lighthouse is situated at the edge of the 

Douro’s river mouth and the Atlantic coastline of Foz do Douro

You have to include this place in your “what to do in Foz” list. This beautiful granite lighthouse was constructed in 1886. Measuring 17-meters-long, Farol de Felgueiras was deactivated in 2009 with only the emergency sound working.

The pier to get to Felgueiras lighthouse is open for public. However, you have to be careful, especially with the high tide because the area is full of rocks

Be very careful where you walk on windy days as some of the waves that crash upon the piers can be quite dramatic and soak anyone standing too close to the edge. There are warning signs that advise visitors of the danger of being washed off the pier by very strong waves and drowned. Be sensible when the ocean is rough and choose to be cautious...

#selfietime

A seagull flying over the sea

Praia dos Ingleses (Beach of the English or Englishmen's Beach) just as the name indicates, was and still is very popular with English tourists. It's easy to get to this beach as it's close to the urban area. There are café terraces and other beach support structures. If you don't want to go for a swim, you can always take a long stroll along the beachfront

With only 86 meters of fine sand, the Ingleses Beach marks the beginning of a course through outcrops of various types of Pre-Cambrian metamorphic rocks - gneiss, metasediments and amphibolites - older than 570 million years, as well as variscan granite that formed 290 million years ago. Up on the beach, there is a café with a pleasant outdoor terrace on a gently sloping area. Around the entrance to the beach, which is from the Coronel Raúl Peres street further up the block, there is an interesting array of restaurants, cafes and patisseries where you can take a break...

Foz Beach covers the group of Ourigo, Ingleses and Luz Beaches. The expanse of sand is limited but the sea offers conditions for surfing, which attracts young people. The area also boasts various bars and terraces, much sought after by the city’s residents for some pleasant moments of leisure enjoying the beauful view over the ocean

My friends and I went to the cafe Praia dos Ingleses, located in Foz, Porto’s seafront with a privileged location: it’s right on the beach and really close to Douro river’s mouth. If you’re sitting on the terrace, you can enjoy great views... The pier built right on the mouth of the river and where there’s a small lighthouse. It’s amazing to sit on the terrace and see the waves splash against the thick walls of the pier... Here you can enjoy light meals or order a snack...

I love this tranquil atmosphere 

A place to enjoy at your own pace...  #slowlifestyle

Perfect retreat, full of magic surrounded by the sea and fresh air, 

away from the stress and bustle of the big cities... 

Monument to Ferreira de Castro on Foz do Douro seafront, Oporto Beach

“...e vendo El Rei isto, em como houve em ela grande poderio de naus quando passou a Ceuta que foram bem setenta naus e barcas (...) de que tão poderosa armada pudera sair...” Dos capitulos especiais da cidade do Porto nas Cortes de 1436

Fonte da Raia do Ouro 

The magnificent Ponte Arrábida bridge

Taxi fluvial

Tram going alongside the river Douro.This tram takes you from the 

centre of the Ribeira district to the Foz near the river mouth

Boats