Porto Bleg

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I’m headed to Porto in November! Where should I go? What should I eat?

This seaside town in northern Portugal has captivated me ever since I saw Anthony Bourdain walking down its narrow streets in Parts Unknown.

When you see Anthony digging into a cheesy pork sandwich called a francesinha in a little cafe, who doesn’t want to be there?

I’ll be staying for 11 days in the center of town. If you’re a dedicated reader of Tremendous, you know I love to eat!

Where should I go?

Where I’m planning to eat:

A Perola do Bolhao — a grocery store out of a time machine, known for fine olives and cheeses.
O Alfonso — where Bourdain had his mouthwatering francesinha.
Chocolateria Flores and Chocolateria Equador — known for Porto’s best sweets
Pingo Doce — charming grocery store found all over Portugal. I want their pasteis de nata!
The Dog — cachorros, the cheesy hotdogs Anthony is eating later in the episode. Sliced into small bites, they make the perfect snack.
Murca no Porto — very traditional Portuguese foods like tripe at an excellent price. Delightful, homey setting.
Combi Coffee — beautiful espresso, lattes and pastries.

And yes, I plan to do things other than eat!

Sights on my list:

Igrejo do Carmo — Perhaps Porto’s most spectacular church, replete with traditional blue and white paintings called azulejos. Azulejos are very typical of Porto.
Igreja de Sao Francisco — contains 100 kg of gold leaf!
Foz do Douro — lovely old fort along the sea.
Livraria Lello — bookshop known for ornate woodwork. May have been the inspiration for Harry Potter.
Jardim Botanico do Porto — free botanical garden! How often do you see that?
Parque da Cidade — the biggest park in town, with easy access to the ocean.

I’m excited to add a lot more to my list! This will be my first trip outside the US in two years, so I’m really looking forward to it.

Please leave a comment with your favorite spots — I might even write them up on the blog!

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P.S. I found another, very early Anthony Bourdain episode on Porto. It’s from A Cook’s Tour, his first TV series. Enjoy!