Stacy M.
Yelp
"Why are hurricanes named after women? ...when they leave they take your house and your car." (Luis Guzman, "Traffic")
With one hand on the steering wheel and a cod fritter in the other, admire the romantic view of the Douro River while driving away in your ex's car across the Dom Luis 1 Bridge from Porto to Gaia. But how do you get there?
Simple! Just roll downhill from Sao Bento Station along with the waves of other tourists headed to the Douro River. Next, you'll climb back uphill along the Cais de Ribeira waterfront promenade, taking in street performers, restaurants, shops, and river views along the way. Once you've reached the ornate, metal-arch bridge, take a moment to appreciate the architecture, as this bridge was designed by a student of Gustavo Eiffel.
The top deck is reserved for the Porto Metro and pedestrians; the lower is meant for both vehicles and pedestrians. We only had time to walk across the lower level, but we felt like the view was still magical, especially with the bridge being lit up at night.
Overall, Luis 1 Bridge is a fantastic way to get mesmerizing views and photos of both Porto and Gaia, or to Thelma and Louis yourself into notoriety. I give it 5 hitchhiking cowboys.