Praça Ribeira

Riverwalk in the Ribeira neighborhood. Not too long or overwhelming and an abundance of views, shops, restaurants, and boats to other side with more restaurants shops and views. There are kiosks with treats and endless patio spots to grab a drink and take in the sights and people watch. Amazing views of the bridge as well, which is at one end. Musicians crooned from the sidewalks. Speaking of the walk, it is pretty level ground, unlike much of hilly Porto (with the exception of the ends of the riverwalk when you walk up or down the stairs or ramp). The cobblestone trend continues, so wear comfortable shoes and if you have babies or toddlers, bring a stroller with sturdy wheels and straps. Don't be afraid to make your way into the alleyways, as this is described as "true Porto," with less tourist trap shops and better quality restaurants than what you may find on the riverwalk strip itself.

Porto's Ribeira is one of those few places in the world that attracts painters, photographers and all manner of artists for it's inimitable combination of historic architecture, color and light. Well done UNESCO for protecting Porto's riverfront district for future generations while accommodating modern touches like heated patios for the cafes and the mesmerizing statue of a cube suspended over a 17th century fountain, "Cubo da Ribeira" by José Rodrigues. My Portuguese friend Tiago insisted on taking some photos with my nice camera, and of course with my ego I was dead sure that my photos would be way better. I don't know if it was the time of day, the reflective light from the Douro River or what, but I was later shocked to discover his photos of the Ribeira ON MY CAMERA came out WAY BETTER than my own. Maybe because he's Portuguese?

What a fun place to people watch. Especially from in front of our hotel Pestana. There are a number of restaurants here, and it's clearly a gathering place for bigger events also as they were breaking down a stage sort of set up from an air show that had just happened there the day before we arrived. It's busy and bustling and definitely tricky dealing with a car. Hopefully your rental is small if you're planning to make it through here. I'll see if I can upload my high speed video of a couple minutes of morning activity here. Quite fun. If you're walking along the water at all, this would be hard to miss.

Walking along the Porto side of the river is a lot of things to see. It isn't too long so its not so tiring. However you can just stop in a store or shop for refreshments. There are plenty around. Also the buildings around are amazing to look at. The colors. The tile. The history. There are also monuments along the way... that explain a lot of the history... On the other side of the river is Gaia. Really you just see the ships and giant billboards for the port caves... Great for a stroll during the day or at night!!

All my reviews from Porto include word: Magic. This riverside is amazing. Restaurants and on the other side wine caves, little roads and the bridge. We were lucky to enjoy it on Thursday evening- it wasn't crowded !

To me the most amazing area of Porto is Ribeira. If you are coming don't miss the people, the food, the views of Douro river and the colorful old houses. I suggest you check this link for more of Porto! And enjoy life! https://thetraveltellerblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/blog-post-title/