FOLLOWING UP ON THE POST ABOUT PORTO, HERE ARE SOME PLACES OF INTERESTS.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Pestana Porto Hotel, Praça da Ribeira 1. Tel: +351-223-402-300. Located in an historic building that is itself classified by UNESCO as part of Porto’s World Heritage site, this four-star property is one of the most charming and best-located hotels. The majority of the 48 rooms and suites have views of the Douro River, the best of which have French windows that open onto lovely little wrought iron balconies. www.pestana.com
Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa, Rua Tenente Valadim 146. Tel: +351-220-404-000. Situated outside of the historic center, but close to cultural attractions such as Casa da Música and Museu Serralves, this modern glass, marble, and steel tower has 241 rooms and 25 suites, including an extravagant Presidential Suite boasting a private panoramic Jacuzzi and a grand piano. www.sheratonporto.com
Hotel Teatro, Rua Sá Bandeira 84. Tel: +351-220-409-620. Built on the site of an old theatre, this dramatic and contemporary four-star hotel has a playful theatrical vibe. A member of Design Hotels, there are 74 rooms and suites decorated in shades of bronze and gold, a bar with vintage furniture from the 60s and 70s, a restaurant, and a small gym. www.hotelteatro.pt
The Yeatman Hotel, 9Rua do Choupelo, Vila Nova de Gaia. Tel: +351-220-133-100. Open since August 2010 in an area known for its historic port wine cellars, this newly constructed five-star wine hotel has 82 elegant rooms and suites, a gourmet restaurant, extensive grounds, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a Vinothérapie spa. www.the-yeatman-hotel.com
RESTAURANTS
Barão de Fladgate, at Taylors Port Lodge, Rua do Choupelo 250, Vila Nova de Gaia. Tel: +351-223-742-800. Located within the Taylor’s port lodge, this restaurant serves delicious local dishes accompanied by port wine and is open for lunch and dinner. You can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Porto while you dine, and in summer it is possible to eat outdoors on the sunny terrace. www.tresseculos.pt
Casa de Chá Boa-Nova, Avenida da Liberdade, Leça da Palmeira. Tel: +351-229-951-785. Built right beside the Atlantic Ocean in 1963, this restaurant and teahouse was one of the earliest projects by acclaimed local-born architect Álvaro Siza. It’s still a wonderful, well-designed place to enjoy a lunch of fresh caught fish and shellfish.
Galeria de Paris, Rua da Galeria de Paris 56. Tel: +351-934-210-792. A former textile shop dating to the early 1900s, much of the original interior has been retained, only the cabinets now display collectables and curiosities. The result is a unique space that serves an excellent value canteen-style lunch, and later becomes a trendy and casual bar/restaurant serving home cooked Portuguese food in a lively, candlelit environment.
O Comercial, Palacio da Bolsa, Rua Ferreira Borges. Tel: +351-223-322-019. Situated within Porto’s landmark stock exchange building, this grand contemporary restaurant is perfect for a special occasion. The classic Portuguese food is beautifully prepared and presented, and the service is friendly yet discreet. At €25 per head, the seven course Menu Degustaçáo is amazing value. www.ocomercial.com
SHOPPING
Livraria Lello, Rua das Carmelitas 144. Tel: +351-222-002-037. Built in 1906, this magical little place is considered to be one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world. Its Art Nouveau interior seems untouched by time, and features a spectacular central staircase, beautifully carved cabinets, and a gorgeous stained-glass skylight. www. lelloprologolivreiro.com.sapo.pt
A Vida Portuguesa, Rua da Galeria de Paris 20. Tel: +351-222-022-105. Occupying a building dating to the early 1900s, this emporium is full of genuine and lovely Portuguese products that echo back to a bygone era, including toiletries, stationery, jewelery, food, handicrafts, toys, and gifts. www.avidaportuguesa.com
GAY & LESBIAN VENUES
Café Lusitano, Rua José Falcão 137. With original décor from the early 1900s, including chandeliers and wood paneling, this grand gay-mixed place is the perfect spot for a pre-dinner aperitif, or pre-clubbing drinks. The local cocktail, white port served over ice with tonic water and mint leaves, is recommended, but local beers including Super Bock are also served.
Boys’R’Us, 5Rua Dr Barbosa de Castro 63, Porto. Tel: +351-917-549-988. Open for over a decade in the center of town, this lively little place is Porto’s best-known gay venue. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 P.M., it is especially crowded on weekends when you can dance until 4 A.M. www.portugalgay.pt/pub/boysrus
Pride Bar, Rua do Bonjardin 1121. Situated just outside of the historic center, this fun and friendly place shows its true colors by displaying a rainbow plaque on its door. With occasional drag and stripper shows, it attracts a young and alternative gay crowd, and is also popular with lesbians. www.pride-bar.com
Zoom, Beco de Passos Manuel. Tel: +351-918-353-282. Housed in a former warehouse close to São Bento railway station, this is Porto’s current gay hotspot. Muscular go-go boys perform on metal bridges above the dance floor, and the DJ plays predominantly pop house. Open only on weekends, it’s busiest and best on Saturdays after 4 A.M.
ATTRACTIONS
Casa da Música, Avenida da Boavista. Tel: +351-220-120-200. Open since 2005, this irregular polygon-shaped building is Porto’s 1,300 capacity concert hall. Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, it’s an innovative and critically acclaimed structure. www.casadamusica.com
Museu Serralves, Rua Dom João de Castro 210. Tel: +351-226-156-500. One of Portugal’s premiere contemporary art museums, this vast, white, contemporary structure by famous local architect Álvaro Siza sits alongside a pink Art Deco mansion in 45 acres of parkland. There is no permanent collection, instead the museum hosts regular shows by Portuguese and international artists. www.serralves.pt
Ramos Pinto, Av Ramos Pinto 400, Vila Nova de Gaia. Tel: +351-223-707-000. Dating to the 1800s, this famous port wine cellar is open Monday to Friday 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. for tours and tastings. Original prints of company’s famous advertisement posters from the 1920s are also on display here. www.ramospinto.pt
Sandeman Cellars and Porto Wine Museum, Vila Nova de Gaia. Tel: +351-223-740-533. Founded by a Scotsman in 1790, this renowned port wine cellar is open every day 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. for guided tours in eight languages including English and Portuguese. Entrance is €4 per person. www.sandeman.com
Solar do Vinho do Porto, Rua de Entre Quintas 220. Tel: +351-226-094-749. Operated by Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (Port and Douro Wines Institute), here you have the advantage of being able to sample port wine from every single producer all under one roof, so it’s time efficient, and the port is very keenly priced too! Housed in a grand old mansion, there’s a bar-like vibe. Open 4 P.M. to midnight, Monday to Saturday. www.ivp.pt
Taylor’s Port Lodge, RRua do Choupelo 250, Vila Nova de Gaia, Tel: +351-223-742-800. Still a family-run firm after over 300 years, this port wine cellar is open Monday to Friday 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. for tours and tastings. There’s also a great on-site restaurant, as well as a luxury, new five-star wine hotel next door. www.taylor.pt
For a more opulent fine dining experience, you can’t beat O Comercial. Located within the Palácio da Bolsa, Porto’s grand neoclassical stock exchange, this upscale restaurant brings a cool contemporary vibe to the historic surroundings. It seems like a real privilege to be allowed to enter this impressive building after hours, and once seated at your table you’ll feel equally privileged when presented with a menu that includes locally inspired dishes such as ribs braised in Douro wine with celery, and shrimp bread pudding, but remember to leave room for what is called “the best warm chocolate cake in the world.”
Although major chains like the luxurious Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa are present here, Porto also has a good selection of smaller and more individual hotels that are full of flair and personality. The Pestana Porto Hotel is a lovely, traditional-style, boutique option that enjoys possibly the best location in Porto. Situated right on the Ribeira waterfront, the majority of rooms in this distinctive, butter-colored historic building have views of the Douro River, some complete with charming little balconies. If you prefer something more contemporary and closer to the gay scene, Teatro Hotel Porto makes a bold statement by curtaining out natural light from most of its public areas to suggest the dramatic ambience of a theatre. A reception desk disguised as box office and rails of theatrical costumes add to the illusion—drag queens will love all the drama and draped velvet! The rooms themselves are spacious and modern, with fixtures and furnishings that all have a lovely golden hue. Built on the site of a revered theatre that was destroyed by fire in 1888, this brand new hotel was created by Portuguese-born architect and designer Nini Andrade Silva, and is a member of Design Hotels.
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