We'd been in so many Portuguese-influenced places: primarily Macau and Timor Leste, but also Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India. But we'd never been to Portugal.

Until now.

A short train ride from Vigo takes you to Porto, which is a lovely introduction to the rest of the country.


What's to love?

1.
The first thing you spot is the tiles... Known as azulejos, they came to Spain with the Moors, and were drafted into Portugal by King Manuel I who fell in love with them in Seville in the 15th century.

An absolutely delightful website called Os Azulejos do Porto catalogues the designs to be found in Porto.










2.
Porto is tumbly, scrambling up and down quite steep valleys that converge on the Douro river. This topography is really photogenic, even when the skies are grey.






3.
It's a really great city for walking. Even in February, there are a perceptible number of tourists around (I should really say "fellow tourists", because -- like it or not -- we too are tourists...) But, as so often, they tend to cluster round the same spots, and they're easy to outrun.

Yesterday, for example, we walked from Campanha railway station to our Airbnb on Rua da Almada, covering quite a varied swathe of Porto.








Today, we took the metro out to Matosinhos, and walked back. This was an absolutely awesome little trek: along the beachfront, then along the river, and then up through more of those steep little streets that we'd started to pace out yesterday.

Both days, tourists were evident only towards the end.







4.
Food...

You really have to try the francesinha... A Porto speciality, this is possibly the strangest sandwich you'll ever come across, and you'll definitely want to share one between two (especially if one of you is low-carbing). But don't decide to pass in some fit of refinement. What you get is two thick slices of bread, which enclose layers of ham, sausage, and steak. This doorstep is enveloped in melted cheese, topped with a fried egg, doused with an amazing sauce consisting of beer, tomatoes, and spices, and served with chips. A behemoth -- but surprisingly tasty.


The merenda or lanche is everywhere. It's a brioche-like bread that is folded around cheese and ham, and it makes a good snack when you've had a very early breakfast.

When in Portugal, you have to have a Portuguese egg tart.... Except here, of course, they don't call them that... Instead, they're known as pasteis de nata, and no, they are emphatically NOT low-carb... But delectable. Just delectable. Such thin, crispy pastry... Such rich, eggy custard... Heaven.


5.
We haven't got round to the famous port yet. But the wine is awesome. Aside from the special-occasion Mateus Rose beloved of my parents, I knew absolutely nothing about Portuguese wine. Well, I now know that you can get cheap but excellent reds from the Douro and Marofa regions, rocketing Portugal up my favoured-wine list.

6.
The coffee is great. The equivalent of Spain's cafe con leche (which is less milky than a classic latte) is the meia de leite. It's a really nice combo of strong coffee and smooth milk.

A propos of this, I need to mention that Portuguese Portuguese is really very different from the Brazilian Portuguese I've flirted with on and off over the last few years (with the aim, ultimately, of visiting Brazil). Pronunciation: really different. Vocabulary: different enough for even a neophtye to notice. Still, at least my not entirely useful exposure has helped me understand the signage, and tackle my first Agatha Christie in Portuguese...