In May of this year the S.O and I went to Porto Portugal and to Lisbon. It was an awesome trip. Spending some time on the Douro River is a great thing to do. The scenery is great, the food and wine excellent, and its off the beaten path (somewhat) of European tourist attractions.
We flew into Lisbon early enough to rent a car and drive up north. It took about 2.5 hours to get to Porto. We stayed at a marvelous bed and breakfast in the suburbs, but the town itself was easily accessible by subway and bus.
Unfortunately, the first day there, it rained.
Train Stations are not usually a destination, other than as a means to get transportation, but Porto’s train station is worth a visit just to see the tiles on the walls.
The second day we were there the weather got better. We took a paid tour that had us take the train up the river and then come back down the river on a boat. Lunch and Port Wine were included in the price.
Then there is the wine tasting. The South bank of the Douro has lots of places to do that. And a cable car ride back to the subway line.
All in all, well worth the time and expense. Spring and summer are the best times to go -but you can save money at other times of the year and Portugal’s climate is mild.