No matter where you go in Porto it’s hard to escape the pull of The Douro. Throughout our exploration of Porto, we could almost always see this spectacular waterway and were drawn to it more than once during our short two night stay.

Us!

During the day it sparkles as the most alluring backdrop while strolling through immaculate parks, ice cream in hand. Equally as impressive, it serves as a defining landmark from the tops of bell towers and 1000 stair climbs while exploring the historical city.

View from the top of Torre dos Clérigos

View from the top of Torre dos Clérigos

View from Jardim da Cordoaria
View from Funicular dos Guindais

View from Jardim da Cordoaria & View from Funicular dos Guindais

Monsteiro da Serra do Pilar

View from Monsteiro da Serra do Pilar

Although impressive during the day, The Douro really comes to life as the sun dips lower. A magical mix of the reflected glow of the city lights and the fun loving, loose atmosphere that sprawls along the waterfront really melts you into holiday mode. Top that off with some great food, 1L beers and playing cards late into the evening and you have why Porto became @smalltall’s favourite getaway spot in Portugal!

Looking up
First darkness
View towards bridge
Riverfront
View over river

MAGIC! Even revisiting these photos makes us more relaxed. If you haven’t been before, we really couldn’t recommend it highly enough! Let us know if you’ve been to Portugal and where you liked best..were you captivated by Porto’s magic or did you prefer Lisbon’s charm?

All photos are unedited straight from an iPhone 8 (maybe making their beauty more impressive..?). Let us know if you have any great editing apps for on the go. Small is a big fan of Adobe Lightroom but doesn’t always find the time to sit down at her laptop for an editing session.