Lower Porto March 22, 2023

 It was another warm and sunny day as we headed down to explore the Lower part of Porto.  We stopped at several places as we made our way down the steep and narrow street towards the Duoro River district.

We started our walk at the top of a hill where the hulking, fortress-like 12th century Romanesque Porto Cathedral is situated in a large square.

Looking over the edge of the cathedral square where we will soon take steps down to is the impressive looking Igreja dos Grilos, a Jesuit church completed in 1690.  

Heading down to the waterfront we travelled through the oldest part of Porto with its very  narrow cobbled streets.

We come out of the narrow streets and into a colorful square just before getting to the waterfront.

The Ribeira, Porto's romantic riverfront district is the most touristy part of town.  But before tourism, the Ribeira was a working port and before the embankment was built in the 20th century, the water came up to the arches, many of which were loading zones for merchants.

After exploring the Ribeira and stopping for a coffee to enjoy the sunshine and do a bit of people watching we started the steep climb back up to the center of town, but through a different route.  There are three of the original tram lines that are still running in Porto, mostly for tourists.  However, due to the construction of another underground metro line, two of the routes are closed which leaves only one  running.  So, there is often a long wait to access one of the three trams running on this line.  Rita and I do not do line-ups so we will be skipping this experience.     

Just above the running tram line is the Church of the Convent of Sao Francisco.  Built between 1383 and 1410 by the order of Franciscans, its the only Gothic style church in Porto. 

Taking a rest from our walk up from the Ribeira district in Henry the Navigator Square with the Stock Exchange Palace sitting majestically in the background.  The home of the Porto Chamber of Commerce can only be seen with a guided tour that needs to be booked in advance.  We booked our tour for the next day and then headed up the steep walkway back to our apartment for a well deserved rest.  




















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