Travel + Leisure India & South Asia — May 2017

TRAVEL + L E I S U R E / M AY 2 0 1 7 61

Clockwise: Café Guarany; the lobby of Sao

Bento station is adorned with 20,000 tiles;

take a leisurely stroll along River Douro.

SEE+DO

FIVE ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE CITY

OLD TOWN

Get lost in Ribeira’s maze

of medieval alleys lined

with ageing, pastel houses,

and tiny tascas (taverns).

Explore the shops on

Rua das Flores, and then

get a cup of coffee and

people-watch on the Douro

riverfront promenade as

the Dom Luís I Bridge

lights up at dusk.

MUSEU SERRALVES

The contemporary art

museum showcases

both Portuguese and

international artists.

The Modernist museum

building designed by

Pritzker Prize winning

architect Álvaro Siza Vieira

blends seamlessly with

the surrounding garden

and parkland; don’t miss

a visit to the Art Deco

‘Pink Villa’. serralves.pt

SÃO BENTO TRAIN

STATION

The impressive Beaux-

Arts building is even more

stunning on the inside,

with its vestibule covered

with magnifi cent azulejo

(blue and white tile) panels

depicting landscape scenes

and important events in

the history of Portugal.

LIVRARIA LELLO

Often listed as one of

the most beautiful

bookshops in the world,

Livraria Lello’s most

striking feature is its

curving crimson staircase

with a gilded design on

the underside. The

bookshop clocked more

than one million visitors

last year, and now has an

entry fee of €5 (adjusted

against purchase).

livrarialello.pt

DOURO RIVER CRUISE

The best way to see the

pretty Douro riverfront

is to get on a boat. The

50-minute cruise (with

guided commentary) on

board a traditional Rabelo

boat goes right up to the

mouth of the river, passing

the colourful fi shing village

of Afurada. portoriver.pt

Majestic Café dates back to the

1920s and is beautifully done up in

the Belle Époque style. Don’t miss

the French toast drizzled with custard

and dry fruits. cafemajestic.com

Café Guarany opened in 1933,

and was a favourite amongst writers

and artists. cafeguarany.com

Café Progresso is the oldest café in

town (opened in 1899), and still serves

strained coffee from an old drip coffee

machine. cafeprogresso.net

Tavi - Confeitaria da Foz has one of

the most delectable pastry displays in

the city. Try Bola de Berlim, a doughnut

stuffed with egg yolk custard. tavi.pt

CAFÉ SOCIETY

PLACES TO GET YOUR CAFFEINE

FIX IN PORTO.

MUST-VISIT

The Bolhão Market, dating

back to 1850, is an unmissable

experience. Come here for

food stalls that serve fresh

seafood, cheese, and

local wines.

CLOCKWISE: PRACHI JOSHI; HEMIS/ALAMY; ALBERTO MANUEL UROSA TOLEDANO/GETTYIMAGES

TRAVEL + LEISURE / MAY 2017 63