I was taken aback at how quickly our month in Portugal was coming to a close. We had one week left, and with all the other planning we had done on the country, we sort of left Porto to the wayside. We were going in unprepared and clueless, and honestly, I think that was the perfect way to go about it. Porto began to excite us from the moment we hopped in our Uber, and the driver mentioned we were staying in one of the best areas in Old Town. As a long-time resident of Porto, he threw grenades of information on the city at us, and as the minutes ticked, I began growing more and more impatient to see what the hype was all about. Eventually we entered the Medieval Old City (or Porto Ribeira) and I now understood our driver’s enthusiasm. From cobblestone streets winding their way through vibrant neighborhoods, to the pastel-colored buildings adorning with intricate azulejos (or Portuguese tiles) reflecting the golden sun, to the numerous scenic viewpoints overlooking the Douro River. This city was bursting with charm. Quite possibly the most charming city I’ve ever laid eyes on.
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