arrive and dive right in

WEDNESDAY APRIL 22nd

Kick off your first night in town with Fado, Port, and Pastel de Nata – wasting no time immersing yourself in Portuguese culture. Keep it close to home, hitting all the best spots within a few blocks. After the show, Stroll through Virtudes, an old terraced park with an ancient (and ginormous) Ginko tree on your way to Bosco. Get an aperitif at this epic terrace bar before heading to Dinner at Bilah Nova just down the road.

• Fado: 5:30pm at the hotel. Book Here. If you worried you may miss the show because of flight delays or transit time, you can always opt to book the Thursday night show instead.

• Virtudes: Enter from the top, there is an open gate, with an empty dirt lot, a shed, and cats. Walk through the lot to the path on the left side to enter the park.

• Bosco: enter the yellow building from the road, walk through the entry way to the stone steps, and take the steps down the the terrace bar in the back. Find a seat, and order at the bar. *Note: pending the crowd, they may or may not switch from bar service to table service.

• Bilha Nova: Call +351 22 208 1729 for an 8:30p/9:00p reservation or ask your hotel if they can help book one for you. If the guy recommending wine is named something like “Serjo”, tell him HayHay says hi. He’ll most likely not remember me and it will be perfectly awkward.

market crawl + port tasting + porto tonic

THURSDAY APRIIL 23rd

  • Morning Run (potential route)

    Check out the beautiful tile work at Igreja do Carmo on your way to Mercado do Bolhão (approx a 20min walk).

  • Walk the market stalls at Mercado do Bolhao and shop some light bites on the perimeter wall as a light lunch*. Then head to the nearby Comer e Chorar por Mais to shop meats, cheeses, and port (enjoy some samples while you are there + maybe pick up some picnic supplies of you plan on going to Jardim do Morro for a sunset picnic tomorrow). Then head over to Casa Natal and ask for a Port Tasting while you peruse this vintage shop of tinned fish and Port. Want more food? This would also be a good opportunity for Portuguese chicken at Pedro dos Frangos near by. Whether you take some takeaway chicken with you or not, head to BASE for a beer while lounging in the grass amongst olive trees before heading to the hotel to reset for the evening.

    *Note: There’s usually a daily special next to the wine counter that will include a glass of wine with some nosh.

  • If you missed Fado on your first night, plan to catch the 5:30pm Fado show tonight at the hotel and then walk to Capela Incomum for an aperitif (Porto Tonic or some wine) before dinner. On your way to dinner, there is potential for souvenir shopping at O! Galeria.

    Grab some dinner at Barro* and then hit Genuíno, the nearby natural wine bar after dinner before heading back to the hotel.

    *Make a reservation online for 8:00/8:30pm. Get the scallops, get the prawns, get everything…and the “strawberry chantilly on steroids “too.

peacocks + riviera + choose your own adventure

FRIDAY APRIIL 24th

  • Morning Run (potential route)

    Walk the Jardim do Palacio, see the peacocks, and enjoy the views (enter at the top and exit the bottom).

  • Choose your lunch:

    • Out to Lunch: cool af Japanese lunch spot [katsu, soba, udon, vinyl records]

    • Bar Aduela: our favorite tavern in Porto

    Maybe check out this cool antique shop, Antika, for a souvenir and then hit Bar Aduela for a beer or glass of white wine before heading to the ribiera area.

    On your way to the Ribiera, stop at Sao Bento train station to admire the tile work, and maybe see if the Ubran Market is popping’ across the street.

    From Sao Bento, make your way into ribiera..

    CHOOSE ADVENTURE:

    by walking to Provo where you can stop for a glass of wine if you would like. You’ll pass a very old book store, a church, a museum, and tons of restaurants, bars, and street performers.

    From Provo, head to Church of Saint Francis to admire the interior and wonder the crypt below.

    From the church, make your way to the heart of the Ribera - the bustling water front.

    Palicio morning walk / Out to Lunch 12p / Aduela / Antique Shop? Sao Bento / 4:30/5pm Wood Church / 6:00p Lado / 7pm Taberna

    or

    Aduela Lunch / Base / Sao Bento / Wood Church, Prova, EARLY DINNER 5:30/6PM / Taberna Dos Mercadores —Adega São Nicolau — Muro do Bacalhau, Walk bridge to do Morro Sunset (8:30p)

  • If you missed Fado on your first night, plan to catch the 5:30pm Fado show tonight at the hotel and then walk to Capela Incomum for an aperitif (Porto Tonic or some wine) before dinner. On your way to dinner, there is potential for souvenir shopping at O! Galeria.

    Grab some dinner at Barro* and then hit Genuíno, the nearby natural wine bar after dinner before heading back to the hotel.

    *Make a reservation online for 8:00/8:30pm. Get the scallops, get the prawns, get everything…and the “strawberry chantilly on steroids “too.