It was a day full of excitement. I came back to the Pilot hostel in the centre of Porto and I was so exhausted that I immediately sank into my bed. Luckily, I did not sleep too long and in the morning.
Seaside and lighthouse in Porto
I found the Pole whom I had met before at the reception desk. He told me which beaches in Porto (Vila de Gaia alone has 17 of them!) are worth-visiting if you want to spend a lazy day.
City beach in Porto
Those were his suggestions:
- Vila do Conde Porto – an eighteen-kilometre-long beach on the edge of the ocean. It is located 20 km from the city centre. It's a romantic place, where you can admire some beautiful sunsets. The beach also offers some water sport opportunities. Vila do Conde is divided into few smaller beaches, the most famous of which are Castelo – Forte S. Joao Baptista in Avenida Brasil, Vila do Conde, Praia Olinda Av Brasil, Castelo Forte S. Joao Baptista and Praia Da Azurara. You can get there by underground or by bus.
- Miramar Porto – located in Vila Nova de Gaia, the beach is famous for its romantic character (whatever it means :p). You can find there a chapel called Senhor da Pedra. The place is also well known for its beautiful rocks. You can climb them and take some interesting photos. Miramar is located in a rather tourist-oriented region – there are a lot of cafes and restaurants and even some attractions for golf enthusiasts. You can spend your time surfing or fishing. The beach is placed about 10 km away from the city centre – you can get there by bus.
- Espinho Porto – a beach for those, who don't like crowds of people or noise so typical for busy tourist regions. Espinho beach, located about 15 km from the centre of Porto, attracts an ever growing number of silence lovers every year. It is best to get there by train.
Pebbly beach in Porto
It all looked very promising, but I chose yet another option. I didn't feel like leaving the city. Following the advice of the Polish fellow, I got on a bus (bus fare – 1.80€) from Avenida dos Aliados and in just 20 minutes I reached the pebbly city beach. However, even there I did not escape sightseeing. At the seaside I saw a small fort Castelo do Queijo (which can be translated as Cheese Castle). I took a few photos and spent the rest of the day relaxing.
Cheese Castle – Castelo do Queijo
After previous day's expenses (and spending 10 € for a Port wine), I decided to eat my dinner on the beach. I found a cheap Pingo Doce supermarket, where I bought some sausages (1€) and 3 rolls (50 cents). Thanks to that I saved some money :)
Portuguese breakfast of Champions
A couple of hours on the beach once again awoke my desire to travel. I walked along the Douro river on my way back to the city centre. I passed by some old, historic trams. I also saw another bridge – Ponte da Arrabida.
Historic tram in Porto
However I had to quickly get back to my hostel – I was planning a trip to Aveiro on the following day.
Ponte de Arrabida- the bridge in Porto
