May 2019 itinerary link continue from Day 4
Our 5th day was also the last day in Porto, and we were determined to get the most out of it. We took a 10 minutes cab ride to the 150 year old Crystal Palace Gardens, an old exhibition center and gardens built to host the International Expo in 1865. I would think of it as the central park of Porto. It was perfect for a leisurely stroll, and the view of Douro River was amazing. Flowers bloomed in multiple colors and attracted butterflies. One can easily spend a couple of hours here.
Next stop: Soares dos Reis National Art Museum(5 euros), named after the Portuguese sculptor António Soares dos Reis. Just a short walk from the Gardens. We enjoyed the impressive collection of Portuguese art.
Our favorite part of the day: lunch. We walked slowly downhill for about 15-20 minutes & arrived at O Caracas, Porto’s very own lunch special place. There was no obvious sign outside, but we managed to find it. Run by friendly ladies – supposedly all family members – they served delicious two course meals for 6.5 euros. Three choices daily: pork, beef, sea food. Never know how they will cook it, but you can be sure that you will have a delicious lunch. I will go back for sure!
All fueled up, we almost hopped down now-familiar-alleyways to reach the riverside. We HAVE TO do the boat tour, everyone insisted. One hour tour(15 euros) on an open boat was actually quite pleasant despite of the strong sunlight shining down on us. It led us almost all the way out to the western end where Douro met the Atlantic.
Now everyone was in a serious souvenir shopping mode to find the best and the lightest gift to take back home in a 21 inch carry-on. There was no shortage of shops, though. Tracking uphill was no problem when one had a goal. The only problem was the cash shortage: we had trouble finding a bank that provided foreign currency exchange service. Only one of us had an ATM card on hand, and she kept going back to get more cash for everyone. Next time in Porto, we will have to make sure to get money changed at the airport or carry an ATM card.
After a short rest, another cab ride of 15-20 minutes took us to the western seaside district of Porto called Foz. This is where Douro and the Atlantic actually merge: what we saw from a distance earlier on the boat tour was right in front of our eyes here. We got off at Hotel Boa Vista and went up to the roof top bar. We almost felt guilty that we were having the whole roof top to us to have an unobstructed view of the River/Sea merger. We ordered a bottle of wine and some light snacks and toasted to the falling red sun. We were happy just sitting there.
Sunset. Wait. We will catch that better by the ocean side, not from a roof top. We rushed out and walked over to the beach right out the door. Every sunset is different no matter how many time you see it. This one was really special. It looked so close that we could reach out and touch it!
We had a dinner reservation at O Rapido restaurant, near Sao Bento Station, at 8 PM. But it was already after 8, and the traffic was not friendly. With unstable cell connection, it was hard to reach the restaurant. Luckily, they accommodated us when we finally arrived almost an hour late. On a previous visit, this place had great grilled fish. But they only serve that during lunch now, they said. Still, we enjoyed some other forms of fish and meat dishes. Very friendly, reasonably priced(10-15 euros), restaurant. Food is, of course, excellent.
Some of us wanted to see the view from Luis Bridge one more time. As we walked back home from the bridge, we stopped at the Cathedral. It was closed at that hour, but we could see the beautiful facade nicely lit up.
Day 1: Porto
Day 2: Douro Valley
Day 3: Aveiro
Day 4: Guimaraes
Small Wide World 
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