Porto and Aveiro private tour

Porto is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. We will start our visit with a panoramic view of the sea at the beach in Matosinhos, travelling along the coast until we reach the “Foz”, the mouth of the Douro River, passing through the old medieval city district of Miragaia and arriving at the Clerigos Tower.

Here we can photograph the symbol of this city: the Clerigos Tower. Built in 1754, the Tower is 75 meters high and at the time it was the tallest building in the city of Porto. Next, we will visit Lello’s Bookstore where author JK Rowling found the inspiration for her best-seller “Harry Potter”. It’s without a doubt one of the most outstanding bookstores in the world. Lello’s beauty is a great attraction for a vast number of tourists. We will stop for photographs at Carmo Church (Igreja do Carmo) noted for its marvelous exterior facades decorated with blue and white tiles.

“Avenida dos Aliados” is the most famous and largest avenue in Porto where we see dazzling architectural examples of granite buildings decorated with domes and sculptures that are the envy of other big European cities. This is the center of the city where Porto’s imposing City Hall, built at the beginning of the 20th century, is located. Next, we will visit the city’s major market place “Bolhao market” known for the extravagant way that the vendors have of selling by crying out their daily fresh products: flowers, vegetables, fish, etc. From here we head on to “Rua de Santa Catarina”, the shopping district of the city. This street is aligned with magnificent shops whose windows are more than appealing to the eye of the visitor. It is also here that we will find the famous Majestic Cafe, a meeting place for Porto’s high society, intellectuals and bohemian artists. The Majestic is considered the most beautiful Cafe in Portugal and one of the most enchanting in the world, entrenched with the glamour of the “Belle Epoque” time period.

The train station of Sao Bento is internationally renowned for its interior tiles that depict important events in the history of Portugal. Another stop on our tour is the Cathedral which construction began in the 12th century. It is one the city’s oldest monuments built in the Romanesque style architecture and its location, high above the city, is a perfect place to see the fantastic views of the Douro River and the bridges that join its margins together

Aveiro is known as the Venice of Portugal. A tour in a “Moliceiro”, the traditional boat of this region, is a must. You will cruise through the innumerable water channels that run through the city and through the “Ria” (a saltwater river) where the salt industry exists since the Roman Era. Leisure time to walk around the historic center, dominated by “Art Nouveau” style buildings, local stores and pastry shops where you can buy the famed “Fleur de Sel”, the king of salts. You can also taste the famous “Doce de Ovos Moles” of Aveiro, the traditional egg sweets of the region.