The pilgrim’s walk was over but the traveler in me was just getting started. After weeks of pre-dawn departures, quiet trails, and the rhythm of my own footsteps, my journey shifted into a different gear: navigating buses, city heat, steep alleyways, and the unexpected joys of urban wandering.
For the first time in weeks, I let myself sleep in. No alarms, no pack to tighten, no walking in the dark. I made a slow breakfast, lingered, and was the last pilgrim to leave the albergue in Muxía at 10:00 AM. A bittersweet farewell to that peaceful coastal town.
The bus ride to Santiago offered one last look at Galicia’s rolling green landscape before giving way to city bustle. During my two-hour layover, I slipped into a café and true Camino magic-ran into a familiar face from the trail. Her name escaped me in my travel-scrambled state, but the smile and easy conversation felt like a final little blessing from the Camino. By 3:15 PM, I was on a long bus ride to Porto.
Arriving at 10:30 PM was like stepping into a furnace: 82°F (28°C!) at night. Not wanting to tackle Porto’s famously steep, maze-like streets with a sore toe and heavy pack, I jumped into a taxi only to be overcharged by one euro. “It’s the principle,” as my dad would say.
But from that tiny bump onward, Porto swept me off my feet.
One of the highlights of my stay was attending Porto Pianofest. Listening to one of the great piano performers in an intimate setting, music filling the room, was simply magical. Like giving my tired pilgrim soul, a luxurious moment of rest.
During my short but wonderful visit, I packed in some of Porto’s best-loved sights:
- São Bento Railway Station, with its 20,000 blue-and-white azulejos depicting Portugal’s history. Honestly, it feels like a free art museum disguised as a train station.
- Avenida dos Aliados, Porto’s proud central boulevard; grand architecture, leafy trees, and nonstop people-watching.
- Mercado do Bolhão and Rua de Santa Catarina, where I wandered among fresh produce, local delicacies, lively shops, and the iconic Café Majestic with its Art Nouveau charm.
- Livraria Lello, a neo-Gothic fantasia of carved wood, stained glass, and that famous swirling staircase said to have inspired Hogwarts. Beautiful… and absolutely swarming with people. Patience required!
- The Carmo and Carmelitas churches, including the quirky narrow house squeezed between them and the Carmo’s massive azulejo-covered side façade.
- The Clérigos Tower, where I climbed over 200 steps for panoramic views of Porto’s rooftops and the wide Douro below.
- Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto), an impressive blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque—fortress-like, commanding, and richly decorated with azulejos.
- The Church of São Lourenço dos Grilos, elegant and slightly hidden, with centuries of shifting history behind its walls.
- The Ribeira District, Porto’s heart: colorful houses, medieval lanes, lively riverside cafés, rabelos moored on the Douro, and the timeless charm of Praça da Ribeira.
- Palácio de Cristal Gardens, where I wandered through green lawns, ponds, peacocks, and yet another round of breathtaking city views.
- The Fonte dos Leões, a striking French-cast fountain guarded by four regal lions.
- And Igreja do Carmo, whose rococo beauty and sweeping blue-tiled mural made it one of my favorite façades in the whole city.
In between all this exploring, I ate ridiculously well. Porto takes its food seriously and everywhere I went; people were warm, kind, and happy to help. More than once, I caught myself wishing I had a few extra days to linger, sip another café, catch another sunset over the Douro.
My time in Porto was short, but it left a big impression: a city bursting with beauty, history, music, energy, and soul. After the quiet simplicity of the Camino, it felt like stepping back into the world with curiosity, gratitude, and a traveler’s open heart.
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