On our third and last day in Porto, we decided, as we often do, to follow our trusty Rick Steves walking tour. Though not in depth, Rick’s guides give a good overview of a city, and are an excellent option if you are short on time.

First, here are some random photos from our walk through Porto. Check the captions for details.

Porto Sign Selfie.

It is spring in Portugal. The magnolia trees were in bloom

Porto Streets & Buildings

Porto Streets & Buildings

Porto Streets & Buildings

Porto Streets & Buildings

Actually two churches separated by a very narrow house. Igreja dos Carmelitas Descalços was built in the 17th century for Carmelite nuns, and Igreja do Carmo was built in the 18th century for Carmelite monks.

The two white framed windows in the centre belong to the narrow house, which was occupied until the 1980s

Stunning azulejos on the church facade

On the facade of the Carmo church. Don’t you love the expressions on the angels’ faces?

We saw lots of shops selling tins of sardines as souvenirs. Who knew that was a thing?

The bell-tower of the Clérigos Church, built in 1763. It’s a symbol of Porto. We declined the offer to climb to the top.

A rather modern statue. He was Bishop of Porto from 1952-1982. He was exiled for many years because of his opposition to the fascist regime of Salazar

A Portuguese specialty – salted cod fritters

Steep streets leading down to the river

João Baptista da Silva Leitão de Almeida Garrett, 1st Viscount of Almeida Garrett (4 February 1799 – 9 December 1854) was a Portuguese poet, orator, playwright, novelist, journalist, politician, and a peer of the realm. A major promoter of theater in Portugal he is considered the greatest figure of Portuguese Romanticism and a true revolutionary and humanist.

Guilherme Gomes Fernandes (1850–1902) helped to found the Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firefighters (1874–75) and the Public Salvation Corps in Portugal.

In front of the main building of the University of Porto

Students in Portugal proudly wear black capes as a uniform. Did they inspire the Hogwarts cloaks?

Infante Dom Henrique of Portugal, (1394 – 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator, was a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese Empire and in the 15th-century European maritime discoveries and maritime expansion. Through his administrative direction, he is regarded as the main initiator of what would be known as the Age of Discovery.

Infante Dom Henrique of Portugal, (1394 – 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator, was a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese Empire and in the 15th-century European maritime discoveries and maritime expansion. Through his administrative direction, he is regarded as the main initiator of what would be known as the Age of Discovery.

A nice square near the river

One of the highlights of the day was a visit to Livraria Lello, a bookshop which has been described as one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world. This shop was built in 1906, and lives up to its reputation. It has become very popular as a tourist destination, but in recent years the popularity has skyrocketed because of its association with a certain magical wizard. A young JK Rowling spent 2 years in Porto teaching English, and in her own words “in those first weeks in Portugal I wrote what has become my favourite chapter in the Philosopher’s Stone, ‘The Mirror of Erised’”. Rumour has it that Flourish and Botts, the bookstore in Diagon Alley, was inspired by Livraria Lello. Maybe, maybe not, but the rumours are enough to make this small store one of the the most visited sites in Porto. So much so that you need to buy a ticket for 5 Euros from the nearby ticket office, and numbers are strictly limited. Nevertheless the interior was very crowded, but still worth seeing.

The Art Nouveau facade

Note the queue of people waiting to enter the book shop – after already queueing separately to purchase a ticket.

It is still a functioning book store.

Not timber but painted plaster.

The famous staircase

The famous staircase

Tourists line up to pose on the staircase

The stained glass panel ceiling “Decus in Labore” (Honour in work), the motto of the Lello brothers.

Original cash register from the Lello Bookstore that preceeded this one. It was one of the first registers in Portugal to issue paper receipts. It is still fully operational.

A little Hogwarts-themed photo op in the ticket office.

I would have liked a better photo of the stunning staircase … but so would everyone else!

We ended our peregrination at the Ribeira, the rejuvenated riverfront area. Porto’s riverside quarter, known as the Ribeira, is one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods. The area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The waterfront is a long strip of cafes, restaurants and shops overlooking the river and the Port houses of Vila Nova de Gaia on the opposite bank. Many of these businesses are housed in what would once have been single-storey warehouses whilst above and behind are a row of colourful, if not a little faded, houses.

Traditional boat carrying barrels of Port Wine

Our time in Porto was sadly running out, so we strolled the length of the Ribeira and then headed back to the railway station to depart for Lisbon. The route back up the hill was rather steep, so we opted to ride up the Funicular dos Guindais. The railway was originally built in 1891 to facilitate the movement of cargo, particularly Port wine. However 2 years later there was an accident caused by excess velocity, and the railway was closed, remaining inactive for over a century. A new funicular and station were opened in 2004, following the same line as before. Due to the difference in slope along the line, the cars have self-leveling platforms, allowing the car floor to stay horizontal. It is only a three-minute journey but the view over the Douro and the spectacular bridge is well worth it. Plus the walk up that steep hill would be a lot less fun.

I’m glad we weren’t walking up this hill!

Note the concertina base allowing the floor to remain horizontal.

Great view of the bridge from the funicular

Funicular dos Guindais