Falling in Love with Porto in Photos

I didn’t expect to fall in love with Porto.

And, to be honest, my first impression of Porto was that the city was dark (no thanks to the dark clouds and cold weather), cold and grimy.

As we drove into Porto, we were tired and chilled to the bone, thanks to a wicked cold snap roaring through Europe. Our GPS lost reception through the thick clouds, and we drove around in circles as Cole helpfully piped up “Mom, I’m think I’m going to be sick!” from the back seat. Such is the glamorous life of family travel blogging.

We were primed for a bad first impression of the city.

And yet, three days later, I found myself utterly in love with the city, and sorry to leave.

Here’s the story of how I fell in love with gritty, beautiful Porto, told through the lenses of our point and shoot Canon camera and iPhone.

Bride on steps of Cathedral Se Porto Portugal black and white
Bride on steps of Cathedral Se
Medeval Pillory at Cathedral Se in Porto Portugal
Medeval Pillory at Cathedral Se in Porto Portugal
Overlooking the Dom Luis Bridge and the Douro River, Porto, Portugal
Jordan and Daddy peeking out at the Douro River
Looking down from the hills above the Duoro Portugal
Looking down from the hills above the Duoro
Porto Portugal Door to Abandoned Building
Door to an abandoned building
Smiling on the Douro River Cruise Porto Portugal
Jordan’s loving our boat tour of the Douro River
Boats on the Douro River Porto Portugal
Boats on the Douro
Cobblestone streets near the port houses Porto Portugal
Cobblestone streets near the port houses
Tour Boat on the Douro
Tour Boat on the Douro
Crumbling ruins on the banks of the Douro River Porto Portugal
Crumbling ruins on the banks of the Douro
Mom carrying child through the Cobblestone Streets Porto Portugal
Micki carrying Jordan through the steep Cobblestone Streets
Weathered door in Central Porto Oporto Portugal
Weathered door in Central Porto
Porto's Ribeira district from the Dom Luis Bridge Portugal
Porto’s Ribeira district from the Dom Luis Bridge