2 November 2025

Whew! I’m home! And what a wonderful two weeks!

Here’s a run down of my second week in Portugal. It’s another long…but photo rich blog post.

On Monday morning, we woke in Porto. John (my friend from Denver who suggested this trip) and I met a tour group at 8:00 am for an all day, Douro Valley Wine Tour.

We started in the picturesque small town of Amarante.

There, we sampled some delicious local Iberico and Salpicão hams, with a flavorful goat cheese.

Next, we went to Quinto and the Valley of the Wolves. We took a quiet stroll across the bridge over the Douro and then continued on our way.

Our next stop included a wine and olive oil tasting at the D’Origem Vineyard.

For me, the highlight was the view. Locals claim this is the “Best View In the World.”

Next, we relaxed with an hour-long cruise on the river.

We concluded our day with lunch in the hometown of Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer who first circumnavigated the earth. The Port winery provided a lovely setting, a savory lunch, and a delicious variety of ports to sample.

From there. We drove back to Porto. Back in town, we stopped for one last “ironic” stop. It’s been called the “World’s Most Beautiful McDonald’s.”

To their credit, when McDonald’s took over this iconic building, they preserved the art and architecture.

Tuesday was a day of seeing the city of Porto.

Before we went into the city, I took a few pics of local houses. Portugal is known for their azulejos/ tile front homes. Here are just a few outside of our Air BnB.

We started our day at the Livreria Lello, a world famous bookstore. It is beautiful. But since it’s become known as an inspiration for JK Rowlings and her Harry Potter adventures, the crowds are unbearable. We had to pay €10 for timed admission (which could be used to buy a book). Unfortunately, they have a very limited selection of books, most of which are printed by them. It has become a tourist trap.

From there, we went to the Carmo Church.

At about this point, I started thinking, all of these churches are the same.

There were some interesting things: a hidden house inside the church, built within the church for unknown reasons. It has three rooms, over each other, a small bedroom, a small living area, and a small kitchen/ dining area. It’s been used as a home for the caretaker of the church, or other church staff members.

Some of the art was interesting:

From there, we stopped for a coffee snd pastry, then went on to the Palacio de Bolsa… the original stock exchange for the city. It’s an impressive building.

Okay, I’m no fan of McDonald’s. But here’s another beautiful building that is now a fast food restaurant. At least they preserve the beauty of the architecture.

Next we visited San Francisco Church.

Photos weren’t allowed in the sanctuary. Here’s an Internet photo so you can see the immense amount of gold used here.

From there, we walked along the river.

And to the train station, also famous for its azulejos tiles.

And we concluded our night with an amazing seafood dinner at Marisqueira do Porto.

On Wednesday, we left Porto to drive north, into Spain and the Galicia region.

First stop was Tui. It’s the first city across the Miño River, which is the border between Portugal and Spain.

We stopped here because my current Spanish teacher, Alberto is from here. We chose to drive to one of Alberto’s suggested sites: the Santo Domingo Monastery. But getting there was no easy feat. The roads were thin!

At one point, we were so close to the walls, that the side mirror brushed against the moss growing on the wall! And thanks to John’s great skill, we never scratched the car!

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to see. The monastery is now an albergue, rest stop for pilgrims on the Camino to Santiago de Campostela.

But the town is beautiful.

Finally, we arrived at Santiago de Campostela. This is the famous city that is the destination for pilgrims who walk hundreds of miles across Spain and the Iberian Peninsula. For some, it’s a spiritual experience, for others it’s more about personal discovery. But almost everyone who completes whatever path, whatever amount of the Camino is right for them, almost everyone says it is life transforming in some way.

And I must admit, it’s really inspiring me to think about walking the Camino.

Observations: Santiago is a much bigger, more modern city than I expected…. And at the same time, the old city is as quaint, historic and picturesque as you might imagine.

But more important for me, to be in a place that for over a thousand years, people from all over the world have, and continue to trek as a part of their own personal or spiritual journey, felt humbling.

When we arrived at the cathedral, we saw a pilgrim (hiker) who arrived, stood in the center of the enormous square, set down his backpack, and laid himself down on the ground, and stared up to the sky. For me, it spoke volumes of his relief and accomplishment.  

When we went inside the cathedral, there were hundreds of people just sitting there. I thought they were waiting for a service to start. It never did. But they were occasional announcements in various languages, that if you are completing your pilgrimage, there is a service for you in your language in a specific room at a specific time each day. It felt truly holy.

Throughout the city, there’s a mix of tourists, pilgrims, locals…all creating a unique “vibe” to the city.

I have to admit, I felt like an interloper there, as if be being there, I was taking credit for something I haven’t yet done. The next time I go to Santiago, it must be at the end of my own Camino.  I could not buy a t-shirt or souvenir there. I would never want someone to ask me if I had done the Camino if I hadn’t. And I imagine that when I have completed my Camino, that a T-shirt will feel totally and completely ridiculous.

That night I actually started googling if I could walk from Valencia to Santiago de Campostela. The Via Levante is one of the ways to Santiago. 1300 kms/ 800 miles. I’m retired. I have time. Why not?! Six weeks of walking could be a powerful experience. A goal for 2026?!

The next day, Thursday, we explored the old city, the Cathedral museum and some of the local shops.

On Friday, we took the car and drove north to the city of A Coruña.

Its most famous landmark is the lighthouse known as The Tower of Hercules.

To be on the northern coast of Spain on the Atlantic Ocean was invigorating.

We also walked through the Castle of Saint Anthony, built at the end of the 16th Century.

We stopped at the marina for lunch. I said to John, “this restaurant will be good. Yacht owners will insist on good food.” The place was packed. We didn’t have a reservation. But they seated us. And the food was amazing!! But of course, Galicia has a reputation for amazing food.

On Saturday, we drove from Santiago de Campostela, back to Lisbon, about 6 hours with stops for food and gas.

John had reserved a nice hotel room adjacent to the airport. So, after we checked in, we enjoyed the pool and spa, and a nice dinner.

Sunday (today), I got up early, ate breakfast in the hotel, and caught an early flight home. It’s good to be home.