About two weeks ago I planned to either go to Port or Lisbon, but unfortunately something came up and it fell through. Yet it keeps nagging in the back of my head so it has to happen. But will it be Port or Lisbon?
Porto
A harbour city in the northwest of Portugal and the place where port wine is being made. I can appreciate a good port so I can’t go wrong there. But obviously drinking port isn’t the only reason to visit this city. The old center Ribeira is on the world heritage list and only that should be enough to go there. But Porto also has lovely bridges, a pittoresque park, churches and cathedrals with the icing on the cake being the book store and library Lello for a book lover like myself.
It seems to be a wonderful place to go to for a few days and especially Lello seems something I want to go and see.
Lisbon
Of course this is the capital of Portugal. Which pretty much makes it a ‘must visit’. It didn’t become the capital for nothing. In Lisbon there are more things to see that are on the world heritage list, like Mosteiro dos Jerónimos a hieronymites monastery and the tower Torre de Belém. There are also many museums and park and the city gives me a very pittoresque feeling, which is meanly due to the cable trams and the Elevador de Santa Justa, the elevator connecting Santa Justa street with the higher up Carmo square.
And Now?
Generally I think Lisbon has more to offer but still Porta keeps calling for me (no not only for the port wine or the books). Maybe both places can’t be compared because they are so different.
Have you been to Portugal and particularly one of these cities? What would you recommend?
2 Comments
umm, how crazy is this, i just stumbled upon your blog and we JUST returned from porto AND lisbon! ahhhhh! that is a tough choice, loved them both so much but you can go look at some pictures on our page and see which you prefer! XO
Oh how coincidental! I’ll definitely go look at your photos to see what they’re both like 🙂 thank you!