Guimaraes

 On our final full day in Portugal I had planned a train trip out to Guimaraes, a city whose centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It certainly has some historic grandeur, and not been spoilt by modern development

Collegiada de Nossa Senhora da Olivera. At least churches were open. This one charged two euros but we were glad of the slim pickings

Unfortunately, along with a couple of museums, the main reason to visit the city is to see the castle. And it was a Friday. Evidently the public administrators strike that did for our trip to Belem was a weekly thing. So castle and museums were all shut. All we could do was wander around, and enjoy a good lunch from one of the many many restaurants that fill the place.

Shame. Castle is a real stronghold!

Vila Nova de Gaia - Port and boat trips

What we hadn't yet done in Porto was go down the the riverside. I mentioned that Porto was hilly. Well mostly it is up on a hill overlooking the river. So if you went down to the river you really were going down. And would have to haul oneself up again. But today we were going to the river, and also going across it to visit Nova de Gaia, which is where all the port houses are based.

Its a steep walk down by the Dom Luis I bridge. Some interesting things to look at on the way down, like this mural, but also surprising amount of dereliction.

We took a nice walk along the Douro and then doubled back to go on one of the numerous pleasure boats offering river trips to see the five bridges

Back ashore we climbed up and crossed to Vial Nova for lunch (and views back across the river to Porto)

Followed by a port tour - a trip to the cellars, and explanation of the process of aging and bottling port, followed by what we all really wanted - a tasting!

They were set up to allow an awful lot of tasting!

The climb up to the monastery offered views which didn't disappoint, but a church that did - it was closed