After the rigours of port-tasting at Taylors on Sunday, and importantly, achieving the objective, the purchase of some fine wines, Monday was spent on a cultural tour of Porto’s north bank, including some beautiful churches; you have to hand it to the Catholics, their places of worship are things to behold!

After cracking in some ten miles of walking around the south bank on Saturday, including dinner out for Sally and I and a trip up a steep hill to the supermarket, perhaps it was a good thing that we took a taxi to the first stop on Monday.

Alighting from the taxi, we crossed one of the six bridges that cross this end of the Douro River, Luís I bridge on the Gaia side to Ribeira via the lower walkway. This is probably one of the most famous of the bridges and most photographed. It was once the largest wrought-iron arch in the world at 395 meters long. It was formally opened in 1886 after five years, but only the lower deck was in operation. Two years later, vehicles began using the upper deck. In 2003 vehicle traffic was replaced by the light rail network there.  

After crossing the lower walkway, we took to another funicular (steep cable-driven electric car) to the level of the upper city. Leaving the funicular, we headed to the cathedral. Entering via a cloister, covered in gothic images on tiles, or what is known as azulejos, a blue and white tin-glazed ceramic. The method is common throughout Portugal, and I think Spain where you see the tiles in everything from public loos to restaurants too. The inside of the cathedral was extensively decorated in gold-painted wood carvings and wall paintings - made me wonder whether the paintings in our church at Ashampstead might once have looked like this? There are two tall towers, one of which could be climbed all the ways to the top, according splendid views across the city and out to sea. An interesting (I thought) fact; during Napoleon's invasion in1809, the locals hid the Cathedral's silver altar by painting it to resemble the existing silver surroundings. This rather clever camouflage prevented the French from looting the valuable altar.

Our second stop was the former convent of St Clara, founded by the order of Poor Clares in 1427. Our earlier research had told us that, of the churches in Porto, this was the prettiest. It does not look much from the outside; indeed, we were not even sure we were in the right place, but inside we were very much not disappointed. It’s not enormous like a cathedral nave or choir, but it’s beautifully decorated in gold painted woodwork including gilded organ pipes at the back. It was fully restored between 2019 and 2021 and looks magnificent. Behind a screen on the mezzanine at the back was a ‘portable organ’; also very old, it’s the kind that needs someone to pump the bellows while the organist plays. I gathered from the curator when I asked that it’s used to practice with as the ‘proper’ organ is rather loud!  

After the cultural tour we found lunch in a side street. A variety of tapas, including various cheeses, octopus tempura (one of my favourites here), different meat croquets, washed down with cider, beer and glasses of port (not all in the same glass!). Sally and I indulged further with an ice cream from a shop opposite.

We returned to the south side of the river via the top walkway. We eschewed the ride down from the top in a cable car – you can have too much fun in a day’s travel – we walked back to the bottom and caught one of Nigel’s Ubers back to the marina and more library time. 

Simon

Pictures:

Wall paintings in the choir of the cathedral and a carving behind the silver altar.

Convent of S Clara

View from the top of the cathedral tower

Iron bridge

Blue and white ceramic art