MyInspireProject EP8 - Porto, A Unique Legacy Between the Old World Charm & Modern Symphony

We arrive in Porto, the capital of North in Portugal. We step into the old-world charm and settle in at Vila Foz in Foz area. The old manor house preserves its majestic glamour and represents the revival of the high bourgeoisie culture of Porto. This 19th-century palatial building is the perfect home to begin of our journey.

Between the Atlantic and Douro River setting, we follow the fishermen into the historic center. From the cork crafts at the local market in Ribeira to Portuguese Custard Tart and pastry, we start the day with some lovely essences of Portugal.

The stunning Azulejo painted tiles at the exterior façade of Church of Souls depict the scenes from the lives of saints. After we experience the opulence of the golden Church of Sao Francisco, we come to Palacio da Balsa, an old stock exchange building in Neoclassical style for a royal retreat and exotic encounter within the mind-blowing Arab Room.

Through the iconic crimson staircase, we enter the fantasy world of Livraria Lello. Known as the inspiration for Harry Potter, this most beautiful bookstore has gathered numerous artists, academics and writers for more than a century.

While finish up the Baixa area, we come down to Douro River and cruise through the charming river banks. Then we head up to Torre dos Clerigos that dominates the entire landscape of the city. And yet, we could not forget to mention the famous Port wine. At Cockburns Celler in Gaia, an area on the other side of Douro river where the winemakers store the Port from the valley for exporting, we enjoy the full expression of Port and its spectrum. And through the trace of the wine-making history, we are ready to jump into our adventure in the wine country.

After two hours of driving, we finally arrive at the exclusive Quinta da Corte. Port is a rich wine from a rugged valley. For centuries, the only way to plant a vineyard was by building dry stone-wall terraces. These heroic tasks formed a dramatic and beautiful look of the Douro. After a fresh and homemade gourmet luncheon, we come to explore our design oriented casa, dated from the 19th century. The entire casa and wine cellars have been re-worked by renowned architect, Pierre Yovanovitch. It combines tradition, modernity and luxury. We get to taste the exquisite Ports and Tawny in the middle of bold architecture, abundant nature and works of art.

Follow the breathtaking wine country and impressive cultural landscape of the Douro, we hop on the river boat to experience the first wine region demarcated in the world. Whether it is rain or shine, we simply can not resist the magic of The Douro.

Then, we return to the modern world of Porto to relax in the peaceful and elegant sanctuary and spa at Vila Foz, to restore and balance our energy and senses.

We start the new day with a warm and welcoming lunch at Cantinho do Avillez, where the Traditional Portuguese Gastronomy meets with an international affair. Under the Portuguese sky, the pink Art-Deco Casa de Serralves and the museum make Serralves Park a destination for Portuguese and international contemporary art and culture.

Walking through the modern cityscape in Porto, we are impressed by the distinct polygon of Casa da Musica. Designed by architect Rem Koolhaas, the music hall is the first building in Portugal dedicated to music exclusively. It is a place for urban sensations and entertainment.

In the last evening, we step into a gastronomic playground at Mini Bar Porto. Created by the renowned chef Jose Avillez. the place offers an unforgettable and surprising gastronomic experience, where nothing is what it seems.

At the end, just like how we started this journey, we fell in love with saudade, the nostalgic feeling of Porto, all over again.


#Porto #Portugal #MyInspireProject

Special Thanks To:

Porto and Northern Portugal Tourism Board
visitportoandnorth.travel

Vila Foz Hotel & Spa
https://www.vilafozhotel.pt/

Quinta da Corte
http://quintadacorte.com/en/

Jose Avillez
joseavillez.pt

Mini Bar Porto
https://www.minibar.pt/pt/minibar-porto.html

Cantinho do Avillez Porto
https://cantinhodoavillez.pt/en/

Livraria Lello
https://www.livrarialello.pt/en-us/

Clérigos Tower
http://www.torredosclerigos.pt/en/

Cockburn’s Port
https://www.cockburns.com/home.php

Douro Azul
http://www.douroazul.com/Default.aspx

Serralves Foundation - Serralves
https://www.serralves.pt/en/museum/the-museum/

Palácio da Bolsa
https://palaciodabolsa.com/en/tourism/


Credit -

My Inspire Project
Copyright of Gloren Co.

Publisher | Producer - Henry Hu
Creative Director | Executive Producer - Andrew Chen
Cinematographer | Editor – Dennis Schmelz
Writer | Narrator - Andrew Chen
Assistant Producer - Claire Hsu



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