Porto Walk III, Portugal

This is one of the entrances to Bolhão Market.

Inside the market.

Bolhão Market is one of Porto’s historic food markets, with stalls selling fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, flowers, and other local products. Its present building dates from 1914, and it reopened in 2022 after extensive restoration. The market stalls occupy the ground floor, with restaurants upstairs. For visitors, it offers a chance to browse Portuguese ingredients and take a break for something to eat.

The stairs to upper area

Rua de Santa Catarina. 

Rua de Santa Catarina is Porto’s main shopping street, with a pedestrian section lined with shops and cafés. Along the street are the historic Café Majestic and Capela das Almas, a chapel known for its blue-and-white tiles. It is a pleasant place to stroll and see another side of the city beyond the old town and waterfront.

The Chapel of Souls, or Capela das Almas, stands on Rua de Santa Catarina. Built in the early eighteenth century, it is best known for the blue-and-white tiles covering its exterior. Added in 1929, the tile panels depict scenes from the lives of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Catherine. They make the small chapel stand out along the busy shopping street.

I continued along Rua de Santa Catarina.

Praça da Batalha is a historic square near the southern end of Rua de Santa Catarina. Its landmarks include the São João National Theatre, Batalha Cinema, and a statue of King Pedro V, which has stood here since 1866. Nearby, the Church of Santo Ildefonso adds another distinctive tiled façade to this part of Porto.

A side street on my right

Church of Saint Ildefonso

I could have continued straight ahead, but I turned back here to head toward my next destination.

Retracing my steps.

I turned left onto Rua de 31 de Janeiro.

From this area, I took a bus to get closer to Luís I Bridge, but I boarded the wrong one. I got off and decided to walk to the bridge instead.

I got off near this area.

This is Praça da Batalha in Porto. The large building is Teatro Nacional São João, the São João National Theatre.

I found a narrow street heading in the direction I wanted to go, so I followed it.

The narrow street led me into a residential neighborhood in Porto.

I was now near the riverfront, where I could see Porto Cathedral.

Porto Cathedral, known locally as Sé do Porto, stands on a hill overlooking the old town. Construction began in the 12th century, and its solid stone walls and twin towers give it the appearance of a fortress. Later additions brought Gothic and Baroque features, including a Gothic cloister decorated with blue-and-white tiles.

A view of Porto from the cathedral.

Next to the cathedral, a road leads onto Luís I Bridge.

I was now on Luís I Bridge.

The Douro River

A view from the other side of the bridge

A view of the bridge after crossing

At this end of the bridge, a cable car station offers a ride down to the riverfront below.

Metro trains run across the upper deck of the bridge, alongside pedestrians. Cars are not allowed on this level.

Instead of taking the cable car down to the riverfront, I decided to walk and save the cable car ride for the return uphill.

A view behind me

I reached the riverfront below the bridge.

The riverfront was lined mostly with shops catering to tourists.