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  • Suhashini L

Day 215 - Ola, Portugal! My One Day Trip to the City of Porto, Where Culture Meets Coastline!

Updated: Sep 9, 2023

Day 215 (04 Aug 2023) - Porto, Portugal

VIEW MY PORTUGAL JOURNEY MAP BELOW


VIEW RIDING VIDEO (INSTA 360) BELOW

 

DAY 215 (04 AUG 2023) – In the morning, I left Madrid, Spain for a 9 hour (620 km) ride to Porto, Portugal. Porto is the second largest city, in Portugal after Lisbon, which is the capital city of Portugal.



Porto is also one of the oldest cities in Portugal, with a long history as a bustling riverside city for trading and transportation, along the banks of the Douro River. In fact, the historic city center of Porto, the Ribeira District and the Douro River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


It is also famous for its remarkable bridges. I got an impressive hilltop view of the beautiful river and city center, including the iconic Dom Luis I Bridge, and the modern Arrabida Bridge.


Porto is also the birthplace of port wine, a fortified wine that has been produced in the region for over 300 years.


In the evening, I explored this charming city together with 2 of my hostel mates from France. There was music on the streets and the city was bustling with people, particularly tourists.



We strolled along the streets surrounded by beautiful historical buildings.


Malacca, which is my hometown back in Malaysia, has got a historical connection with the Portuguese. Malacca was once a port and base of the Portuguese Empire for a period of 130 years (1511 - 1641). The Portugues East Indies controlled the trade in the region.


The 'A Famosa' Fort is a Portuguese fortress built in Malacca in 1512. Its ruins are still standing today and is among the oldest European architectural remains in Southeast Asia.


The Kristang (otherwise known as "Portuguese-Eurasians" or "Malacca Portuguese") community have existed since the 16th and 17th centuries. They are a creole ethnic group of people of predominantly mixed Portuguese and Malaccan descent, with substantial Dutch, British, Jewish, Malay, Chinese and Indian heritage.


Some descendants speak a distinctive Kristang language or Malacca Portuguese, which is a creole based on Portuguese. There has been about 300 Portuguese words adopted in the Malay language itself.


 

MY PORTUGAL JOURNEY MAP

​(Click + to zoom or [ ] to expand for full info)

 

INSTA 360 CAMERA RIDING VIDEOS


COMING SOON.



 


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