March 9: Livraria Lello

After an unsuccessful attempt to get an oil change (we’ll try again tomorrow), we eventually found a spot to park for the day in Porto.  We explored the city – first visiting the San Bento train station and then the famous Livraria Lello bookstore, which is thought to be the inspiration for Harry Potter. Built in 1906, it is one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal and often rated as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.  

Often described as the most beautiful train station in the world, the San Bento train station is definitely worth the visit.  Thanks to the brilliant work of Jorge Colaco, the station’s entrance feels like you are walking into an art museum with 22 thousand tiles.

After a quick snack and a few sips of Tawny port wine, we walked back into town and visited the Dom Luis I bridge, which spans the River Duoro. As we walked across the double-deck arch bridge, we took several wonderful pictures of the beautiful city of Porto.