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The crystal palace of Porto

16/7/2019

A symbol of progress

'PROGREDIOR' was deliberately written over the front doors of the first grand Exhibition hall of Porto, the 'PALÁCIO DE CRISTAL' - the word 'progredior' means 'progress' in Latin and it was deeply symbolic. In the mid 1800s, Portugal, and in particular the city of Porto, were trying hard to catch up with Europe and US's industrial revolution and, at the same time, going through a period of intense... romanticism!

The merchants and industrials of Porto were bohemian, wealthy and seeking class and personal affirmation. A small group of Industrials - an association called AIP - decided it was time for Porto to have a grand exhibition hall, one that could host trade shows, large scale festivals, huge banquets, a space worthy of the the rising bourgeoisie of Porto... all of this surrounded by these 'staged' romantic gardens filled with exotic trees and wandering peacocks, fake ruins, fountains and small lakes, classical looking statues: a dignified space for poets and artists looking for inspiration or for those merely looking for romance, during those long lazy Sunday walks... wearing their best Sunday outfits...!

City bike tours

7/7/2019

Exploring the city park and the waterfront of Porto

As a tourist I visited many cities in Europe and in some I opted for a bicycle tour on the first day of my stay. This is such a wonderful way to have a solid overview of more than just the historic centre and escape the busy tourist attractions during the day. It is also a way to share an active day or half-day with your partner, family or friends, especially those who are not into running - or not willing to take you up on that 7AM sunrise running tour you had in mind...!

In the next lines I will pinpoint a few reasons why a bicycle tour + (maybe) a running tour + the city of Porto are actually the perfect combination!

Crossfit box - Durius

21/6/2019

An effective weekly ritual to stay injury-free

(first person narrative) In the past I had to deal with some nagging injuries, brought on by running, which kept me away from doing it for weeks... They were overuse injuries from repeating the same movement, done over and over again, maybe with a slightly off-balance gait... and then maybe also the result of previous injuries that were not given enough healing time... (...)

While I am not saying that you should stop running I am saying that, for me, my body has welcomed the change in movement and also the strength gains that I have been making since I began to train differently and gave Crossfit a try on a weekly basis. The strength that I have gained is having a noticeable impact on my running as well because my legs are feeling much stronger with each stride.

Sometimes we just need to mix things up and try new things to refresh how we feel.

Crossfit Durius has since become my second favorite place to work up a sweat - the first being... my office, the streets of Porto!

PORTO BRIDGE CLIMB

16/3/2019

Walking up the arch of the Arrábida bridge ✔️

This wan an item on the list for a long, long time...! It took me 3 years, many excited reports of visiting runners who had done it and one kind invitation to make up my mind and do it. All I can say I am really glad I did it!

Read on for some (fun) facts about the construction of this bridge and its project's designer, Edgar Cardoso, an inventive engineer way ahead of his time...! Bonus: a short video of the experience, the highest point of my week :)

A CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT in Porto

8/3/2019

2019's SUMMIT

For the second consecutive year, the Climate Change Leadership Summit's keynote speaker was an American politician and Nobel Peace prize laureate. After Barack Obama's presence in 2018, this year Porto welcomed Al Gore, the most prominent and inspirational opinion maker of this century, regarding the topic of global warming awareness (...)

Places to visit in Porto - Palácio da Bolsa

1/3/2019

Est.reading time: 7 min

Why was there never a royal palace in Porto?

This blog post provides you a virtual guided tour to the interiors of Palacio da Bolsa, which was never royal, despite its majestic appearance. In fact, this is somewhat odd for a second largest city of a country that was a monarchy for almost 8 centuries: there was never a royal palace built in Porto, by any of the Portuguese kings of any dynasty (...)

"HERE BE DRAGONS", NOT SARDINES

8/1/2019

Everybody loves a good fridge magnet.

From a few visits to souvenir shops in the city I realized that dragon-shaped fridge magnets and souvenirs are much harder to find than the sardine or rooster-shaped ones... so, let me tell you: that's deeply upsetting...! :) It reminds me of the over-abundant Russian matryoshka dolls sold in every souvenir shop I've entered while visiting Czech Republic's capital, Praga...

Because Dragons are indeed the symbol of the city of Porto, this blog post has the clear purpose of setting things straight, once and for all :)

The district in Porto that is named after Santa Claus

6/12/2018

Est.reading time: 5 min

Unlikely old stories

Read on to learn more about Porto's relationship with the friendliest and most generous of white-bearded-red-suited old chaps - and find out more about Santa's origins!

Rabelo - Douro's old cargo boat

29/10/2018

A RIVER AND ITS BOAT

The Douro river has always been part of the soul of the city of Porto and worked as a transport conduit for an entire region, upstream. Instrumental in moving goods and people up and down the river were the rabelo boats, a type of cargo boat unique to this river.(...)

THE HISTORY OF PORT WINE

27/10/2018

PORT, ONE OF EUROPE'S GREAT CLASSIC WINES

Produced on the steep hillside vineyards of the upper Douro valley, this wine originates from one of worlds oldest and most beautiful wine regions where vines have been grown for over 2000 years...! (...)

photo: Goncalo Villaverde

Honeymooner and willing to break a sweat?

9/10/2018

TAKING IT INto YOUR OWN HANDS?

Self-planning a honeymoon can seem like a daunting task...! In this piece by Samantha Lefave, you'll find a few suggested destinations that will surely end up being great fun, if you're in to street art!

Here's what she has to say about Portugal and Porto, in particular: "Lisbon is getting a lot of tourist attention right now, but those looking for a more local experience should book a ticket to Porto instead. The second-largest city is on the rise, becoming well-known for its street art (...)"

Street art running tour in Porto for honeymooners

WHERE TO EAT IN PORTO - OUR SELECTION

1/10/2018

WE KEPT IT SHORT

The following list is not about gourmet experiences. It is not about a search for the best food or the most authentic, nor about the cheapest prices or the most expensive meals. It's really not. There's also no partnership with us or commissions from their side. This is simply a list of places I enjoy having a meal in the company of friends or family. And these are the places I return to because, for some reason, I happen to like them :)

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE GLOBAL RUNNING DAY?

10/5/2018

JUST DO IT!

Global Running Day is the day for people around the globe to celebrate the joys of running. Participation is simple —just take part in some kind of running activity during June 6th. It can be a solo run around the house, a long run with friends or even a pushing your child's stroller along your favorite ocean front section. The key is to share your passion for the sport and inspire others to get moving.

Here at PORTO RUNNING TOURS we're offering a 20% discount on all tours in June if booked during Global Running Day (Just insert the code GRT2018_20OFF in the booking form!)

Happy celebrations! Keep running strong!

6 ALTERNATIVES TO STARBUCKS IN PORTO

17/11/2017

A DASH OF IRONY

Guess what… a new Starbucks franchisee cafe just opened in Porto… yay.. (not...!)

You know, we've all done things in the past that we’re not proud of. Mine include entering Starbucks a few years back in Madrid on a desperate quest for free wi-fi or going for a BigMAc burguer in Vienna. Oh and… those chicken wings at a KFC in London… shame on me…!! Yes, I have been a lazy tourist, I must admit. Against all guidelines of sustainable tourism, I have 'sinned'. Not proud of it though..!!

What do PARIS, NEW YORK and the city of PORTO have in common?

27/9/2017

IS IT THE PASTRY?

I’m pretty sure you won’t need more than the friendly attitude of local people or a glass of full-bodied red wine from the Douro valley to really feel like at home in Porto. But still, if you’re looking for a common element, something familiar, one that you can find in other parts of the world, then you may want to read this post through to the end. Spoiler: it's not the croissants!