As we were planning our trip to Europe for the fall of 2022, we learned that our very dear friends were making a trip of their own, and one of their stops would be Porto. We had planned on visiting Quarteira after Germany, and we were thrilled to add Porto to our list and have another chance to see our friends. We'd previously met them in Sienna, Italy and narrowly (one day) missed seeing them when we were in Santorini. What a thrill! Porto is a lovely city, famous for its sweet port wine and stately bridges crossing the Douro River. Porto was originally a Roman settlement, whose name -- Portus Cale -- was probably the origin of the name Portugal.

What a joy to have a balcony! From our Airbnb we could see the Douro and, across the water, Porto's sister city of Nova de Gaia.

Along the riverfront, trolleys transport passengers past elegant cafes and bars.

Azulejo is the Portuguese art of tile painting. Its origins go back to the Moorish occupation of Iberia, when the Arab art of al-zillij was imported to the region.

Now, azulejo walls emblazon houses and public buildings -- like the dazzling interior of the São Bento train station.

Our long association with the Camino de Santiago continues, as Porto is on the Way. These small tiles inset into the sidewalks adorn the city.

The Douro begins in Spain, traveling west across Portugal before it empties into the Atlantic at Porto.

On our wine tour, we had an opportunity to travel along a bit of the river, passing several small towns and wineries.

Our tour was capped by a visit to the Mateus Palace, an 18th century Baroque mansion and winery. Mateus Rosé and many other fine wines.

The mansion is stunning, with carved vaulted ceilings and the original furnishings from the 1700s.

The gardens are spectacular and one could spend hours investigating all the shapes and nooks.

We spent a long afternoon and early evening roaming before returning to Porto.

The Porto Cathedral dominates a hill overlooking the Douro. Adorned with a striking rose window, the main cathedral took nearly four hundred years to build, opening in the 16 century.

The bell tower of the Clérigos Church is one of the symbols of Portugal. The 75-meter tower was built by Nicolau Nasoni, the Italian architect who also built the Mateus Palace.

The lovely old Forte de São João Baptista da Foz keeps watch at the mouth of the Douro . . .

. . . a reminder of the more tumultuous days when Portugal was a dominant player in world politics.