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Serralves (Se-RAL-vesh) hosts the Portuguese national museum of contemporary art. But its delights go well beyond your regular museum. Serralves started in 1925 as a villa for a wealthy industrialist, surrounded by a beautiful park. After having ben bought by the state, the villa and park opened to the public with art exhibitions in 1987. Ten years later, a brand-new museum designed by Pritzker-prize winning Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza started being built at the opposite end of the park. Work was concluded in 1999, and since then Serralves offers visitors art, architecture, and landscaped gardens without match in Porto.

The villa was for a long time the main attraction at Serralves. Originally conceived as a private residence in the 1920s, it is a prime example of art deco architecture. It was build over a period of almost twenty years, between 1925 and 1944. Its exquisite wrought-iron gates, modernist marble stairways, and magnificent views of the garden make it one of the finest villas built in Portugal during the first half of the twentieth century. Serralves is considered the most notable example of an art deco building in Portugal, even though it was completed well after the end of this style’s golden years. Ironically, the owner was plagued by financial problems and had to move out only three years after completion of his lifetime project. The house was kept private until the 1980s, when the heirs of its last owner sold it to the state in 1986. Currently, the villa serves as an extension of the Museum, featuring temporary exhibitions. Among the many delightful rooms, one of the highlights is the 100%-pink-marble bathroom of the main suite, which is often closed to the public. Try to talk one of the staff-members to open it for you.

The Serralves park has always been a must in Porto. It is rather unique in Portuguese landscape gardening history. There are wooded areas, artificial lakes, rose gardens, perfectly-manicured lawns, and a main garden with a sequence of water tanks surrounded by flower beds. Serralves is perfect for a stroll or to read a book on one of the benches. You feel completely isolated from the city around you.

With the opening of the Museum in 1999, Serralves now has a third major attraction to offer. The National Museum of Contemporary Art is the permanent home of one of the best collections of Portuguese twentieth-century art (the others are, you guessed, in Lisbon). The works on show span from the end of the 1960s to the present, covering all genres from pop art to conceptual projects, and including great pieces representing the experimentalism that dominated Portuguese art of the (literally) revolutionary 1970s.

The museum’s building, by architect Alvaro Siza, is worth a visit even if you don’t like contemporary art. It is an exponent of the Porto school of architecture, with its clear lines, exterior walls in white stucco and stone, and a playful interaction with natural light. It also makes the most of the lovely park views. So it should be no surprise that it is a magnet for architecture buffs from all around the world, who roam there to learn from the great Portuguese master. As in most of Siza’s buildings, the furniture and fittings were also designed by him, without neglecting the smallest detail — including lighting fixtures, handrails, and doorknobs.

Besides the villa, park, and museum, Serralves has an excellent cafeteria, a fine-dining restaurant, and an auditorium offering dance, music, and performances on a regular schedule. The lunch buffet at the cafeteria is particularly good, so arrive early before the place gets packed. Our favorite spot, however, is the tennis-court teahouse, which offers an assortment of teas, scones, and tarts in a hard-to-beat environment. It is located halfway between the museum building and the villa, making for a mandatory stop during your visit to the park.

Price point: entrance to the museum and park costs 5 euros; 2.5 for the park only. On Friday and Saturday, entrance for the museum costs 3 euros after the park closes. For details on discounts for seniors, students, etc., check the Serralves website.

Address: Rua D. Joao de Castro 210, Porto.

Phone: (+351) 22.615.6500.

Website: http://www.serralves.pt/

Opening hours: from October to March, Serralves is open from Tuesday through Sunday 10:00am till 7:00pm. The cafeteria opens seven days a week — from 12:00pm to 7:00pm on weekdays, and 10:00am till 7:00pm on weekends. The restaurant opens from 8:00pm till midnight from Tuesday through Saturday. The teahouse opens from 10:00am till 7:00pm on weekends only. During the Summer months, the park closes at 10:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 8:00pm on Sundays; and the teahouse is open every day.

Getting there: Serralves is easy to reach by car. If you’re driving from downtown, follow the directions to Boavista. Once you get to the Boavista roundabout (known informally as Rotunda da Boavista and formally as Praca Mouzinho de Albuquerque — you can’t miss it; there is a tall column on the center, with a lion crushing an eagle at the top), take Av. da Boavista heading down to the sea (Casa da Musica, an unmistakable building shaped like a quartz crystal, is on the corner). After about one-and-a-half mile, take a 45-degree left towards Av. Marechal Gomes da Costa. There is a large glass-and-metal fountain (actually, a sculpture) at the intersection. Once on Av. Marechal, Serralves is on the inside of the long wall you will find on your left after the Shell gas-station. As soon as the wall ends, turn left and park. The entry is at the intersection of Av. Marechal Gomes da Costa and Rua D. Joao de Castro. If you’re not driving, a taxi should take 20-30 minutes from downtown.

Lello (LEH-loo) is a feast for the eyes — and for the mind. Open since 1906, it is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. It is also one of the best bookstores in Porto and the flagship store for one of the most important Portuguese publishing houses. Co-owner Antero Braga is usually around, knows the Portuguese book market in and out, and will be glad to help you find exactly what you want even when you don’t have a clue about what that may be.

But Lello is much more than a your run-of-the-mill bookstore. Its turn of the century architecture — by Xavier Esteves — is outstanding. On the outside, the facade is an excellent example of neo-gothic design. Don’t miss the two painted figures representing Art and Science. Once inside, the curvaceous red stairway connecting the two levels (inspired on the Parisian Galleries Lafayette), the heavily decorated walls and ceilings, and the magnificent stained-glass skylight with Lello’s motto vecus in labore will no doubt impress you. The pillars are ornamented with bronze bas-reliefs of Portuguese literature figures and there is a small track on the floor along which employees move carts filled with books. All in all, Lello is one of the best works of the so-called “second eclecticism” style in Portugal, with beautiful art nouveau naturalist elements.

One of the best-kept secrets in Porto is the four-table coffeeshop on the second floor of Lello – there’s coffee, port, and cigars. It’s the perfect place to stop for a moment before returning to the bustling downtown life outside; or to spend a long time browsing a few books.

Besides the wide array of Portuguese fiction and non-fiction titles, Lello sells many English and French books, including translations of Portuguese literature and poetry works. If you’re looking for books on Porto, Lello has the widest choice. (For a broader range of books, check out the Fnac chain bookstores. There is one on the corner of Rua Sta. Catarina with Rua Passos Manuel in downtown Porto and another one in the Norte Shopping shopping center in Matosinhos.)

Address: Rua das Carmelitas 144, Porto.

Phone: (+351) 22.200.2037.

Website: unavailable.

Opening hours: open Monday through Friday from 9:30am till 7:00pm, and Saturday from 9:30am till 1:00pm.

Getting there: Lello is a five-minute walk from downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, turn left and start climbing the street (Rua dos Clerigos) heading towards Clerigos tower. Right before the tower, the street splits into a narrow street to the left of the tower and a broader one to its right. Take this broader street (Rua das Carmelitas) and continue going up, past the tower on your left, heading to Praca dos Leoes — where you’ll see a fountain with lions. Lello is on your right just before you reach the square, at the top of Rua das Carmelitas. If you’re driving, the closest parking lot is the underground parking facility on Pc. dos Leoes, so drive past the bookstore and follow the parking signs when you reach the top of the street.

For a wonderful Quicktime VR panoramic image of Lello, click on the image at the top of this review. The link will take you to 360 Portugal, a comprehensive archive of panoramic images of Portugal. As always, many thanks to Santiago Ribas, the man behind the camera.

Legend has it that this was the place where J.K. Rowling, who lived in Porto between 1990 and 1993, drafted the first Harry Potter book. (Don’t believe it? Read Sean Smith’s J.K. Rowling: A Biography.)

Majestic (ma-JES-tic) — like Florian in Venice or Le Train Bleu in Paris — is one of the world’s greatest coffeeshops. Its magnificent art deco design remains intact, transporting you back in time. Though it tends to attract lots of tourists, enough locals go there to make it feel real.

Originally named Elite, Majestic opened its doors on December 1921. After initial success but a lack of name recognition, it quickly changed its name to Majestic the following year. Majestic is located in Rua de Sta. Catarina, the main commercial street in downtown Porto. Like Guarany (which now belongs to the same owners) in the 1930s, Majestic was the center of Porto’s life in the roaring twenties. From the first day, Majestic’s ornate design — by architect Joao Queiroz — attracted intellectuals, politicians, artists, and businessmen. With time, Majestic developed a clientele of writers, and several important figures of Portuguese twentieth-century literature were regulars there. After a period of decay, Majestic closed in 1964.

It only opened again in 1994, after an 11-year gut rehab that restored it to its original condition. The main room walls are covered in green Indian marble, also used in the decorative pillars with gilded Corinthian capitals. The ornate pink and cream plastered ceilings were totally reconditioned. The original crystal mirrors from Antwerp were kept, as were the crystal chandeliers, the marble-top tables, and the leather-cushioned chairs and couches with marble incrustations. The old European design wall-lamps illuminate sculptured cherubs smiling down on the patrons. The basement, which once lodged pool tables, now features art exhibitions. A lovely winter garden in the back provides additional opportunities for relaxation if you tire of the people-watching in the main room. The piano is often playing early twentieth century compositions adding to the belle epoque feel of the place.

Most people go to Majestic for a coffee or tea. Breakfast is a good option, with Portuguese-style (chewy rather than puff-like) croissants, natural juices, etc. Another option is a midday stop for a drink and a Portuguese dessert, like rabanadas (a more elaborate French-toast style sweet typical for Christmas) or ovos moles (literally soft eggs, a paste made of sugar and egg yolks, with a little port to provide extra aroma). But we recommend going to Majestic for lunch. They have several good option, such as the bacalhau a moda do Porto (codfish Porto’s way, breaded and fried in olive oil and garlic, served over creamed spinach with a sauce made with eggs with a bit of the olive oil where the fish fried), or a perfumed duck magret. Their francesinha (a hot sandwich you can only find in Porto, filled with encased meats, a bit of steak, covered with melted cheese, and with a tomato-and-beer based hot sauce poured on top), though not the best in town is pretty darn good. The wine list includes great Portuguese wines, especially from the Douro region. The port selection is also very good.

Service is professional and courteous.

Price point: coffee and other drinks 1.5 euros and up; lunch and other light meals between 12 and 20 euros.

Address: Rua Sta. Catarina 112, Porto.

Website: http://www.cafemajestic.com/

Opening hours: open daily from 9:30am till 12:00am.

Reservations: not needed; call (+351) 22.200.3887.

Getting there: you can easily walk to Majestic from downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, with Clerigos tower to your left, turn right and go up Rua 31 de Janeiro, until Praca da Batalha (it’s a steep street, and you can see a blue-tiled church at the top). When you get there, turn left to Rua de Sta. Catarina. Majestic is on the second block on your right side, just past Rua Passos Manuel. There’s no point in driving there, as the street is pedestrians-only. There are plenty of paid parking lots in the vicinity.

For a wonderful Quicktime VR panoramic image of Majestic, click on the image at the top of this review. The link will take you to 360 Portugal, a comprehensive archive of panoramic images of Portugal. As always, many thanks to Santiago Ribas, the man behind the camera.

Founded in 1933, Guarany (gua-RA-nee) was part of the boom in downtown coffeeshops Porto experienced in the 1930s. These featured a modernist decor, contrasting with the art-deco style of the previous decade’s coffeeshops, of which Majestic is the flagship. To put it simply, Guarany is the prettiest coffeeshop on the prettiest square in town — the Avenida dos Aliados, Porto’sliving room , where the City Hall is.

Guarany is the name of the largest Indian tribe in seventeenth-century Brazil and the coffeeshop has since its opening featured a marble high-relief of an Indian by sculptor Rogerio de Azevedo. Brazil was the producer of most of the coffee that reaches Portugal, so the name was aptly chosen.

Guarany attracted artists, business people, and active oppositionist politicians during the dictatorship years (1928-1974), and was for a long time known as “the musicians’ coffeeshop.” Just like the Russians developed kitchen politics during the Soviet era, discussing all things political around the kitchen table, the Portuguese developed coffeeshop politics during the Salazar era, spending lots of time discussing the state of the nation at coffeeshops such as Guarany. After the 1974 revolution, Guarany went through a period of decay until it was bought by the owner of the preciously-maintained Majestic and completely restored. The finest craftsmen available were hired to restore the ceiling and wall-lamps, tables with marble tops and and wooden chairs, as well as iron and copper ornaments. Since its reopening in 2003, Guarany has again become one of the hubs of Porto’s coffeeshop life.

Its corner location helps make Guarany one of the most pleasant coffeeshops in downtown Porto in terms of enjoying the view and doing some people-watching. The decor was restored to the original 1930s look, plus two large colorful canvases titles “The Lords of Amazonia” by Portuguese painter Graca Morais were added to the walls. Porto residents have enthusiastically backed the re-opened Guarany, and the place is usually packed. The ambiance is lively with a noisy crowd, especially in the evenings. Live piano music is often playing.

Besides all sorts of coffee- and tea-based drinks (nothing fancy, this is no Starbucks; they serve good old-fashioned cafe au lait instead), the drink menu includes several good wines. The food menu includes several international cuisine dishes, such as grilled bass Baron Brise, shrimp Stroganoff, duck magret with port wine, and a good Guarany steak. But the highlights are the Portuguese cuisine specimens — such as veal steak a Mirandesa (a village in inner Northern Portugal) and above all platters with codfish fritters or presunto (Portuguese for prosciutto), served with olives and broa de Avintes (a very thick rye bread typical from the near-by village of Avintes). We know of no better place to sample these jewels of Portuguese food while taking the pulse of Porto.

Service is professional and courteous.

Price point: coffee and other drinks 1.5 euros and up; lunch and other light meals between 12 and 20 euros.

Address: Avenida dos Aliados 85-89, Porto.

Website: http://www.cafeguarany.com/

Opening hours: open daily from 9:00am till 12:00am.

Reservations: not needed; call (+351) 22.332.1272.

Getting there: Guarany is in the heart of downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, Guarany is on your left, mid-way through to the top of the square, on the corner with Rua the Ceuta.

Praia da Luz (PRAH-ya da LUSH) is a place to imbibe the ocean. It is a restaurant, coffeeshop, and bar with both indoor and outdoor seating built on the beach — literally, the structure is built on stilts dug deep in the sand. The outdoor section is heated in the winter (and so is the indoors, by a lovely fireplace) and there are plenty of blankets to go with a hot chocolate and a book. Since it’s facing West, it is perfect for viewing the sunset. But it is an excellent place around the clock. Go there for breakfast croissants, have a light (or not so light) lunch, a full dinner, or drinks in the afternoon or in the evening. It stays open till 3:00am, with a DJ and, sometimes, a dance floor. The clientele changes with the time, but is always hip and mostly quiet during the day. Music is quiet during the day and groovy in the evenings.

The building is a light metal and glass slab that fits well with the scenery. Contemporary decor in light pastel colors, enabling you to focus on what matters — the view. The open ocean during the day and the well-lit rocks and sand with the dark ocean as a background in the evening. Here’s what Porto nightlife Guide has to say about it:

“It’s more than Shakespeare. It’s a midsummer night’s dream and a winter one too. The surprises start on the avenue with white flags fluttering in the sea beeze. The benches on the sidewalk announce the happy event: a magnificent open air restaurant was born in Foz in 1989, but it seems like yesterday. By night the rocks in the beach shine under the spotlights. The white sands are striped by beams of light. My god, how beautiful this is, the most beautiful open air restaurant in the country!”

Though you’ll most likely return for the view, not the food, the menu does not disappoint. There are excellent small grilled padron peppers (a hot delicacy from Galicia, in Northern Spain), a good carpaccio, and carefully prepared shrimp crepes. The fish section includes a great cherne (similar to sea bass, only better) with almonds; salmon with roquefort sauce; bacalhau (salted cod) baked with bread; baked octopus (polvo); a terrific white sea bream (sargo) baked in a salt crust; and a anglerfish (tamboril — one of our editors’ favorite fishes) with a green pepper sauce. You won’t regret trying the beef with dates or the duck magret with honey and spices. Finish your meal with a slice of tatin pie or some ricotta with honey and walnuts.

Service is laid-back, sometimes a bit slow.

Price point: coffee drinks are around 2 euros; lunch around 15 euros; and dinner around 25 euros.

Address: Av. do Brasil, Porto.

Website: http://www.praiadaluz.pt/

Opening hours: open 365 days a year from 9:00am to 3:00am (well, it actually closes a little earlier on Christmas Eve and opens a little later on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day…).

Reservations: suggested for dinner; call (+351) 22.617.3234.

Getting there: easy access by car; otherwise, take a taxi. If your driving from downtown Oporto, the easiest way of getting there is to take Rua Mouzinho da Silveira down to Praca do Infante, turn right and follow the river to the sea — Foz. Continue along the seafront. Praia da Luz is on your left in the beginning of Av. do Brasil, which is the first long straight avenue you’ll find. Parking is usually hard, especially during the weekend and in the summer. All you see from the street level is a small arch that is lit at night and a few white flags fluttering in the breeze. If you park and cross the street to the seaside, you’ll easily spot the coffeeshop. If you’re not driving, take a taxi (30 minutes).

Bogani Cafe (boh-GAH-nee) has the best view of Porto. The coffeeshop is located in Gaia (GUY-ya), the town across the Douro river from Porto, right in front of Ribeira (ree-BAY-rah), the medieval neighborhood. This means it has a spectacular view of Porto, instead of the less picturesque view of Gaia you get from places in Porto. The view is so good that it has been used in several ad campaigns, including for the 2004 European soccer cup staged by Portugal. For a sense of the view you’ll get at sunset, look at the panoramic picture on the top.

The coffeeshop is located a mere ten-minute walk from Porto, across the lower level of the D. Luiz I bridge, a rather unique two-level bridge designed by Gustav Eiffel’s associate, Theophile Seyrig. If you’re visiting Ribeira, head there for a pause. Ditto if your touring the Port wine cellars in Gaia.

You will find many other coffeeshops and restaurants around Bogani but none compares in terms of quality and, more importantly, in its privileged view of Porto.

Bogani is the flagship store for the eponymous coffee brand that the main Portuguese beer brewing company launched a couple of years ago, so they saved no expenses on this place, from Bubble Club armchairs (designed by Philip Starck and produced by Kartell) to panoramic cameras feeding the view to plasma screens facing those seating with their backs to the river. They also have outdoor heating in the covered terrace, so the place is comfortable even in the Winter.

We recommend going there at least once during the day and once at nighttime. They do serve dinner, but the menu, thought suitable for a lighter lunch, is not as good for a full meal. If you feel comfortable with a light dinner, then by all means head there late in the afternoon and watch the city changing color as the sun sets.

Their coffee is very good, so Bogani is the best place in town for a macchiato or a latte. They also have great coffee-based drinks for Winter — such as Irish coffee or cafe brulot (with brandy, orange, and cinnamon) — and Summer — several iced coffees.

Their food menu, which makes for a light lunch (although slightly pricey — you pay for the view as well as the food) includes a fish soup served in puff pastry, several good quiches, and an excellent salad of octopus marinated in paprika.

We prefer the place for a long dessert — the mascarpone mousse with chocolate, caramel, and coffee is our favorite. The menu also includes an assortment of Italian gelatos from Farggi.

Price point: coffee 2.50 euros and up; light meals around 20 euros.

Address: Cais de Gaia, Gaia.

Website: http://www.boganicafe.com/

Opening hours: Sunday through Thursday from 10:00am to midnight; Friday and Saturday from 10:00am to 1:00am.

Reservations: only recommended for lunch during the high season; call (+351) 22.374.7400.

Getting there: easy access by car; otherwise, take a taxi. From Porto, take the lower level of the D. Luiz I bridge across the river to Gaia. Turn sharp right immediately after the bridge. After about half a mile you will find three relatively large modern buildings on your right (next to the river), followed by a paid parking lot. Bogani is on the top floor of the last building. If you park on the upper level, you can access the coffeeshop directly from the parking lot. Walking from Porto takes around 10 minutes. If you’re taking a taxi, ask the driver to drop you at the Cais de Gaia (KAH-eesh deh GAH-ya).