Portugal 2017: Day 1

Many buildings in Porto are covered in
decorative tile, or azulejos, like the
one pictured.

We are so excited to be in Portugal! After arriving in Porto, a 2,000-year-old UNESCO World Heritage-listed city in the northern part of the country, and meeting our tour guide Gracia, we headed to our hotel Mercure Porto Centro. After settling-in, travelers joined Gracia on an orientation tour to see the area around the hotel in the heart of the city.

After getting our bearings with Gracia, some travelers opted to catch up on rest they missed on the overnight flight while others explored the city and got lunch. Porto is known for its stately bridges, medieval history and port wine production (all of which we will get to see-up close tomorrow).

View from the funicular.

It's also known for its steep hills and many stairs. To make it easier to travel around the city, Porto built a funicular, a cart that bring passengers up and down the large hill to the reveries district, which was built in 1891 but recently refurbished after years of inactivity. Now the transport service provides convenient service up and down the hillside.

Alumni at the Welcome Dinner

In the evening, Fr. James Chichetto ’64, C.S.C. hosted a Liturgy for us in the hotel and later we gathered with our tour director for a welcome drink and orientation meeting. After we walked to a restaurant close by for a welcome dinner.

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