Having returned to Hotel M.Ou.Co, following another stroll down to the picturesque Douro River, the penny dropped. It was a feeling throughout my three-night stay which I just couldn’t shake. Porto might be the best getaway destination in the world at the moment.
It offers essentially everything you could want. Restaurants that spill out onto the riverfront, with the sound of laughter and the clinking of glasses filling the air. An abundance of cuisine, more than you could ever dream to indulge in which you can stumble into without the need to reserve ahead of time… Take notes, London.
The weather is a dream—27 degrees, uninterrupted sunshine, not scorching enough to shelter in shade, nor chilly enough to warrant an extra layer for the night. Simply perfect.
And the shopping? Between the vintage boutiques and mishmash of independent shops to get lost in, you’ll be able to pick up something nobody else will have back home, before returning to your hotel to unwind.
It's official! I've called it! Porto truly has it all.
We arrived at M.Ou.Co on a blisteringly hot Friday afternoon, ready for a long weekend of exploring and eating our way around the city. We were greeted by a modern brutalist building, set away from the busyness of the main street. With large square windows, chestnut wood accents and brushed concrete walls, we immediately knew that the interior style would have us reaching for our phones to take all the pics.
Inside, the lobby and all the communal areas were a mid-century delight. Eames chairs, arched hanging floor lamps and trawling plants were dotted around the building. It was as if my interiors board on Pinterest had been brought to life. Having toured around the hotel to see the rooftop pool and breakfast-performance-bar-dinner room, we were led through ambiently-lit wood-panelled hallways to our room, the Vamos Fugir suite.
Stepping inside was like instant peace. The concrete walls and floors continued here, giving it a rough-but-ready industrial feel, cooling in the Portuguese heat. The Vamos Fugir suite is also one of the rooms available with a record player, something we indulged in later in our stay. You’d think that being surrounded by concrete would make a room feel harsh and unwelcoming, but this was everything but that. We felt instantly at home.
The hotel is made up of many different parts that make it genuinely special and unique. It’s immediately apparent how proud M.Ou.Co is of its musical heritage - along with a regular program of concerts and events, you'll find music in just about every corner you explore.
A brief visit to the front desk revealed the hotel’s extensive music library, which boasts over 600 vinyls available to be hired. The genres spanned over eras, featuring everything from global superstars to artists I’d never heard of, truly a music lover’s dream. We selected our records - Dizzee Rascal, Peggy Gou and Tame Impala, in case you wanted to know - which served as the perfect soundtrack to our time spent in the room. It made for such a unique and personal touch to already amazing accommodation.
Of course, the rest of our stay was spent exploring Porto. I’d never been before and was determined to see as much of the city as possible. I wasn’t sure what to expect before we arrived. The city is smaller than Lisbon, and I’d wrongly assumed that this meant Porto would be a little small, or unassuming. After venturing further into the city, I realised Porto is anything but. Because of its endless hills, the city feels enormous, split into two parts by the Duoro River. But really, it’s the spirit of Porto that makes it feel so big. There’s a constant flow of energy and life in every street here. From street performers touring their way through the city, to the locals and tourists filling the streets with port-induced laughter, I was enamoured by how much buzz and culture there was, made grander by the historic buildings and architecture around every corner.
Let’s talk about the food. Everybody knows that the gems of Portuguese cuisine have to be pastel de natas, of course. But I was hoping to delve a little deeper into the local cuisine. We had the pleasure of eating dinner and lunch at the hotel restaurant a couple of times, sitting out in the warm glow on the terrace. But the real star of the show? Tia Tia.
Tia Tia is a fairly new modern European restaurant in Porto, owned by a local couple who run the show with only the additional help of an assistant in the kitchen. The restaurant prioritises fresh ingredients and experimental dishes, only serving lunch twice a week and closing entirely on a Sunday to serve a diligently planned menu. We decided to try every dish (of the seven on the seasonally changing menu), and what followed was a flavour journey. My standouts were the tuna crudo (paired with almond cream and topped with tart, sweet cherries) and the dessert - fermented banana topped with carob powder and shavings of São Jorge cheese. Never before did I think I would enjoy cheese with banana, but it’s that kind of unexpected magic that was in every dish at Tia Tia. The food is seriously excellent, and the service is delivered with a level of expertise, warmth and familiarity which reassures you that you’re in a safe pair of hands. If you’re in Porto, you need to go.
A significant portion of the weekend was spent walking, or more accurately, mooching. Mooching is my favourite way to explore a new city – those purposeless strolls that seem to lead everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. Sauntering from one storefront to another, punctuated by indulging in a pastel de nata (okay fine, quite a few), and just taking it all in. On our final day, our aimless wanderings led us to the Mercado do Bolhão, a market situated in the heart of the city. Here, we chanced upon the most unique and enchanting space, brimming with fresh produce, wine, and flowers. Every element was a joy. Three hours transpired as we tucked into Iberian ham, indulged in traditional Portuguese desserts, sipped on a few glasses of €2.50 white wine (!), treated ourselves to oysters, and generally put the world to rights.
Porto is often hailed as the most romantic city in Portugal, and it's easy to understand why. While it may linger in the shadows of its more renowned big sister, Lisbon, I began finding it more and more challenging to understand quite why that’s the case. I felt a sense of real culture & belonging that surpasses what I've experienced in many other European cities.
Sure, there's outstanding food, but that can be found in a host of great cities. And yes, there's a wealth of rich history, but that's not unique to Porto either. Perhaps the third glass of port was starting to take hold, but my stay at Hotel M.Ou.Co sealed the deal. In those 48 hours, I couldn't fathom a better place to visit than this city.
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