Porto: let the sun shine!

Some places do not become sought-after travel destinations because of their list of landmarks one “must see” or popular “things to do”. Instead, they stand out because of their homely and down-to-earth atmosphere, for the way its neighborhoods look, how daily life flows in them and how it all becomes even more charming when the sun is shining.

Porto, in Northern Portugal, is one of those places. The city’s historical center is known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But a few steps away from tourists with a plan, lay the streets where the authentic Porto is found. Those are the narrow and steep alleys where people inside colorful houses often decorated with Portuguese tiles look out their windows to check on those who pass by. That’s where they eat traditional Portuguese treats or hang their laundry to dry when the sun comes out on winter days like the one when this photo was taken, making it all look picture perfect.