In this interview with the legendary photographer Robert Holmes, Bob was very kind to mention me and the moments that we work together in Porto and Angeiras fishermen harbor last November.
Bob Holmes; Robert Holmes; National Geographic Photographer
A beautiful journey through Portugal waits for you in the magnificent Douro Valley, situated 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of the Porto city. Amongst all the vineyards in the region, the oldest demarcated area around the world, Douro Valley paints an exceptional and absolutely lovely landscape.
The cultural and architectural heritage, the wines and food make the destination in northern Portugal more romantic day after day. Take a chance to wander around Peso da Régua, Lamegoto visit the Shrine of Lady of Remedies – Pinhao, Pocinho, Vila Nova de Foz Coa, and Barca d’Alva.
Though there’s a great availability of sightseeing attractions, taking Porto photo tours make perfect sense. When you have a Porto photographer by your side, you should start your tour in Douro Valley.
You will find several viewpoints along the way that will make it impossible for you not to stop and enjoy the scenery. Here are some of the viewpoints in Douro Valley you should consider stopping over at:
St. Leonardo of Galafura
When you go near Regua, you will get to the viewpoint of Sao Leonardo da Galafura. There, you can enjoy the Douro Valley and the Marao Mountains.
Quinta do Noval
With pristine destination and colorful geometry of vineyards, Quinta do Noval continues to showcase the ultimate beauty of Douro Valley. Based on the left bank of Pinhao River, the Quinta stands in shale walled terraces, separated by flights of stairs with the same white color you find in houses. Your Porto photographer will capture the beautiful details of this viewpoint.
Blonde couple
It makes an amazing balcony over Pinhao and the Douro Valley. The view is considered as magnificent as the river in the background forming a spectacular backdrop.
Saint savior of the world
Located a few kilometers away from Sao Joao da Pesqueira, it’s a holy and mythical place and is a well-known destination for pilgrimage. From there, you can get to see half of the Douro Valley.
Quinta do Vale Meão
Based on the gentle slope on the right bank of the Douro, up close to Pocinho, this place boasts its greatness and vastness. It has the essence of Douro – the beauty, the dream, the legend and the creativity of a genius man Dona Antonia Ferreira, who has managed to turn the shale of river shores into the arable land.
Bottom line –
Want to be amazed by the delights of Portugal and its breathtaking views? You should book Porto photo tours through Pictury Photo Tours. Our Porto photographer is passionate about traveling and photographing to deliver beautiful images as possible.
At Pictury Photo Tours, we provide custom-made tours and packages to experience the best of Douro Valley, the World Heritage Site and the beautiful manmade landscape around the world. Our Porto photo tours offer you an amazing chance for photographic experiences of clear sunrises, poetic sunsets, surrounded by beautiful, imposing terraces and vineyards producing the best wines around the world. For more information, Please visit our website at https://www.picturyphototours.com/en/
PORTO … Strong Feeling!
And… in the end, that big group of photography lovers, some who repeated, some friends, but mostly strangers gave a round of applause. Worth it!
Thank you all for your company, good mood and being so genuine in your thanks, my husband deserves it.
We start the photowalk in New Sintra Gardens that is a pearl, one of those pure and little known in our city. Worth the visit. I am sure many will return there to enjoy it with a deserved relax visit. Then we went to the cemetery where many of the illustrious people “rest” and where there are some of the most beautiful graves in the country, true works of art.
We will then walk through the steep old streets that lead us to the Fontainhas neighborhood, where you can feel the soul, the smells and the genuine people of Porto. Here it seems that the city has stopped a little in time and how good it feels!
We go down the Cranes stairs and the movement lifts, we are in the Luis I bridge lower deck where all the tourists are concentrated. It is worth to appreciate some shining eyes, these are welcome.
We are almost discovering the surprise of the afternoon. After crossing the bridge, we turn left towards the Lord of the Beyond chapel. This place is magical, old, damaged, but so beautiful. The location is unique, for those who love this city is a real blessing, the river, the light that is always beautiful, the view… and most surprising, its “guardians”, a human and a dog.
Mr. Alberto and Rox live in this falling chapel in miserable conditions and yet this man gives us a smile and his aching look is so sweet. I felt small and very grateful. After taking a deep breath, we leave with the certainty that we will have to help.
Our tour is almost over, I don’t know if it was just an impression, but I felt the speed of the strides slowed, I don’t think anyone wanted it to end.
As I started at the end, I’ll just talk about the place that has one of the most beautiful views of the city, Jardim do Morro garden.
Thank you for coming, for enjoying and for cheering so genuinely.
To you, my love, I thank you every day for being as you are.
Thank you,
Maria Jose Dias
| Hi, It is already on October 5 that will be held in Porto, the PORTO CAN’T MISS IT Worldwide Photowalk, organized and led by the portuguese photographer José Manuel Santos. This Photowalk is FREE but you must register here because the number of places is limited. It is included in the 12th edition of what is the largest event of its kind in the world and is held every first Saturday in October. Sign up and join the group that will (re) discover the city of Porto in a route almost unknown and explored, but full of moments to get beautiful images. Take lots of pictures, have fun, compete for the best photo of the event, and who knows, be among the 10 best photos of all the events that will be chosen by Scott Kelby himself.
More information here See you there!
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The popular feasts of S. João are arriving to Porto on June 24.
It is a unique opportunity to live an exceptional day with photographs of unique moments of celebration and fun having as one of the highest moments the fireworks from the river Douro and the bridge Luis I.
It was a big success the first Harry’s Fisch (from Nomad Photo Expedition) trip to Portugal.
Harry invited me to organize his first trip to Portugal that took us to Lisbon – a big thank you to Miguel Helfrich from Lisbon Photo for helping me to prepare this part of the trip – Sintra, Óbidos, Coimbra and Porto, on a memorable trip that allowed us to get to know unique and iconic places, taste the portuguese grastronomy and to experience extraordinary moments like being welcomed by a students Tuna in Coimbra or dine a delicious meal at the home of a typical Porto family and even make a private visit to the fantastic S. João’s National theater of in Porto with total freedom to photograph it. Moments to remember.
Ryan, a nice young South Korean guy, had a dream and came to Portugal to realize it. He wanted to surprise his girlfriend Jolly with a surprise wedding proposal in a unique place in the world and chose Porto to do so. But, because he did not know the city yet, he needed help, so he contacted Pictury Photo Tours to arrange a photo tour that would culminate in the wedding proposal. It was then that José Manuel entered the scene and became an accomplice of this surprise, proposing to Ryan an itinerary that did not raise suspicions and ended in the idyllic Serra do Pilar, iconic viewpoint over the city of Porto and its river. The rest is history … on video!
Solidarity Photo Tour in Porto with Operação Nariz Vermelho.
Join us in this solidarity event in this charming city with José Manuel Santos as Photo Tour Líder.
See more in:
Mary & Kin, a couple from Vancouver, Canada, they wanted to see as much as possible when they were passing through Porto. Unfortunately Mary had a problem with her knee that caused some difficulty to walk. But we did not want them to lose anything to see in Porto, and from there, we spoke with Romeu, PorTuk’s owner and together we created a program as it proved to be the perfect solution for this nice couple to get to know Porto in the best way.
We visited the main viewpoints, enjoyed multiple examples of street art, the beautiful and famous tiles of Carmo’s church and S. Bento Railway Station, we cross the most beautiful and hidden streets in the old part of town, we had a nice coffee in a terrace looking to the Douro’s river, we bought the best Porto’s chocolates in the famous Arcadia and we had a cream cake (pastel de nata) along the way until we finished the photo tour in the “majestic” Café Majestic.
This experience went so well that Romeu and I will establish a partnership and create a tour specifically with these characteristics and thus offer more to a greater number of people joining the indispensable photographs to a charming way of traveling.
Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk 2018 had an amazing turnout with over 900 walks worldwide and well over 15,000 walkers.
Here in Porto, José Manuel Santos, Pictury Photo Tours leader, organized the Porto Can’t Miss It! Worldwide Photowalk with more than 40 photographers. This photowalk started in Passeio das Virtudes viewpoint, crossed the romantic Jardim das Virtudes, visited the wonderful S. Pedro de Miragaia church, and goes through the very old Rua da Arménia, climb the Monte dos Judeus, saw the sunset on Palácio das Sereias belvedere and finish in the outstanding warehouse Armazém where we said goodbye until next year.
Announcing Scott Kelby’s 11th Worldwide Photowalk®, the world’s largest Photowalk. The event is happening October 6, 2018 in thousands of cities all over the world.
I invite you to come to the one that I’ll leader in Porto city.
See here the details:
http://worldwidephotowalk.com/walk/porto-cant-miss-it/
One year later, during the S. João popular feast in Porto, there is the reencounter between two Josés, Santos (me) and Castelo, the man who made the “cascade” of “Ilha do Senhor Doutor”, on Rua de S. Vitor (which has the largest number of “islands” in the city). The moment is surprising, even for me, because I was not expecting to find this nice figure with such different look!
“Bem hajam!” (This expression so Portuguese and so little used is my favorite to thank).
I can not help but write a few words after this tour that despite the rain (and, maybe, so) went so well. All the participants maintained their good mood and joy, as if it were a radiant sun. I felt it was worth it, thank you for the generosity.
I hope you have enjoyed it and keep it as a good memory.
We are always here, available to share the best moments and the best photos that this old and worn city, but always so beautiful, provides.
Until forever.
Maria José
Already a bit tired, this intrepid group of the 1st Hit The Streets Porto Photowalk is ready to celebrate the end of a photo rainy day
Of course, there can’t be only 7 reasons to visit and photograph Porto. There are so many and so good reasons that it was not possible here and now to list them all. It is, therefore, that we suggest “only” these 7 that already justify a visit that is a delight not only for photographers as for all people. But (even here there’s a “but”), you may like it so much that you risk being in the mood to come here to live. It would not be the first !!!
1 – The People
Portugal has long been recognized as a country that enjoys receiving visitors, but Porto, even more! The writer Manuel de Sousa in his book Porto D’Honra said: “… the strong neighborhood and the unserpassed hospitality.” Photographing Porto’s people are portraits for life.
2 – The Douro River
Born in lands of Spain, it enters in Portugal through the province of Trás-os-Montes and leaves its mark on the way to the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean. He brings with him many stories of achievements and it is to looking at him that Porto was born and lives every day. It is on the banks of the Douro that extends the most characteristic and the most beautiful area of Porto, the Ribeira. Photographing the Douro River is a stream of inspiration.
3 – The Bridges
There are six bridges that cross the Douro River and connect the banks of the two neighboring cities, Porto and Gaia.
Starting at the oldest, the D. Maria Pia railway bridge, designed by Eng. Gustave Eiffel (the same of the Paris tower), inaugurated in 1877, now deactivated and replaced by the S. João bridge in 1991, passing through the modern bridges of Freixo and Infante, by the fantastic and imposing bridge of the Arrábida and ending in the iconic and singular bridge Luis I with its double-deck metal arch. It is a feast for any photographer whose most difficult task is to have the courage to stop taking pictures.
4 – The Arquitecture
There are buildings whose architecture crosses much of the city history, from the Tower of Rua do Baixo of the thirteenth century, in Ribeira, passing through the innumerable projects by the Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni, the most emblematic without a doubt the Church and Tower of Clérigos, the S. João National Theater built at the beginning of the 20th century and designed by the Portuguese architect Marques da Silva, to the modernist House of Music, designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, as part of the European Capital of Culture event in 2001, and the headquarters of Vodafone, designed by the architects José António Barbosa and Pedro Guimarães, in the top 20 of the most spectacular creative offices in the world, is a journey that enchants and unveils the rich history. Making a photographic itinerary with architectural motifs is for it self a great story.
Vodafome headquarters building
5 – Parks and Gardens
The “Parque da Cidade”, Portugal’s largest urban park, stretches out to the sea and consists of a sophisticated landscape of lakes, varied flora and fauna, the Palacio de Cristal gardens with multiple viewpoints of the city and river, the magnificent gardens of the House and Museum of Serralves, the romantic gardens of Cordoaria and Botânico, and many others that can not be listed here. They are all pearls to be photographed.
6 – The Monuments
This city of Porto is also rich in monuments such as the ex-libris Torre dos Clérigos with its 75 meters of height that we can rise by its 240 steps and where you can see splendorous views of the city, the several stretches of medieval walls where there are still some of the old city gates, the imposing cathedral that dominates the city, the luxuriant S. Francisco church, the magnificent church of S. Clara, the almost unknown but fantastic church and museum of S. Pedro de Miragaia, the Palace of the Stock Exchange with its miraculous Arabic Salon, S. Bento Railway Station with its interior covered with more than 20.000 magnificent tiles that depict important episodes of Portugal’s history as well, excerpts from the 19th Century life in Portugal, and so many others that only a leisurely visit to the city will allow to know. Any of them is an attraction for any photographer who wants to add his story to the Porto´s history.
Porto’s Cathedral at night
7 – The Viewpoints
It is for many people, the most beautiful city in Europe and one of the most wonderful in the world. One of the reasons that contribute to this conviction has to do with its multiple viewpoints of the city. From the Serra do Pilar, on the south bank already in Gaia city, the perspective that is enjoyed there is splendorous, perhaps one of the most impressive images about a city that can be had. From the Vitória viewpoint you can see the all historical center, the Luis I bridge and the Serra do Pilar, and from the Virtudes Promenade, the sunset over the sea is unforgettable. And they are just some of the many who wait for you there. You may say that the beauty is so great that the cameras do not need the photographer.
Porto, Can’t Miss It!
Photos & text:
José Manuel Santos
What Trey Ratcliff, the famous american photographer, says about Porto & Pictury Photo Tours
What my dearest friend and famous photographer Trey Ratcliff says about Porto… (and Pictury Photo Tours!)
Last year, our 80 Stays tour around the world took us to beautiful Porto, Portugal! My friend Jose took us all around…
Publicado por Trey Ratcliff em Quarta-feira, 2 de maio de 2018
Pictury Photo Tours is crossing borders in the company of my friends Ugo Cei from Italy and Ralph Velasco from the USA, great photographers and Photo Tour international leaders who have been kind enough to interview me recently.
You can listen below and follow us at www.picturyphototours.com
So says Sérgio Godinho’s song, singer-songwriter of Porto that I admire. Music is part of our lives, has an extraordinary effect on the awakening of emotions and the words sung in Portuguese are blessed.
Today I write with a peace and a feeling that from now everything will go well. It feels so good …
Yesterday we officially inaugurated Pictury Photo Tours, joining a group of friends for a small photo tour through Porto, that city of cobbled, narrow and old alleyways that is always there for us and we feel how much it likes to be shared. We start at Virtudes Garden, always different in each visit, but where we feel always free.
Next stop, the Church of S. Pedro de Miragaia, with its magnificent altarpiece, beautiful! We were greeted by D Zulmira, whom I thank for the generosity and sympathy with which she made known to us the whole filling of this church that is well worth the visit.
Now let’s all be (when I say everyone is really everyone, because me and our children did not know what was going to happen, everything was prepared by my husband) surprised (always liked to surprise and did not lose the way …) by our guide. We have a 5D movie session about Porto that I highly recommend. It’s a different and fun way to see Porto.
The ride is almost over. We are going to walk along a narrow street that ends in a staircase leading to a small square where there are only 3 doors, we have to go back. Very curious and unusual.
A wonderful dinner is waiting for us at Espiga, which is a really nice space with a concern to promote cultural initiatives that for me are important to the city and where we eat well.
We finished the day with the presentation of a beautiful video (I know I’m suspicious, but I really like it) with compliments from renowed international photographers who know about my husband’s work. Thank you all.
Finally, I want to thank all those who were present and those that can’t but are “cheering” for us since the beginning
I still want to say that, despite giving a lot of work, it has been a pleasure for me to collaborate in this project that, even though it is not mine, has all my love. I will always be willing to welcome you with my biggest smile.
Until forever.
Maria José Dias
Oporto’s Winter Sun
From the narrow balcony
I feel the sun invade me.
With eyes closed
I see this beautiful city.
The tower, of Teixeira de Pascoaes, arises proudly:
“Oporto squeezed up”.
We descend the precious staircase lined with stained glass that leads to the street. Let’s start our crusade of accidental tourists.
First visit, the house of the photo in front of the garden with the “my” trees that, although ill, grew and became gorgeous. We enjoy, with eyes wide open, all the exposed images, because they are worth it. We continue our walk along the steep streets, winding and full of history of this city towards the viewpoint that is of the virtues, it will be, perhaps, by the stunning view. But for me, what most fills my soul is the wonderful sculpture of the master José Rodrigues (I miss him…), horses and men from / to iron that so well symbolize the beauty and strength of these people (tripeiros).
Must stop at the tavern Sto. Antonio of Mr. Vitor whose sympathy is so captivating that makes you eat or drink even without hunger or thirst. The tour is not over yet, some old, worn stairs that end up right next to the S. Domingos square are waiting for us and where there is a guy so typical that he gives me a humorous phrase: “It’s good that there is no lift.” Separation of group, I continue with the youngers, street of flowers above and another unmissable stop in what is perhaps the most charming and precious tea room, as the name indicates, the goldsmithing Alliance. What a pleasant and surprising conversation!
We are almost at the end of this journey, but we are still going up the street of Clérigos, that of the tower that I spoke at the beginning and from which one can not look away, although we have to do it in order not to lose all the balconies of twisted iron, a masterpiece. So good! I finally love this city, which, being not mine, I feel, breathe and live as if it were.
Maria José Dias
Pictury Photo Tours
The choice of the winning city never has been so unanimous among travellers from all other the world. It is with the votes of worldwide travellers from 174 countries that Porto wins this European title again for the third time (2012, 2014, 2017). Travellers from the USA, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, South-Africa, South Korea, Ireland and Canada, among others,… voted Porto in the first place in this competition.
Porto is exceptional in more ways than one and the “Cidade Invicta” (unvanquished city) is history, is architecture, culture, gastronomy, trade, encounters and discoveries, will seduce you.
Porto has all the charm of towns which happily cohabit with their river. You can stroll along the River Douro (river of gold) in Cais da Ribeira, fly over it by helicopter or discover Porto’s architecture, its amazing landscapes and magnificent bridges by taking a cruise on this majestic river. Porto is also a sea city and in the briefest of time a tram will bring you to Foz do Douro’s gentle beaches face to face with the Atlantic.
Enter the sumptuously cool Palacio da Bolsa, and walk through history with Portuguese adventurers, follow the country’s trade routes and be stunned by the treasures which they brought back. Remarkable buildings such as the Sé Catédral and its terraces offer superb viewpoints over a bustle of markets, grocery stores, bars, restaurants…
Source
europeanbestdestinations.com