Porto and the North

The view through a hole in a wall in Porto... This is in the Miragaia district which occupies the hillside between the river and Carmo. The name I imagine translates to view of Gaia, which is pretty much what you can see through the far window.

One of the little lanes which runs down the hill from near the hospital to the riverside. This isn't really a backstreet, but then it is often hard to tell in Porto what constitutes a street, an alley or a back lane. It's also often hard to figure out whether you may have stumbled into the dodgiest neighbourhood in town or some up-and-coming boho area. To be honest I think this particular street is pretty safe and is a bit of a mix.

Rua Francisco da Rocha Soares in Miragaia. This ramshackle old street zig-zags its way down to the riverside from the top end of town.

This is one of my favourite parts of Porto. One minute you are in streets like this and next you will find a hidden square or some grand building.

A row of shops and cafes on the opposite side of the street to the Igreja do Carmo - well-known for its azulejos.

I like this part of town as it has enough bustle but isn't overrun like the Ribeira or more downtown districts. It's also a somewhat eclectic mix of grand buildings, parks and ramshackle terraces.

This tree-lined terrace fronted by bars and cafes sits on the edge of the grand part of Porto's city centre before it begins to cascade down towards the river in a jumble of little lanes.

One of the reason this row is such a popular spot is that to the left of the picture are unbroken views out over the river. Positioned overlooking the terraced gardens of the Parque das Virtudes this is also one of the best places in Porto to watch the sunset.

Rua de Azevedo De Albuquerque in Porto. I like this little olde worlde street which is surprisingly close to the city centre. Just up the steps ahead are the Codoroia Gardens and the gran neoclassical university and hospital buildings. Keep heading along this street and you will find yourself descending steeply through the old streets of the Miragaia district towards the riverfront. 

The somewhat grubby facade of the Hospital de Santo António in Porto. This is only a small part of the front elevation - it's actually a pretty imposing building. 

The hospital was designed by the renowned English architect  John Carr towards the end of the 18th century. The neoclassical behemoth was completed in 1824, over 50 years after the project was started.

Resplendent in green tiles with brown paintwork this colour scheme might not be for everyone but I believe they were all the rage back around the turn of the century. There's some very fancy features on this house on Porto's Rua do Breiner such as the curved window frames, wrought iron balconies and tile motifs.

These days Rua do Breiner is close enough to Rua de Miguel Bombarda that some of the bohemian vibe has rubbed off. This means it is one of Porto's hippest and trendiest postcodes.

A fine-looking building on Rua do Rosário in Porto. Adorned with some nice azulejos, wrought iron balconies and some quality stonework this must have been built off the back of some wealth.

These days the building is the home to the Porto School of Commerce.

The Igreja do Carmo is one of the finest and most recognisable churches in Porto. Designed by José de Figueiredo Seixas in the Baroque style, and much influenced by the master architect Nicolau Nasoni, the church was built in the 1760s. This is apparent on the main facade of the church, but it is the side wall which has made this one of the icons of Porto.