Un radiant sun draws a parabola in the sky that runs out in the late afternoon off the Atlantic Ocean. The pleasant temperatures smile at the many who, in the rush hours of those last days of June, crowd along the beautiful beaches of Leça da Palmeira. The air smells of celebration: you feel it in the street, where children play chasing each other, in exercises, in which the elderly engage in animated discussions, in the smiles of couples who, hand in hand, retrace the wonderful paths of the Crystal Palace, enjoying the fantastic view of the Douro.
Il 23 June every year the São João, one takes place typical party of the tradition of city of Porto which lasts all night and at dawn while someone comes home, many others still remain to see the sun rise.
And it is right on Riverside, along the banks of the Portuguese river, which at night is consumed by the joyful madness of those present: songs, dances, fireworks, shows and a… hammer blow. Yeah: il hammer (plastic, of course) is the great protagonist of this evening. One of the favorite activities of the Portuguese is, in fact, getting hammered: seems to be a good omen. The workshops of the artisans, ready to sell all kinds of delicacies and traditional relics, are nothing more than pieces of a mosaic, stages in the great theater of Northern Portugal, at the premiere of the new season.
And when a new sun the city shows its artistic face, offers glimpses of rare beauty, among the alleys of its infinite ups and downs. On the other side of the Douro it extends Vila Nova de Gaia, proud bastion of the most famous wine cellars in the country: Porto. Gaia is the only place from which to admire Porto in all its beauty: the Baixa, with its dilapidated houses, the river at its feet and the Clérigos Church that stands tall over the city. Lunch time: are you not hungry?
Tradition wants that The Portuguese know 365 different ways to cook cod, national dish. I have to be honest: I was not thrilled. Much better there Francesinha: meat, meat and more meat, covered with two slices of bread, wrapped in a secret sauce and fries ... a Lusitanian variant of Mc Donalds, it is true, but I had never tasted anything like it in my life.
And during the afternoon, when the temperatures cool down and the wind stops blowing, it's the right time to discover the many art galleries of Miguel Bombarda Street. Here every month, for the duration of a few days, the exhibitions remain open at all hours, theadmission is free and, not infrequently, it is possible to see stages complete with live music, sometimes within the galleries themselves.
Of course, the St. John it's wonderful, but it lasts only one night: what to do when the sun goes down? The choice is vast: Pinguim Monday offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a surreal environment, in which everyone is a spectator and a protagonist. Recite your poem, no matter in what language, the intent is to give a cultural touch to a magical night.
Always here they are held painting workshops and live music: you can give vent to your artistic vein. And then there is the Contagiarte, a nightclub that has very little in common with discos, a “space for cultural awareness”: art, music and theater merge, giving life to something original, never seen before.
Porto can be reached from Ryanair flights (Bergamo and Rome Ciampino) ed EasyJet (Milan Malpensa) at very low cost. Saving on downtown hotels is possible (a double room costs around € 25 per night): just book with a pinch of advance and the game is done.
