In Porto, the tourist culture is pervasive. Anywhere you walk, there are myriad patios for wining and dining. Perhaps it’s not just for tourists though. Perhaps this is just the culture here, even for the locals.

It’s more relaxed, more beautiful. The architecture is wonderful everywhere. A few times we’ve climbed a hill or turned a corner around a cobblestone alley to find an amazing view over the Douro river or over the multicolored buildings rising up the hill.

More people smoke here. People drink on patios under umbrellas. Sangria and wine are at the top of most menus. The streets are not straight on grid systems like they are in American cities. They curve and wind around and crawl up hills and turn around corners. Even the urban design permeates the more free-flowing culture here, whereas in America, it seems the streets permeate the culture of right angles and sharp edges.