One of the highlights of going to Porto was visiting the Serralves Contemporary Art Museum and Gardens. The art deco style house is part of the gardens and was built in the 1930’s. You can go inside and do a tour of the property and see the influences of some of the leading architects of the time.
Rosa et Al
During my time in Porto I stayed at Rosa et Al, a townhouse boutique hotel in the Bombarda district of Porto. It’s convenient location made it easy to get around to all the different places I wanted to visit. There is also an excellent restaurant and deli on the main floor. The founders live across the street so if you ever need anything they are never far away.
Breaking Waves
Between Porto and Lisbon I spent a few nights in the surf town of Ericeira. It has charming traditional architecture and is renowned for breathtaking ocean vistas and over 10 local beaches to visit. Ericeira is officially a World Surfing Reserve, meaning it has become the permanent home for many world surfing champions. It is equally loved by lisboêtas who come here for a weekend getaway.
A little further south along the coast is the picturesque town of Azenhas-do-Mar. A 30 minute taxi ride from Ericeira it has great food options and spectacular views. Seeing the crashing waves against the rock pool reminds you that this wild patch of Portugal is more Atlantic than Mediterranean. If you’re looking for a place to stay in the area, Areias do Seixo sits between blonde beaches and a forest of pines.
Centre Court
Centre Court at the 141st edition of the Canadian Open tournament has its own microclimate; intense, pressurized, and high octane. The players ferocious grace makes them appear to float a fraction above the hard court surface at Toronto’s York University. On the qualifying weekend spectators can attend for free to watch some of the best players in the world compete for the title.
With Serena Williams’ announcement that she will be retiring from tennis after the 2022 US Open; Sobeys stadium was filled to capacity. Serena’s famous forehands exploded off her racquet like popped paper bags and for a few games in each set she reminded us of the Serena Williams of old — the magic of a player who had written herself into tennis’ past, present, and future.
