Let's face it, Porto looks like the kind of place you would know what to expect if you were to visit, but not all is as it seems.
I was taken aback by a completely different cultural experience almost immediately on arrival.
Porto in my minds eye was going to be like a cobbled city in a time capsule but nothing could have prepared me for how drastically different it was to my expectations.
For a city break with a quirky port but with bonus beach hotspots and plenty of tourist attractions to enjoy, Porto simply offers plenty for many different types of travellers.
The Boeira Garden Hotel Porto Gaia, Curio Collection by Hilton is situated right smack bang in the middle of it all making it the perfect base to experience the must sees, food and drink and much more.
I knew I was going to enjoy the trip as soon as I entered the hotel and was faced with the rest of the trip guests, all chilled out and relaxed drinking lashings of wine and eating a beautiful spread of local produce.
Porto sits on the exquisite Duoro River lined with a multitude of colourful, cascading restaurants, cafes and monumental buildings. It's a spectacular sight, especially on foot. But, one thing I noticed almost immediately when heading into the city was on every street corner there was something else fighting for your attention.
If it was not a quaint, touristy souvenir shop that caught your eye, it would be a huge university building with a sea of uniformed students strolling the streets, or a beautiful seafood restaurant with guests sat eating al fresco. There really are some stunning sights to sit back and watch all so very different from home.
It's certainly not your average tourist spot packed with towering hotels and seaside amenities put it that way.
The Boeira Garden Hotel Porto Gaia, Curio Collection by Hilton, Porto
The Boeira Garden Hotel Porto Gaia, Curio Collection by Hilton is the first Curio property in Portugal and is located among the port wine cellars and historic gardens of Quinta da Boeira.
You can find the Praia de Lavadores beach just 15 minutes away, the 16th-century Monastery of Serra do Pilar is just 10 minutes away and Porto itself is also a stone's throw away.
A hotel with the city nearby, a beach only down the road and plenty in close proximity in regards to essential stores, restaurants and bars makes it a great location.
The rooms are stunning but my room was unfortunately facing other rooms which wasn't ideal when you forget and go to change in the evening with just thin, see-through curtains closed.
Nevertheless, the other guests on the trip and I all had a joke about it that we were all in fact on the same row of rooms, and all would have flashed the opposing rooms.
So when booking, just make sure you enquire for rooms with an alternative view.
Other than that, Porto was one of the best places I have visited for the stunning cuisine. The hotel provided a wonderful breakfast buffet and the food we ate over the duration of the stay was outstanding.
Portugal has some incredible, moreish foods to try and delve into. I was sold on the amount of seafood on offer post-bike ride at the port with a outdoor grill serving us deliciously fresh sardine and seabass dishes, to our final night spread fit for kings.
Every member of staff couldn't have been more helpful. I loved being greeted by the same happy faces each morning and the reception staff went above and beyond and attended to my needs for various things, for instance, fetching me some toothpaste which was left in my room for me and printing off my boarding passes to return home - it's the little things.
It's the kind of hotel that you can see yourself staying with any kind of guests whether that's a family trip, a wedding, a group of friends, a work trip. It's an all-round great hotel for whatever reason.
You can just picture how beautiful a wedding would be here.
The hotel restaurant, Raizes, offers a unique taste of Portuguese cuisine paired with a local and international selection of wines, and dining here in the morning offers a cosy, comfortable setting with something a little extra special.
Getting exceptional 360 views over Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto while sitting sipping your morning coffee is just so peaceful and the rooftop is an ideal spot for romantic dinners or sunset cocktails.
As for the spa on site, it's quite a shock how good the spa is on the complex considering again, it's a city hotel which you would not expect so many facilities to be squeezed into one boutique hotel.
The hotel’s Spa and Wellness Centre is nature-inspired and features a large indoor dynamic pool, five treatment rooms with a vast range of treatments and massages, thermal bath, sauna, steam room and a fitness centre.
Although I only spent a quick two hours in the spa on the morning before I left the complex its facilities are great.
But, the unparalleled feature for me without doubt were Boeira Garden's breath-taking grounds. It's the most beautiful addition.
Let's just say that there were plenty of photographs taken within the grounds, where greenery was dotted perfectly around the stunning complex.
The Boeira Garden Hotel Porto follows strict environmental and sustainability policies, and make it their mission to preserve and protect its ecosystem, guaranteeing a sustainable future for the hotel.
Therefore, several solar panels are used as a primary heating system and they reutilize rainfall to provide water to the hotel's sanitation system and garden preservation.
Every square inch of the design of this hotel is enriched by heritage, but authentic in its touch of modernity, the modern building is surrounded with so much history that it is the perfect contrast.
Porto, a tourist hotspot?
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal, but it's still not completely taken over by mega consumerism which I loved. It's just a real shame that with that, comes a wave of quite literally crumbling buildings which is the direct economic effect it not being such a tourist hotspot destination.
Instead you get perfectly intertwined buildings between cobbled alleyways, while proud tour guide locals show off Porto's potential within metres of each famous landmark.
One thing I noticed almost instantly at arriving in Portugal is the laid back, horizontal lifestyle.
Nobody is in a rush, people enjoy every sip of wine over socialising and lunching.. It was quite a culture shock for me personally at first but it didn't take long to fully submerge and enjoy the pace.
You can also enjoy a coastal stroll, bike ride or seafood lunch a stones throw away on one of it's handful of beaches which will be a huge seller for the sun worshippers of the UK who will want to soak up the sun when not delving in the city's culture.
But there were areas of complete neglect and some buildings, even ones with a frontal masterpiece of perfectly placed mosaics, were crumbling beneath them.
Other than that, there is really something quite special about the layout of the city. There seems so much to see and do.
For some, the experience of visiting the Lello Bookstore in the city is a highlight, with a queue weaving right down the street of eager tourists wanting a glimpse of its famous staircase and hidden Harry Potter features.
To get around the city, there is a bike lane which goes right along the coastline and the day I spent cycling along it in particular for me was the highlight.
The sun peeked through the clouds just enough so we were not dripping with sweat, while riding on an electric bike tour along Vila Nova de Gaia ocean front promenade. The sea breeze cooled us while we took in the breath-taking scenery along the beach.
The World of Wine is another must see for travellers who like to see some of the local heritage of a city and find fun things to do.
I learned so much at this place, especially having been given wine tokens - it was like a gang of kids in a sweetshop.
As an interactive, fun experience while visiting and taking photos in and around the attraction was awesome. We tasted wines sourced globally, seeing a place like this really seemed a once in a lifetime experience.
Five years in the making, the World of Wine is, as the name suggests, a homage to all of the elements that go into producing your favourite tipple. The 55,000 sq m site sits just below the famous Yeatman Hotel, with an expansive square at its heart and spectacular views down to the Douro river and the Dom Luís I Bridge. It’s been built sympathetically using the old port wine cellars. Unsurprisingly, you can’t get far from port in Porto nor from the English names that abound due to the trade. But then why would you want to?
You can book to visit here on their website.
