Porto – Harry Potter was born here – travel review
Yes, it’s true, dear reader! The boy with the lightning scar was conceived and born in Porto.
This city is also known as Oporto and is the second-largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. In 2014 and 2017, Porto was elected The Best European Destination by the Best European Destinations Agency. It is an ideal city for a short break: one can spend a day on the northern bank of the Douro River in the old town and then the second day across the bridge in Vila Nova de Gaia.
One of Portugal’s internationally celebrated exports is fortified Port wine. It is named, unsurprisingly, after Porto, since the town was responsible for the bottling and export of this wine so prized by the British. But along with Port there are very good wines from the Douro valley, and there are plenty of restaurants and cafés offering local dishes.
Porto was the model
But what is the Harry Potter connection? In 1991 Harry’s mum, J. K. Rowling, arrived in Portugal to work as an English teacher. It was in the fascinating city of Porto that she wrote a chapter in the Philosopher’s Stone, “The Mirror of Erised”. A walk around the old town and one can be persuaded that Porto was the model for various elements of the whole Harry Potter series.
Lello bookshop would be a must-visit store even if Harry had never seen the light of day. It’s thought that J. K. was inspired by seeing this architecturally unique bookshop, and plenty of other folks have been, too, it seems – it’s been designated the third most beautiful bookshop in the world by The Guardian and Lonely Planet. I would love to see those that made it to first and second place: Lello sets the bar very high!
The staircase in the centre of the shop is said to have given the idea for the Hogwarts staircase, and it certainly is sumptuous. Designed in the distinctive Gothic Revival style, the shop is full of wooden shelving and carved pointy Gothic arches. The ornate flight of stairs has red-carpeted treads, the book-laden shelves create just the ambiance of Harry’s school library. Such has the J.K. Rowling urban myth flourished that these days there is an entrance fee for those just wanting to have a look. Perhaps an Invisibility Cloak would be in order. One can’t help but imagine that the locals who would just like to buy a copy of The Concise Guide to Portuguese Politics (OK, I made that up) must be quite put-out!
Elegant uniforms
Outside Lello’s there are narrow streets that will doubtless remind one of characterful Diagon Alley where Harry and his friends purchased wands, books and owls. There are plenty of mysterious characters around, wearing cloaks and wandering about in groups. No, you haven’t been transported to another world: they are university students, and between September and the end of May those cloaks are their sartorially elegant uniforms. Harry and his fellows also wore cloaks and J.K. may have taken her inspiration from the Porto students.
Tourists might visit Porto the first time for Harry Potter and Port wine, but they will likely return to enjoy more of the vibrant river front, architecture and café culture. It’s a city with more faces than a three-headed dog called Fluffy.
From 25 March 2018 -TAP Air Portugal has 20 weekly departures from London City and London Gatwick to Porto. Prices start at £41 one way including all taxes and surcharges. For further information visit flytap.com or call 0345 601 0932
For further destination information, visit visitportoandnorth.travel
Visit Lello here
Livraria Lello
R. das Carmelitas 144
4050-161 Porto,
Portugal
Read more articles about Portugal here
Travel review by Chrissie Walker © 2018
