Miradouro das Fontaínhas, Porto

Miradouro das Fontaínhas is a promenade in Porto’s Bonfim parish, carrying the feel of a village within the city. As you walk along it, the Douro and its bridges open into view, while trains heading into the tunnels below send their rumble uphill. Fontaínhas is among Porto’s oldest and most characteristic corners, and its traditional São João street celebration fills the promenade each year.

Look for the old public washing tanks, reminders of a time when women came here to do laundry, trade gossip, argue and sing. Local memories describe neighbours greeting one another from windows and a woman selling biscuits from door to door. That close-knit life was disrupted by the construction of the Infante bridge, which displaced many residents. Despite tourism and the spread of holiday lets, the neighbourhood retains its loud voices and modest cafés.