Our journey to Porto passed gorgeous landscapes as we traveled through the Douro Valley. Once in Porto we headed for the Bolhão Market for a sampling of sardines, meats, cheeses and wine, then wandered around to get a feel for Porto, stopping at a small wine shop where our group was given a private wine tasting. We were on our own for dinner so we decided to cross the river and watch the sunset from the Gaia side. There was a party atmosphere with hundreds of people having the same idea.

The next day was our final full day of the tour and we were not ready for it to be over. In the morning, we visited the São Bento Train station which is filled with lovely painted tiles. We wandered the streets along the river, soaking in our last day and visited the Palácio da Bolsa, a spectacular building that was once a stock exchange but now serves as the headquarters of the Commercial Exchange of Porto. In the afternoon, we took a short cruise on the Douro River.
 

That evening, our group gathered in the hotel to mark the end of our trip by sharing stories, champagne, hugs and tears. We talked about hopes for the trip (exceeded!) and what our favorite parts were. We had many--the culture, the architecture, the wine, the two farms we visited, the spectacular Douro Valley and getting to know our tourmates. One of our fellow travelers, Kevin, had mentioned in our initial group meeting that he was of Portuguese descent and was hoping to learn more about his heritage. At this final gathering, Kevin had us in tears as he described how much more connected he felt to his Portuguese heritage and how the tour had enabled him to better understand his family background. That would have been a fitting end to a wonderful trip, but instead we all walked together to Café Guarany for yet another amazing meal including the legendary Francesinha, a classic Portuguese sandwich with layers of different types of meat covered in cheese and topped with an egg. There we reminisced and said our goodbyes over our final dinner together.

Are we “Tour People?” Well, we are already trying to decide which Rick Steves tour we will take next with our newly made tour friends. So, yes, we are tour people—at least Rick Steves tour people.