🇬🇧 10 Small but Meaningful Insights I Gained in Porto

Something happens when you travel without hurry, without checklists to complete, without the frantic need to see everything. It’s a space that opens outward, but above all inward, where you can truly meet yourself.

For me Porto was this: a place where I slowed down, where I focused on my projects and where I listened to myself. Today Portugal represents this above all: a journey different from the others I’ve experienced. I won’t rush to see everything; in fact, I think this time I’ll see very little, but I’ll feel a lot.

In this simple yet mindful way of living, I’m gathering small but meaningful insights. They aren’t absolute truths. They are soul travel notes. They are traces of a journey that didn’t start in Porto and won’t end there. Porto, however, was a special stop.

Here’s what I realized, in a place that leaves its mark without the immediate, glossy impact of more famous cities:

1. Travel and personal growth go hand in hand.

Every place I experience is nothing but a reflection of what moves within me. Travel is a discovery not only of the outside world but also of the inner self.


2. I don’t think I’ll ever be a travel blogger.

I use the verb 'believe' because I’m learning not to live by certainties and absolutes. I travel first to connect with myself and the world around me and only then to inform others. I tend to prefer museums and iconic monuments less and less. I rarely try traditional dishes, because I’m vegetarian. I don’t always eat at restaurants; in fact, most of the time I cook for myself in hostels and in places where I feel there’s room for connection. For me traveling means more than being a tourist; it’s about immersing myself in a place and with the people I meet. It’s a process that requires time and presence. That’s why I always feel I never have enough time to travel.

3. Porto is perfect for working online, especially in the summer.

The climate is mild and costs are lower compared to other European cities. There are many coworking spaces. Cafés are very welcoming and perfect for remote work. Buuh! and Mesa 325 were my home for several hours and there I truly felt at ease.

Il BUUH! E ETC, a café in the center of Porto, 

ideal for remote work.

                                           

4. Traveling is not a performance.

It’s a phrase I repeat to myself often. I wanted to carry it with me on this trip. I usually feel a lot of frustration when I can’t experience everything a place has to offer. It happened to me especially in Orlando. That’s why these days I’m taking things very slowly. In Porto, I missed some experiences because I chose to slow down. I needed it and that’s perfectly fine.

5. I’m for balanced liveliness.  

In Porto there’s an energy in the streets that doesn’t translate into frenzy or toxic chaos. The city pulses, yet remains human-scaled.


6. I feel at ease in places where being distracted isn’t a danger. 

I’ve never been worried about my belongings. In Porto, even in crowded areas, I didn’t have to keep an eye on them or hold them close for fear of them being stolen. Portugal is one of the 10 safest countries in the world. Even though it’s a country facing various economic challenges, the social calm and strong sense of community help create an environment of peaceful coexistence. It’s not an economic issue; it’s a cultural one.


7. Respect, hospitality and inclusion are fundamental prerequisites for me. 

In Porto people are neither suspicious nor intrusive: there’s a good balance in relationships and in the perception of strangers. Approaching someone you don’t know without encountering annoyed or unpleasant looks is the norm. The atmosphere is calm and you can feel a genuine social openness.


8. I love cosmopolitan cities.

Despite its small size, Porto is truly international. I exchanged words with people from all over the world, from the Americas to Australia. It’s precisely this diversity that made me feel truly at home.

9. Porto is a city I would love to return to. 

I think I’ve only said this phrase for very few places: Tanzania and Spain, above all. I try not to use it often, because the world is too big to limit yourself to living in just one place. There are many other places to discover in Portugal. In Porto, I missed direct contact with the sea, too far from the city center, but at the same time I feel that a part of me would have gladly stayed there. I don’t have a crystal ball, but perhaps for me this city represents the beginning of a new life.

10. Authenticity is more perfect than perfection.

I want to live in my own image and likeness. This applies both to my travels and to my life, concepts that increasingly overlap. When I went to Orlando, I learned a lot about the homeless in the USA; I felt what they experience inside. Yet someone told me that going to Orlando without visiting the Disney parks was like going to Rome without seeing the Colosseum. Well, a free traveler does what they feel and doesn’t follow scripts; so yes, they can also allow themselves to go to Rome without visiting the Colosseum.

In conclusion, but not closing, if there’s one thing Porto has taught me, it’s that what we take home from a trip is never just what we’ve seen, but above all what we’ve felt.

In Porto, I felt that I was moving in my own direction not with perfection, but with authenticity, with who I am inside.

Hi, I’m Leopoldo Lagrimosa. I’m glad you’re here on my blog.


If you want to discover my world as a WanderLife Coach, follow me on Instagram too: leofreetraveler

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