It was great to stay out at the beach. You don’t really need a car as public transport is great, especially the bus that runs along the coast to the rivermouth & then up into stunning Porto. While it was very hot none of us braved the ocean which was colder than NZ sea in spring. The apartment was huge & pictures don’t really convey this. The hosts are excellent & provided great tips including encouraging us to visit the charming inland villages of Guimaraes and Pinhao. Don’t believe all the bad press regarding the Douro river boat rides. We took a $15 trip at sunset & really enjoyed it. Another tip is taking the hop on hop off if you struggle with steep climbing streets, it’s a great way to see the both sides of the ciity.