To make it short: Best host ever.
We stayed in Diogos apartment for three nights; we arrived very late on saturday evening and Diogo gave us a very warm welcome, although it was already midnight. He showed us his beautiful apartment and had prepared such a lovely meal on an antique tray with local specialties like 30year old port wine and handmade marmalade in crystal pots. It was our first visit in Portugal and we felt like coming home to a friend. We could not have imagined a better start and welcome in Porto.
The apartment itself is in the centre of Porto, right around the corner of Cafe Majestic and only a few minutes away by foot to the historic city centre and all the local attractions. It is beautiful refurbished with antique interior, old paintings and linens of Diogos grandmother, bought in Paris. You can feel his love for decoration in every detail - it is personally decorated and full of memories and antique treasures.
The bathroom and kitchenette are new, but perfectly integrated into the apartment on the old balcony. We felt like staying in a Victorian castle 100 years ago. And that's not only because we love Downton Abbey :-).
Diogo was the perfect host, always caring about us and our needs, but never intrusive. He gave us the best insider tips for all we asked for and recommended lots of personal loved places. For example a tiny and typical Portuguese restaurant we would never have found without him.
So at the end it was difficult to leave Porto as we fell in love with this place and city. There can't be a better place to stay in Porto if your looking for authenticity and being treated like a friend.
Thank you for everything, Diogo. Perfect start for our vacation in your country. See you again soon.
Uli & Timo/ Germany