Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

The Crystal Palace Gardens are Porto's finest public park and home to the best viewpoint in a city full of good viewpoints. The original Crystal Palace — inspired by London's — was demolished in 1951 and replaced with a domed sports pavilion that nobody loves, but the gardens surrounding it are superb: formal avenues of linden trees, rose gardens, fountains, and a series of terraces that cascade down toward the river with views that make you want to sit down and stay forever.

The western terrace has an unobstructed panorama of the Douro winding toward the Atlantic, with the Arrábida Bridge framing the view and container ships passing below like toys. On clear days you can see the ocean. It's the kind of view that property developers would charge millions for, and it's completely free. The park is also home to a population of peacocks who strut around the lawns with an arrogance that suggests they know exactly how good the view is.

The gardens are a favourite of local joggers, dog walkers, and parents with children, which gives them a neighbourhood feel that the more touristy viewpoints lack. The Romantic Museum and the Paper Money Museum (yes, that exists) are both inside the park, and there's a small outdoor café near the rose garden that serves coffee with the kind of view that most cities would build a rooftop bar around. Come at sunset — bring wine if you want — and watch the river turn gold.