The Harry Potter wizard's book suite, fascinated by millions of people around the world from the moment he came out. The magic with which J. K. Rowling wrote 7 sequels of this, for many, unavoidable readers. he managed to conquer all people on the planet literally and from a fairly ordinary story about a small wizard with glasses, make a real revolution. But did you know that Harry Potter was born in Port?
I believe most people on the planet, regardless of where they live, heard about Harry Potter. Some are indifferent to this book, some love it, and for some, Harry Potter has become one of the symbols of childhood and the place they feel safe and carefree.
By reading this book, you loved magic and mystery, you lived up to the adventures of the main heroes, your wives became a new favorite animal and you certainly wanted to visit England at least once. The land where Harry Potter was born, right? Or is it not?
Since we and Nina during our stay in Portugal had a chance to visit one of the world's most beautiful cities in the world, the magical Porto, we decided to share with you 10 interesting things that confirm the fact that it is the town on the Douro River, the cradle of Harry Potter.
10 Things Harry Potter and Porto have in common!
It sounds unbelievable that a city in Portugal and a film in England can have any connection, but we want to show you that the story of a small wizard has just come here, in the land of the famous wine, in the land of fate, in the land of good people in the land one of the most beautiful languages in the world, in the country of Portugal.
1. Coffee Majestic
In this, today's cult café in Port, JKRowling, began writing the first part of Harry Potter, Stone of the Wise, a book from which everything began, and I remember my mom buying at the end of the fifth grade of elementary school, for Nikoljdan in 2001 . What a luck it was. I do not think I have read so much of a book until today. I remember that there was a bunch of candy in the same packet, but I was just interested in the book. I was a stranger when I was a kid.
Otherwise, the Majestic coffee shop was built in Art Nouveau style with a perfect location in the very center of the city on Rua de Santa Catarina Street, one of the more busy streets of Porta. Right here, Rowling began his long journey of 7 books inspired by everything he saw during his ten-year stay in the second largest city in Portugal where he worked as an English professor. There is even a story that the first draft and book concept was written on the rugs in this cafe that the waiter brought along with the account.
Today, thanks to the planetary success of the series, Majestic is a place that many tourists choose to cater for when they visit Port, and if you are a Harry Potter fan, do not miss this place.
2. Lelo's bookstore
The famous magazine Lonely Planet in 2014 selected Lello & Irmão (Lello and Brothers) as the third most beautiful bookstore in the world. Designed in a completely unusual way, with magical red stairs in the center of the bookstore, colorful glass roofs and glossy neo-gothic ornaments, this bookstore seems to make you feel like you've strayed into Howgarts.
Lello saw the light of 13.1. In 1906, though, quite special, the bookstore was threatened by bankruptcy for a while because of bad sales, and its owners, Lello brothers, even planned to close it. And then Harry Potter did. Then everything changed.
From the moment of the launch of the first movie, tourists from all over the world began to slowly come to the bookstore, as it turned out that Rowling often came to her while writing the book and watched her ornaments while in her little cafe on her first floor, as a British lawmaker, nocturnal tea. During our visit to Port, we looked at the bookstore and brought you a bit of the atmosphere from this incredible spot. About this bookstore, we wrote here.
3. Castle in Port
When we mention Porto, know that it is a place with plenty of cathedrals, bridges and castles, and watching this castle, we can not remember the Great Lakes from the movie while walking across the bridge of Luiz I from which the photo was taken.
Built in 1886 by one of the students of the famous Gustave Eiffel, in order to represent the steel arch over the Douro River. The bridge connects Porto with Gaia, famous for its wine cellars, from which the country itself is known, Portugal, Porto + Gaio. During our stay in Port, it was rainy and enough. It was Portugal you do not see often, dull and foggy, but this is exactly like Portugal, it was like a film scene. Going over a fogged bridge, we had the impression that we were in some of Harry Potter's movies.
4. Cathedral
Although many of Harry Potter's scenes were filmed at the Gloucester Cathedral in England, Sé Cathedral in Port, surely had an influence on the book itself. Designed in a Gothic style with a large number of decorations and ornaments, it is a splendid work of architecture, but walking through its yards, you can almost imagine Professor Snjepa getting out of the shade or professor MekGonagal as he moves to his next lecture.
5. Moving eyes
One of the most beautiful aspects of Portuguese culture is the 500-year-old tradition of painting tiles called azulejos. If you find yourself in any part of Portugal, you will surely be able to see old houses in small narrow streets painted with blue and white tiles with various motifs. The cathedral and church are also some of the places where these blue and white tiles can be found, and the eyes of the saints watching you almost resemble the poignant figures of Harry Potter
6. Traditional uniforms
Traditional uniforms for students attending Universities in Portugal, and also in Port, seem to be taken from some of the pages of Harry Potter Books. However, the truth is a little different. If we take into account the long period that J.K. Rowlling spent in Port, where he was often able to see the black cloaks and the unusual odors that students wear here, it's easy to see where he was inspired by the wardrobe worn.
While we were in Portugal, we met a group of Bruce, and our guide Pedro, the unofficial best guide in Port, told us a lot about this custom. I just had to take this opportunity to praise a man I respect a lot and who is one of those people you meet and say, "I want to be like you."
That is why young ladies, if you are in the mood for little history and interesting facts, if you need a strong male hand. if you are interested in where in Port you can find the best Francezin (a specialty known in Port) and if you would like to meet one of Portugal's greatest chefs, my good friend Pedra, feel free to contact me, I will be happy to join you.
Pedro was in Banja Luka and visited all the countries of the former Yugoslavia so that not only he is an adventurer, you will not have to adapt to other cultures with him, for he understands you, and if you win his heart, Pedro may decide to move .
7.Station
At first glance it is quite a regular cell. But now look at the picture. Close your eyes. See the picture again. Although Platform 5 writes, it reminds us of platform 9¾.
We hope that after this story you will love this magical city and will inspire you to visit perhaps the most beautiful country in the world as soon as possible, the country that so enthusiastic that Nina has repeatedly repeated to me that there is no need to constantly repeat how much delighted because he understood it, a land of famous wine, a land of fads, a land of good people, the land of one of the most beautiful languages in the world, the land of Harry Potter, the land of Portugal.