[Worldtrippers home] [2025 Crystal-Viking]

April 29, 2025
Leixões, Portugal

Yesterday (April 28) was supposed to be a port day at Portimão, Portugal. We have never been there before. Our friend Craig set up a wonderful boat ride up the river. Unfortunately, at 7:00 am the Captain announced that we would not be able to visit Portimão. Though the weather was currently gorgeous, it was going to get worse. We were scheduled to anchor offshore and take tender boats to shore, and that would not be safe.

So instead, we had a surprise sea day. Craig ended up presenting an unscheduled lecture at 11:00 am. But Russell had the day off with no unscheduled lecture.


We have talked about the community that has formed on this world cruise. On the unexpected sea day, the Bridge (card game) club organized a “pub crawl” of the various bars around the ship

Today’s port was Leixões, the gateway into the larger city of Porto. Once again, Craig tried to set up an excursion. We looked at a boat ride up the Douro River or a ride in tuk tuks (little cabs). We were even going to be joined by Tim Abel, one of the guest entertainers. Unfortunately, all of the tours departed from Porto, not Leixões. It was a 30-45 bus ride into Porto. And both Craig and Tim had to be back aboard early for a lecture and show tonight, respectively.

So with no excursions set up, the two of us decided to explore on our own. For last year’s report on Leixões, click here.

Gail has very fond memories of visiting Leixões’ beach and park last year. And she didn’t feel like sitting on a bus for an hour and a half to go back and forth to Porto. So after a leisurely morning and lunch aboard ship, we walked into Leixões. We saw the familiar sights of the seashell-shaped cruise terminal, the gigantic anemone street sculpture, the fortress and the magnificent beach.


Matosinhos Beach. In the background left, you can see the “She Changes” sculpture, also known as “the anemone.”


Behind Gail is the Fort of Leça da Palmeira


Behind Russell are the shell-shaped cruise terminal and the Viking Sky


The waves are strong enough to attract surfers


There is a nice boardwalk the runs along the beach, as the sand can get quite hot


Gail collected more beach rocks


The beach is on the south side of the cruise terminal. The north side is more industrial.

We ended up spending almost three hours at the beach in 80° sunshine. Once again, Gail spent time picking up interesting rocks for her collection. (It’s amazing how many bits of old bricks and asphalt one finds mixed in with the beach sand.) We were back aboard ship in plenty of time to catch both Craig’s lecture and Tim’s show.


Tim Abel (fourth from left) is a versatile piano virtuoso who can play everything from classical to boogie woogie


We have also gotten to know guest entertainer Georgina Jackson (third from left). Georgina is a trumpeteer and vocalist who performs with the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra in London.

[Worldtrippers home] [Crystal home]