Story of St Valentine's and 7 romantic plans to celebrate it in Porto.

The history of Valentine's Day is somewhat ambiguous and has evolved over time. Several legends try to explain the origin of the celebration.

The most popular and romantic version dates back to the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. During the reign of Emperor Claudius II, a Christian priest named Valentine defied the emperor's orders, who prohibited marriages for young soldiers. Valentine continued to perform marriages in secret, believing in the power of love. When his actions were discovered, he was arrested and subsequently executed around February 14, 269 AD.

Another legend says that Valentine sent a love letter while in prison to the daughter of his jailer, whom he supposedly cured of blindness. Before his execution, Valentine is said to have signed the letter by writing "From your Valentine", an expression that has endured and is commonly used on Valentine's cards today.

The holiday of Valentine's Day was associated with love and romance in the Early Middle Ages, and during the 18th century, in England, the custom of exchanging Valentine's cards between lovers began. Over time, the celebration has expanded globally and evolved beyond its historical origin, becoming an occasion to express love and affection between couples.

7 ROMANTIC PLANS TO CELEBRATE VALENTINE'S DAY IN THE CITY OF OPORTO:

If you want to celebrate Valentine's Day with your loved ones in Porto, then we have several romantic plans that can give a special touch to this day, and many of them without the need to spend a large amount of money.

Here we leave you some of those suggestions:

1) Boat trip along the Douro river and walking up to Mirajazz Bar Terrace, where you can enjoy incredible views, while having a good glass of wine, all while listening to a Jazz concert.

2) Visit the Porto Cathedral (€3) and go up to the Tower to see the spectacular views of Porto. Next to the cathedral, on the parallel street, you can end the afternoon at Casa da Guitarra with a one-hour Fado Show. A cozy place that includes a glass of Port wine.

3) Visit and wine tasting at Grahams Winery. They have visits at various times and languages. This winery also has a restaurant with wonderful views over the Douro river, and having dinner there is an unforgettable ending to a very special day.

However, if you want a more affordable option to visit a winery with tasting included, we recommend Burmester. Although this winery does not have a restaurant, it does have a very nice terrace, and when the visit is over we can recommend other restaurants in the area where you can celebrate Valentine's Day by clicking on this post that we leave you here.

4) Take a walk and have a picnic at sunset in the Crystal Palace Gardens. These wonderful gardens have incredible views of the Douro River. It also has a very beautiful viewing tower where you can take romantic photos, and majestic birds like peacocks running around its gardens. It also has the Museum of Romanticism in its vicinity.

5) Visit the WOW Pink Palace Museum and watch the sunset on the WOW terrace. The Pink Palace offers an immersive experience in the production of rosé wine and also includes 5 tastings of it. All this with a fun touch, since each room in the Museum is a pleasure to the eye, and taking photos will be something exciting. And at the end, dining in one of the many restaurants that WOW offers. Also you can watch the sunset in their fabulous terrace. All WOW restaurants offer a Special Valentine's Day Menu. We recommend the most romantic restaurant of all: 1828. But if you want something more affordable, then PIP is also a good option.

6) Take a ride on Tram Number 1 from Porto. It is a journey with great views that will take you to the mouth of the Duero River in the Foz neighborhood. Just a 5-minute walk away is the Lighthouse (Farolim de Felgueiras) and the beach. Both are spectacular places to see the sunset. And what better than to end the day with a picnic on the beach. Or even having a cocktail or dinner at Praia da Luz Restaurant.

  In case you need more information about where to take the Tram Number 1 and its history, we talk about it in our Tour of the Old Town and Ribeira.

7) Take a walk along the riverside of Vila Nova de Gaia, and take the Cable Car ride to see the beautiful views of the river, ending with a picnic at Jardim do Morro. Or even watching the sunset while having a cocktail from the Bar Esplanada Jardim do Morro.

During our Vila Nova de Gaia Tour you will also be able to enjoy these views and we will tell you a little more about this romantic spot in the city.

If you need more suggestions on where to have a romantic dinner in the city, we have also compiled in another post a list of the 7 most romantic restaurants that you cannot miss in Porto.

We hope you enjoyed the suggestions we gathered for you to create a beautiful environment celebrating St Valentines Day!