On one of our days, we visited the smaller city of Guimaraes, about 80 min by train from Porto. This is a historic city, and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's where the nationality of Portugal was born (we toured the castle too). And it has a Cable Car/Teleferico/Gondola to Monte de Penha. This is a much more substantial lift than the one in Gaia. It's a Poma gondola, 5600' long, about 1200' long, and about an 8-9 min ride. It seats 4 but it would awfully tight - two riders in front, two in back. It was the first gondola in Portugal, opening in 1995. The views from the top are spectacular.
Sign for Teleferico in the city:
Lower station loading
First tower
Rising over a small vineyard (many houses have their own)
Approaching summit
Unloading
After unloading, you walk through a path through huge boulders:
Shortly you reach a spectacular panorama:
Heading back down:
Nearing the bottom, view of Guimaraes in background:
Lower station:
Earlier for lunch, I had grilled sardines in the historic old center, which were delicious:
