I stayed one night at Gallery Hostel in Porto, certainly the prettiest hostel I’ve ever seen.

It’s an active Art Gallery.

Click PLAY or watch a Promo video on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SMJ2FKFFY0o

Found it via TripAdvisor.com, the site I’ve been using over the past couple of years in preference to Lonely Planet.

The most luxurious dorm accommodation anywhere?

Cost was $30 / night including a wonderful breakfast. (Eggs cooked to order.)

Even better was the optional evening meal, $13.50 including all the local Douro wine you could drink. 🙂

It’s prepared by a couple of guys working at the hostel. They are keen to teach any of the visitors interested how to cook local dishes.

The economy in Portugal is still lousy. Their friends looking for opportunity go to Brazil or other former Portuguese colonies.

These tapas were my favourite. Ground sausage. Cheese. Jam.

see more photos

I had several other excellent meals in Porto. Twice the Francesinha:

literally Frenchy, or more accurately little French (female) – is the most famous popular native snack food in Porto. It is a kind of sandwich with several meats covered with cheese and a special sauce made with beer and other ingredients.

Maybe 9000 cal a plate!