What’s the connection between Magellan, Harry Potter, and port wine? Why, of course, Porto, Portugal. Ferdinand Magellan and J.K. Rowling lived there and port wine is matured there.
This last October my wife and I toured Portugal and Spain. Porto was our first stop after an eighteen-hour odyssey from Seattle.
I like Porto. Its historic core is well-preserved, the people are friendly, and its food both excellent and reasonably priced. While port wine grapes are grown on the terraced slopes of the Douro River to the east, port is aged in one of many port wine ‘lodges’ along the southern bank of the Douro River across from Porto. We had an enjoyable tasting at the Taylor wine lodge followed by a luncheon and entertainment by a Fado singer.
Ferdinand Magellan was one of the marquee players of the Age of Discovery and a tragic major character in my novel Magellan’s Navigator. He was born into minor nobility in a town north of Porto. At some time in his life, he was registered as a citizen of Porto. It gave me a minor thrill knowing that I was walking the same streets and entering the same churches as Magellan had over five hundred years ago.
I’m no expert on J.K. Rowling, but she apparently moved to Porto in late 1991 to teach English classes. While her inspiration for Harry Potter came earlier, she wrote a first draft of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone while in Portowith the first three chapters in near final form. Influences from Porto on her novels are obvious. Porto is a university town, and its students, like those at Hogwarts, wear capes!
Also, Lello & Irmao Bookstore a block from the university has unique spiral staircases and an Art Nouveau interior. I can imagine it being on Diagon Alley. I’ve read Rowling’s claim that she was unaware of the bookstore. This I think unlikely, as downtown Porto is really a small place. Nonetheless, whether or not the bookstore was an inspiration for her is irrelevant for Potter fans. Long lines of them are willing to pay a fee to enter.
My wife and I haven’t specifically sought out Rowling experiences in our travels, but it was a treat on a walking tour of Edinburgh to see the coffee houses where she wrote and, especially, to see the headstones in the Greyfriar’s Kirkyard cemetery. One bears the name of Thomas Riddell, better known as Lord Voldemort in her books. Etched on other headstones are the names of familiar Potter characters.
Portugal relishes its role in the Age of Discovery. Prince Henry the Navigator played a seminal role early during this period. Near the university is Prince Henry Plaza with a statue of the prince. He is believed to have been born in the royal mint and customs house nearby.
We had a fun visit to Porto. Would I go again? YES. Maybe for a five-day cruise of the Douro River and two full days to explore the historic district more completely. I would schedule the visit to avoid the often brutally hot summer months. Also, be aware that the central historic district is currently torn up for construction of a new metro, which made getting anywhere take twice as long as need be. That isn’t as bad as it sounds at it simply means a six block walk instead of three blocks. We like to sleep each night with the window open for fresh air. We fell asleep early the first night only to be awoken by singing or music around 11 P.M. It wasn’t close enough to hear it distinctly, but it was surprisingly loud. It continued past midnight to one or two in the morning. This reoccurred each night! Can anyone in Porto tell me what this was?
(Picture is of the port wine my wife gave me for my birthday before our trip.)
kennethdschultz 