The Porto Project - Storms, cafes and pasteis de nata in the rain

Porto grows on you. The famous blue triangular tile of Porto is more than a design icon - its the soul of the tough Invicta City and swirling Douro that repelled invaders time and time again.

Locals are stoic . Spending the autumn in Porto, the wet and windyness of the city was surprising. Then we got to know the fabulous, generous hearted locals who love to lean in to the frequent storms in bars, cafes, on bridges, exposed river banks and town beaches. The city's Atlantic seaboard folk relish being in the wild weather - it's part of the show, even if the cafes are regularly swept away by giant waves - only to be built again in the spring still serving up the freshest pasteis de nata.