MUSA das Virtudes

The patio sits directly across from the Virtudes viewpoint.

As our month in Porto was drawing to a close and we were beginning to feel like we'd found all the craft beer spots the city had to offer, a friend at Armazém da Cerveja recommended one more: MUSA das Virtudes. He described it as a nice place to watch the sunset and enjoy a beer. That was enough.

MUSA is one of the larger names in Portuguese independent brewing, with taprooms across the country. This one in Porto sits on Passeio das Virtudes, a street that runs along the top of a hill in the Bairro das Virtudes neighborhood. The taproom itself is pleasant and well set up, with plenty of outdoor seating. The beer is MUSA's own, reliably good across styles.

MUSA's own beer, served at its own taproom.

We ordered tremoços with our first round: lupini beans dressed in garlic and lemon, the kind of simple bar snack that always tastes better than it has any right to. We sat outside and looked at the park below.

Take your beer across the street. This is what you'll find.

Here's the move: take your beer across the small street to the miradouro, the viewpoint above Parque das Virtudes. A low stone wall runs along the edge of the hill, and on any given afternoon you'll find small groups of young people sitting along it, talking, watching the city. The view runs west down the Douro valley, and on a clear afternoon it catches the light in a way that makes you want to stay until it gets dark. We didn't have time to wait for the sunset. I suspect it's worth waiting for.

Tremoços: garlic, lemon, and the right instinct.

MUSA das Virtudes is in the western part of Porto, in a neighborhood that sees fewer tourists than Bolhão or Ribeira. The walk up from the river is steep but rewarding. If you're combining it with the rest of the Porto craft beer circuit, it makes a good final stop before heading back down to the Douro.