When you cross the Dom Luis bridge at sunset and see before your eyes the Douro River on one side and the colorful houses of Ribeira on the other, there will be no doubt: you are now part of the landscape that makes up a postcard. Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, was elected in 2019 by the Kayak platform as the most photogenic destination for social networks. The region of Porto and the North of Portugal registered, last year, 7.9 million overnight stays (an increase of more than 5% compared to 2017) and 4.3 million guests (plus 4.63%). This result places the region as the national destination with the highest growth, according to a statement from the Tourism Organization of Porto and North of Portugal. For those who are on vacation and just want to know how to taste a good cod and drink green wine, the consequences of such interest can pass by the margin. But if it is important for you to do conscious and not predatory tourism, I have some suggestions. 1 - Collaborate with the residents Rents in Portugal have suffered, in the last 5 years, an unbridled price increase. The demand for accommodation has made rental prices in central areas more than triple. As a result, many properties were transformed into AirBnB or buildings were rebuilt to become hostels or luxury hotels. If you want to help minimize the impacts of gentrification, you can always choose to rent a room in a local resident's apartment. Porto is full of students who would certainly love a little help in renting and, if that is your profile, they would love to share some tips on nightlife, gastronomy and secrets that only those who live in a city know. Rooms are also available in the home for the elderly looking for company or for young families open to new friendships. The comfort that a hotel offers is undeniable, but some connections and experiences neither money can buy. 2 - Tip if you can It is not a tradition in Porto to offer tips at local restaurants and bars. But here are some good reasons for you to open your wallet, if you can afford it. Most service workers are immigrants. The minimum wage in Portugal is 635 euros. The rent for a one-bedroom apartment is around 500 euros. The math is simple and the account doesn't close. Tourism in Porto can seem cheap, and it is. But for those who live in the city there are other nuances. So, if you can afford it and enjoy the service, give a nice tip to whoever served you: you will probably be helping a student or immigrant to live a little better. 3 - Eat at home Okay, maybe you want to know that Michelin star restaurant or the first place on Tripadvisor. But have you ever thought about also enjoying a homemade meal made by a local resident? In Portugal, in addition to cod and pastéis de nata, there is a large community of Brazilians and Cape Verdeans, for example. Some of them offer homemade dinners or lunches, to the delight of your palate. One example is the baiana Zana, who receives small groups at home and prepares a menu with the best cuisine from the northeast of Brazil: moquecas, acarajés and much more are included in the preparations. To find options like this, invest in unusual Google searches, look at airbnb experiences and keep an eye on projects like Eat With. 4- Take unusual tours If you are a frequent traveler, you must know the wonders of free walking tours around the world. What you may not know is that there are tours, often free, that can provide an intimate experience with the city. In Porto, one of the options is the Feminist Tour. Cities speak and this voice can be heard in the form of names of streets, squares and gardens. When telling the story, however, the toponymy comes up against inequalities. In Porto, there are about 2,000 different locations, of which 761 were named after men and 34 women. While 38% of the streets have a male name, only 1.7% represent the opposite gender. For every 22 spaces that nominally preserve the memory of men, there is a nominee to remember a woman. On a feminist tour, you will have a different look at the city and discover more about the women who helped that place to be what it is, but which had their participation in history often erased or minimized. You can have more information about the feminist tour of Porto in this text written by me https://invictasporto.wordpress.com/2019/06/14/todas-as-ruas-tem-nome-de-homem/.