Because the best way to see a city is to feel like you belong in it.
We aren't here to show you the sights. We're here to introduce you to the soul of Porto — one maker, one story, and one mindful step at a time.
How it started
From the road to the neighbourhood.
The Mindful Step began in 2019, built by Jade — a longtime tour guide who'd spent years watching visitors move through cities without ever really touching them. In Porto, she saw a gap: no one was introducing people to the artisans and the creative district just streets away from the tourist track. So she built something different, a tour that champions the city's Local Heroes and stays, somehow, off the radar. It remains the only tour operating inside Porto's creative district.
From there it grew into more than a tour. The Mindful Map, a wonderfully whimsical guide to Porto's small businesses. A newsletter, keeping people in the loop on what's new around the city. And Mindful Meetups, bringing people together in person because after all, that’s where the magic happens!
Where it's going
A new way of moving through the city.
I fell in love with Porto at first sight. Eight years ago, we visited on a holiday and I knew I had found my forever home. Cue five years later and we moved to this magical city to start anew. In previous lives, I have been a bespoke travel planner, journalist, editor, and chef, where I ran my own café for over a decade. Guiding the Made in Porto tour, however, is where I properly learned this city, one small business at a time. This summer, I took over The Mindful Step, a place where I can finally bring all of my obsessions together.
Everything that made it work stays exactly as it was: the same creative district, the same Local Heroes, the same eye for what's real instead of what's convenient. What I'm adding is what I know best. I'm a chef before anything else, so expect suppers, a book club, and pop-ups — more reasons to sit down at an actual table. I've done the getting-lost part of this city already. I've walked the streets personally. Spoken to the people behind the counters. Listed down the things that cannot and should not be missed. Now, all that's left is sharing the best parts with you.
The Collaborators
It takes a creative village.
MELANIE ANDRADE
Owner
Porto is where I'm building a new chapter, one connection at a time. First as a guide on the Made in Porto tour, now carrying The Mindful Step forward. Before that, I ran my own café for over a decade, creating spaces people didn't want to leave. I'm also a food and travel writer on Substack, chasing down people's stories and asking the questions nobody else takes time to ask. As a mum to three, I'm juggling business owner, parent, and local, all at once. If there's a table, a maker, or a good story nearby, I'm probably already there.
JADE NAVEGA
Founder
Entrepreneurship is in her blood — she spent her childhood watching her mum build an interior design business from the ground up, and brought that same eye for soul and craftsmanship to curating The Mindful Step from 2019 on. She built something rare here: a business with real heart behind it, now carried forward with the same care.
ANA SEIXAS
Illustrator of The Mindful Map
The bold, colourful, and quirky illustrator behind our map’s soul. Her work brings our "characters" to life with a unique Porto edge. Be sure to visit her store in Boavista to pick up a proper local souvenir.
MEDB MCCARTHY
Brand & Website Designer
The design powerhouse who turned our vision into a beautiful, tactile reality. Medb is our creative confidante, meticulously shaping the look and feel of our maps, brand and website. Check out her work for your own creative projects.
Sunil Kirpalani
The Linchpin
Sunil was the face of our café while I ran the kitchen, the one people met first, remembered, and came back to see. He also built an English-speaking community in Porto from scratch. He's part of The Mindful Step now too, numbers and logistics mostly, but really it's the same instinct for people that made him the linchpin of everything we built before.
Our values
How we do things around here
Creativity: We celebrate the wild and wonderful. If it’s not fun, we’re not doing it. Every tour and map is packed with curiosity and fresh thinking.
Community: No awkward small talk here. We’re dedicated to building genuine connections, turning strangers into an adopted family so you feel right at home.
Care: We’re fierce advocates for our local partners. We champion ethical consumption and small-scale shopping because we care about this city succeeding.
Curiosity: Everything we do is rooted in making people feel seen. Whether it’s a maker we love or a guest exploring for the first time, we lead with warmth and curiosity.
Craftsmanship: We celebrate the process and the pride behind handmade things. No mass-produced energy here—just quality, intention, and honest craft.
The Mindful Newsletter
Want to join the neighbourhood circle?
Sign up for our weekly "What’s On" guide and stories from the creative side of the city. We’ll send you our latest digital map to say thank you.
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