The biggest town on our recent itinerary along the Maine coast hosted us the longest. Not long enough for a proper exploration, but long enough to form a good impression.
Old Port and downtown area are full of architectural features of the kind that we always find delightful. Every block has a feature or five to catch the eye. Here are a few examples.
Leafy Park Street at the southwestern edge of the downtown is especially attractive with its brownstone townhouses, accentuated by colorful doors, impressive ironwork, bay windows, and even an occasional gargoyle.
One of the most famous architectural landmarks in Portland is Victoria Mansion, the 1860 Italianate villa that in better times is open to visitors.
Also nearby is this row of Painted Ladies (not an official name).
Here or there you come across statuary, be it a lobsterman, an abstract shape, or an occational model lighthouse.
And on one of the piers, you can find a fragment of the Berlin Wall, right next to a dedicated love locks feature.
A section of the Old Port area is pedestrianized and full of lively eateries, social-distancing permitting.
Add in possible museum or two (and a couple of lighthouses nearby seen in this post), and Portland can probably sustain a full-day or even overnight visit.