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13 Best Hotels in Porto

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While Lisbon remains a favorite weekend break destination, hot on its heels is Porto ; a city home to some of Portugal’s best hotels , with culture aplenty, arguably the most beautiful train station in the world, and port tastings available at every wine bar on every corner. The Douro Valley, Portugal’s most famous wine region, is just a two-hour scenic train ride away, while the city itself is home to the vertigo-inducing Luís Bridge (yes, you can climb it), stunning street art and a gluttonous local dish, the francesinha sandwich.

Whether you’re looking for a quirky boutique hotel, or somewhere to relax with views of the Douro river, this is our selection of the best hotels in Porto, starting off with a few favorites.

• Best hotel in Porto for design lovers: Torel 1884
• Best hotel in Porto for views of the Douro: Torel Avantgarde
• Best hotel in Porto for a prime location: PortoBay Flores
• Best hotel in Porto for affordability: Tipografia Do Conto
• Most tranquil hotel in Porto: Pestana Palicio do Freixo

1. Gran Cruz House

Best hotel in Porto for riverside dining

Overlooking the Douro River on the corner of one of the city’s oldest squares, this small design hotel is right in the thick of it. Inside, cooling ice cream colors welcome guests from the flurry outside—think pistachio-hued walls, mango-toned cushions, and a berry-red 17th-century facade. Seven boutique bedrooms are set across four floors, each inspired by a different Port Wine—the Pink room, for example, evokes hazy summer days, where bright colors and fun patterns give way to giant windows and a balcony looking out over the square. The restaurant, however, is this hotel’s crowning jewel. Inspired by Porto’s history and landscape, Casario is an ode to the city’s gastronomy and viniculture. Under the helm of Miguel Castro Silva, one of Portugal’s most famous chefs, the menu is uniquely split into cold dishes and hot dishes. Highlights include flaked bites of deep-fried skate with a hazelnut and celeriac puree and sea bass, pan-seared for extra crispy skin, served on a bed of creamy saffron rice—both of which I could have eaten endless servings of. — Olivia Morelli

Address : Praça da Ribeira - Viela do Buraco 19, Porto, 4050-132 Portugal Price : Rooms from $148 per night

2. Casa da Companhia, Vignette Collection

Best hotel in Porto for modern elegance In the middle of Rua das Flores, one of Porto’s most iconic pedestrianized shopping streets, entering this hotel feels like you’ve stepped straight into the city’s ancient history. Built in the 16th century as a family home by Brás Brandão, a merchant nobleman, before becoming the headquarters of the Port company Real Companhia Velha. As a nod to the building’s past, staff host a bi-weekly tradition of ‘fire opening’ a bottle of Port for guests to learn more about the building’s history and the city’s port culture. The hotel’s design is a perfect blend of modern touches and traditional architecture; gold-panelled windows and mirrors feature in all of the rooms, paired with elegant minimalist furnishings and large marble bathrooms. Cathedral or garden rooms have the best views—depending on whether you prefer something tranquil or a lookout over the city. Stop by the spa for a slice of tranquillity, laze by the outdoor swimming pool with views of the cathedral, and be sure to drop into the hotel’s restaurant during your stay, where terra-cotta walls, backlit shelves of wine and fresh, local food welcome you. — Olivia Morelli

Address: Casa da Companhia, Vignette Collection, R. das Flores 69, 4050-416 Porto Price : Doubles from about $131 per night

3\. Torel 1884 Arrow

Best hotel in Porto for design lovers

Breakfast here isn’t just breakfast; it’s proof of how brilliant Portuguese design is right now. Elegantly tapered knives and forks, jade-green ceramics holding quince jelly, a chalky-white espresso cup indented with abstract patterns—all handcrafted by family-run ateliers. The rest of the hotel takes a similar outlook. In the plant-lined entrance, clay faces grimace and grin down at guests—gods on one side, earthly mortals on the other—the work of sculptor João Pedro Rodrigues, alluding to Portugal’s Age of Discovery. Paying impressionistic homage to that era, three floors of high-windowed bedrooms riff on Africa, the Americas, and Asia with tactile compositions of raffia, cane, silk, leafy greens and Atlantic blues, a roar of tiger print. All about are heavily textured paintings by Jorge Curval—a black-and-white portrait of a gentleman in mustache and bicorne hat; a thick-daubed woman smoking a paint brush. Climb to the top banister, peer down at the patterned tiles, and it feels like watching a Portuguese Downton Abbey . When it comes to the country’s post-millennium boom, Lisbon gets most of the column inches but Porto is just as exciting, and this is an apt poster child for the city’s revival. — Rick Jordan

Address: R. de Mouzinho da Silveira N 228, 4050-417 Porto, Portugal Price : Doubles from about $142 per night

4. Torel Avantgarde

Best hotel in Porto for views of the Douro

If location is key, you’ll struggle to find better than Torel Avantgarde; a 60-room boutique hotel within walking distance of São Bento train station, Luís Bridge, and other local attractions, with arguably the best view of the Douro River in Porto. With an uninterrupted look out from the hotel’s outdoor pool, it feels like a slice of serenity even during a busy long weekend.

Each room at the hotel is themed differently around an artist, from Francis Bacon to Frida Kahlo, and as a result, you’re guaranteed a unique stay, even if you return. Our insider tip: If you can, book the Charlie Chaplin, Frida Kahlo, or Diego Rivera room for the biggest bathtub you’ve ever seen, with a stunning view out over the balcony. – Abigail Malbon

Address: Torel Avantgarde, Rua da Restauraçāo, 336, Porto, 4050-501 Price : Doubles from about $132 per night

5. Rosa et al Townhouse

Best hotel in Porto for creative types

A boutique hotel, spa, restaurant, deli…for a small property, Rosa et al has a lot of substance. Everything is aesthetic, from the claw-foot bathtubs in the rooms to hand-crocheted throws on the beds, while the courtyard garden is a peaceful place to take five.

Known locally as a cultural hub, residents come for the much-loved brunch and stay for the spa. There are just six rooms available, each designed differently but with a focus on aesthetics. Top tip: The Garden Pavillion is particularly beautiful. – Abigail Malbon

Address: Rosa et al Townhouse, Rua do Rosário, 233, Porto, 4050-524 Price: Doubles from about $105 per night

6. Torel Palace Porto

Best hotel in Porto for history buffs

There are three Torel properties in total in Porto, and the Palace is a beautifully-located slice of history in the city center. Dating back to 1886, the original palace was restored and reopened in 2020 with a focus on its original elegance—from the library in the entrance hall to the winding staircase and stunning skylight. There’s a feeling of grandeur throughout the hotel, with enough modern touches to suit everyone; particularly in rooms, which house giant mirrored-covered bathrooms.

The hotel’s restaurant, Blind, is a particular highlight. A tribute to Portuguese writer José Saramago's novel Blindness , the ‘Emotions’ menu consists of 8 or 10 courses, each inspired by childhood memories of chef Vítor Matos.

Address : Torel Palace Porto, Rua de Entreparedes N. 42, Porto, 4000-197 Price : Doubles from about $137 per night

7. PortoBay Flores

Best hotel in Porto for a prime location

Set in a 16th-century palace, the hotel has recently undergone a renovation but aims to retain much of its original detailing; from the wrought-iron balconies to original granite flooring in the entrance and tiles throughout. There are 66 rooms in total—55 in the new building and 11 in the old mansion—and top floor rooms offer a beautiful view of the city’s terra-cotta roofs.

Those who are new to Porto are likely to be impressed by the hotel’s location, with almost all of the main sights within walking distance.

Address: PortoBay Flores, Rua das Flores, 27, 4050-416, Porto Price : Doubles from about $128 per night

8. Exmo Hotel

Best hotel in Porto for quirky touches

Porto’s pretty townhouses sit along the river, bringing classic Portuguese colors to the landscape. Among them is Exmo hotel, a standout building with a bright ochre exterior, home to 16 rooms over four floors—and while the building itself is traditional, the interior is anything but. Rooms feature unusual design details, from brightly-colored velvet armchairs resting against original stone walls to huge walk-in showers. Artworks and sculptures by local artists are on display throughout the hotel, and the bar pays homage to the building’s warehouse roots—the metal beams and industrial feel in the bar would be at home in a downtown New York location.

Address: Exmo Hotel, Rua do Infante D. Henrique, 55-61, 4050-297 Porto Price: Doubles from about $124 per night

9\. The Yeatman Arrow

Best hotel in Porto for wine lovers

The Yeatman’s star attraction is, undoubtedly, the decanter shaped pool and terrace that allows you to enjoy the view of Porto’s winding streets from the other side of the river. The hotel has six storys, but domineering tower block it is not; each floor is arranged on the banks of the Douro, giving guests a lookout no matter which room they stay in.

Those who visit Porto with a plan to enjoy as many wines as possible will love this property, which is heavily focused on the local tipple; images of vineyards decorate the walls, while there’s a cellar available to tour between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Be sure to check into the Michelin-starred restaurant while you’re there to enjoy the traditional flavors of Portugal. – Abigail Malbon

Address: The Yeatman, Rua do Choupelo, 4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia Price: Doubles from about $234 per night

10. The Artist

Best hotel in Porto for creatives

Unsurprisingly, art is the focus at this hotel, which focuses on its art college heritage as the theme. Around 150 artworks are on display throughout, and nosier guests will enjoy looking closer at student grades from as far back as the 1960s. Rooms are simple but spacious, but it’s the restaurant, A Escola’s, degustation menu that’s the real star of the show, thanks to the creative dishes on offer. Choose between five or seven dishes, all beautifully presented in keeping with the hotel’s theme of art. – Abigail Malbon

Address : The Artist, R. da Firmeza 49, 4000-228 Porto Price : Doubles from about $148 per night

11. M.Ou.Co

Best hotel in Porto for music lovers

Opened in April 2022, this hotel is something new for Porto: a music-focused property with a 180-seated or 300-standing concert hall, a music library featuring 600 vinyls for guest use and even a music therapy room. But while there's a focus on music, the final result feels cool rather than gimmicky—think 1970s-inspired decor courtesy of exposed walls and vintage wooden furniture, with leather and rattan furniture (and the odd plant). By request, a complimentary record player, guitar, and keyboard can all be hired from reception to be used in the bedrooms, should you wish to flex your musical muscles during your stay.

Facilities at the hotel include a small pool, which becomes particularly busy in the warmer months—during high season, you'll struggle to secure a lounger. There's a bar serving lunch and drinks (cocktails are particularly good; the blueberry mojito comes highly recommended) while breakfast and supper are served in the hotel's restaurant. Guests are varied, with couples, families and, of course, musicians taking advantage of the affordable room rates.

The motto here is Stay, Listen, Play, but should you wish to explore there's plenty on your doorstep. Found in the up-and-coming cool neighborhood of Bonfim, this property isn't as central as many Porto hotels—but it's worth bearing in mind that the city is very small (it's a pleasant 20-minute walk to São Bento station, for example), so it's actually a great way to see a new side of Porto, particularly if it's not your first time in the city. – Abigail Malbon

Address : R. de Frei Heitor Pinto 65, 4300-252 Porto Price : Rooms from $69

12. Tipografia Do Conto

Best hotel in Porto for affordability

You'll find one of Europe's nicest affordable stays in a 19th century former workshop and warehouse in Porto. Originally used as a printing press, the history of the building is referenced throughout: in the bar, hundreds of independent titles are displayed; the ceilings are engraved with phrases by different artists; and the wooden façade in the courtyard resembles the drawers used for storing fonts. There are only 10 rooms, some face the courtyard, while others overlook the city. There’s no restaurant—breakfast is served in the green-tiled bar—but plenty of hot tables are nearby in the emerging Cedofeita area; try Namban and Early Cedofeita. One of the best things about it, however, is the secret garden with its swimming pool and a hammock strung at one end. It’s perfect for hanging out with a glass of port or Vinho Verde, surrounded only by the sound of birds and a rare moment of stillness in this otherwise happening neighborhood.

13. Pestana Palicio do Freixo

Best hotel in Porto for tranquillity

Those who have been to Porto before might not be quite so concerned about seeing the main tourist attractions; in which case the Pestana Palicio, located further down the river, is ideal. Classified in 1910 as a national monument, the restored Baroque-style palace and surrounding gardens are welcoming, with soaring indoor dining areas and spectacular open views of the river.

The hotel has 87 rooms in total, with superior rooms offering a river view. If you stay in summer, it’s a great time to make use of the outdoor pool or to grab a sundowner from the poolside bar. – Abigail Malbon

Address: Pestana Palicio do Freixo, Estrada Nacional 108, 4300-316 Campanhã , Porto Price : Doubles from about $199 per night

This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK .

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Porto, Portugal

Enjoy this UNESCO heritage city in the north of Portugal.

Winner "Europe's Leading City Break Destination"

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List

Wine cellars

Porto is a perfect getaway destination. Its gastronomy and wines are of the upmost quality.

It is the most prominent city in northern Portugal , and the second most important in the country, after Lisbon, the capital.

Awarded in 2020 as Europe’s Leading City Break Destination, Porto is a small, pleasant and walking-friendly city . It has more than 100 kilometers of coastline, a “World Heritage” historic downtown and a centuries-old wine tradition that grant it a distinctive charm .

Visit its monuments , enjoy a glass of port wine overlooking the Douro river, savor one of its superbs restaurants and if you have time to spare, visit the most interesting places nearby, with these day trips from Porto to Braga , Guimarães , Coimbra , and specially, the Douro Valley region, where you can get to know the place where the wine that ends in Porto’s Wine Cellars is made. When you are back at night, delight your ears with a beautiful fado concert in Porto .

Also, don’t forget to check its amazing architecture , with classics like the Porto’s outstanding Bridge D Luiz I , Clerigos Tower , Saint Francis Church and the tiny colored houses in the Ribeira’s river front . For modern architecture, don’t miss the Casa da Música upside down theatre, and the beautiful Serralves Foundation Museums .

As an ending note, if you are coming with all your family, here’s a few tips on things to do in Porto with kids .

If you’re travelling to Europe, you can also check our Paris Travel Guide .

Porto travel guide

Essential information to help organize your visit to porto.

What to see in Porto

The places and monuments that distinguish the city.

Lively neighborhoods

The vicinities you should include in your itinerary.

Where to stay in Porto?

Decide which neighborhood best suits your trip.

Eating in Porto

Local dishes and where to eat in Porto

Porto with children

Popular activities for families.

Porto's Museums

Classical & modern art collections, large and small exhibitions.

Transportation

Cost-effective ways to move around the city.

Famous streets

Renowned and picturesque spots of the city.

World-class port, white, red and rosé wine. Don't miss it!

Porto Beaches

A perfect coastline for surfing, eating fresh fish or sunbathing by the Atlantic.

The Douro Valley

Outstanding landscape declared a UNESCO world heritage site.

Day Trips from Porto

Braga, Aveiro, Coimbra, Guimarães... the best tours from Porto.

Fado in Porto

Don't miss the opportunity to hear traditional Fado music

Start by booking your hotel in Porto and choose the best way to arrive via the airport.

From your arrival save on sightseeing and transportation with the Porto Card, which gives you free or discounted admission to monuments or museums . You can purchase a pedestrian version or one with unlimited access to Porto’s public transport .

If you plan to do any tours in the city and its surroundings, you can book them through Viabam.com, our Porto tours platform.

We offer you helpful information in a guide made by locals who love their city and want to show you Porto at its best.

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18 Best Things to Do in Porto You Can’t Really Miss – Travel Guide + Map

🌍Where is Porto

Porto is located in northern Portugal, about 315 Km north of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Nestled in the River Douro Estuary, Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal and one of the oldest settlements in Europe. River Douro is famous for the production of Port, a popular fortified wine, which is named after this city. The Atlantic coast lies just about 5 km from Porto.

Porto has been an important port since the Roman times around 135 BC, when its name was Portus Cale. The name of Portugal originated from there. Porto became a major shipbuilding hub of the country in the 15th century, and it played a prominent role in the Age of Discoveries.

Best Time to Visit Porto

Porto has a  Mediterranean climate  with hot and sunny summers and a mild, rainy winter. The temperate oceanic climate makes the city much colder than Lisbon and Algarve. Each season presents something unique to experience. So, it’s better to know what to expect. 

🌞  Peak Season : The summer months, June to September, are the high tourist season in Porto with beautiful warm sunny weather. Also, you would get to see many festivals happening during these months. The days are long, hot and dry, with an average temperature of over 25ºC from July to September. A great time to enjoy the beaches on the Porto coast. The water temperature is comfortably warm enough for swimming and snorkelling. June and July are the hottest months . Bear in mind that it gets super crowded in summer. So, hotel prices go up very quickly. Also, expect long queues at the attractions.

🍂  Shoulder Season : The  Late Spring and autumn are probably the best time to visit Porto . The weather stays pleasantly warm and sunny, and the days are long enough. Although, you might experience some slight occasional downpours. Tourist attractions are much less crowded than during the summer months. Also, the hotels are relatively cheaper.

🏔️ Low Season : The winter months November to February, are the low seasons in Porto. Winter here is mild, wet and relatively warm from the rest of the European countries. You can expect about 5 – 6 hours of daylight. The average temperature in winter remains at 14ºC. January and February are the coldest months.  

How Many Days to Spend in Porto

We would suggest spending at least two days in Porto. It should give you enough time to visit the main tourist attractions of the city alongside the Vila Nova de Gaia neighbourhood. This city is an ideal choice for a weekend city break in Europe.

But if you want to explore every nook and crannies and really want to know the heart of this amazing city, you can easily add a few more days to your travel itinerary. Also, there are some excellent day trip options from Porto. It will certainly keep you busy. You won’t get bored. So finally, it really depends on your travel style and how much you want to explore.

Best Things to Do in Porto, Portugal

1. fall in love with porto cathedral.

With over 850 years of history, Porto Cathedral is one of the most prominent religious and architectural attractions of the city . Sitting over a hilltop in the old historic centre of Porto, this imposing cathedral is also one of the oldest buildings of the city and is referred to as Sé do Porto in Portuguese.

The construction of the church started in the second half of the 12th century. Throughout history, it went through many transformations. Many parts of the building were rebuilt or added in later centuries. One of the interesting things you would notice is that the Porto cathedral has three distinct architectural styles – Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic.

This monument has witnessed many historic moments in Portugal’s history. This site was used by the kings and the queens for marriages, baptisms and other religious ceremonies. After admiring the fortress-like exteriors, step inside the cathedral. Here you will find an exquisitely ornate silver altarpiece, sacred sculptures and a few smaller chapels.

Pay a small fee to see the 14th-century gothic cloister adjacent to the cathedral. The walls are decorated with impressive white and blue azulejos tiles, depicting stories from the holy book. The small treasury nearby showcases a great collection of early Christian artefacts of the cathedral.

Climb the stairs to visit the cathedral towers. From here, you will get an excellent panoramic view of the city’s rooftops, the Douro River and the famous Dom Luis I Bridge.

Where to find : Porto Cathedral is within walking distance from the Sao Bento Train Station.

Entrance Fees : Entry to the cathedral is free. But you have to pay €3 to visit the cloisters and the tower.

Opening Hours : April – October 9 am – 6:30 pm. November – March 9 am – 5:30 pm.

2. Cross the Iconic Dom Luis I Bridge

Spanning the River Douro, the Dom Luis I Bridge is one of the most important architectural landmarks of Porto . This magnificent engineering feat is a must-visit tourist attraction in the city. Arguably the most striking of all the bridges in Porto, this double-decker metal bridge connects the historic Ribeira with the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia.  

Named after the Portuguese King Luis I, the Dom Luis I Bridge took five years to complete and was opened to the public in 1886. At that time, it was the largest spanning metal bridge in the world. It was designed by the German architect, Teophile Seyrig – a disciple of famous French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.

The structure stands at 85 metres in height and spans over 172 metres in length. Today, the Porto Metro services run through the upper level of the bridge, and the lower one carries the road traffics. Both the levels have pedestrian access. Take a boat cruise on the river to get a different perspective of this iconic attraction in Porto. Dom Luís I Bridge has structural similarities with the nearby Maria Pia Bridge.

Top Tips : Walk both levels of the bridge. If you cross the bridge on the upper level, come back through the low level. You will get one of the best views of the Porto skyline. The view from the Miradouro da Serra do Pilar at the end of the bridge is one of our favourites – an excellent spot for catching a lovely sunset over the city and the bridge.

Where to find : The nearest metro station to the bridge is Jardim do Morro in the Metro service line D. Also, from the São Bento Station, it is around a 10-15 minutes walk.

3. Take a Relaxing Boat Trip along the Douro River

The Douro River has played a key role in the prosperity and the development of Porto and the nearby area. For centuries, the river has been used to transport port wine from the Douro Valley. From Porto, the goods and barrels were traded and exported around the world.

Take a boat cruise to see the six bridges over the Douro River. It is one of the best family-friendly fun things to do in Porto . Different boat companies run this trip regularly throughout the day. The tour takes place on a traditional wooden Portuguese Rabelo boat . Until the railway line, these boats were the popular mode of transportation.

In this 50-minutes relaxing trip, you will get a chance to see the popular attractions of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia from a different and unique perspective. Also, learn about the history of the six magnificent bridges over the Douro.  

The first bridge you will come across is the famous 19th-century double-decker bridge, Don Luis I , designed by Téophile Seyrig. Afterwards, you will see the beautiful Arrábida Bridge at the mouth of the river. It is possible to climb the arch of the bridge on a guided tour.  

Next, you see the Maria Pia Bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel, known for the world-famous Eiffel Tower. Also, you will find the Infante Dom Henrique Bridge, São João Bridge and Freixo Bridge at the far east of Porto, towering over the Douro River.

Where to find : Boat leaves from the Vila Nova de Gaia Pier and Ribeira Dock.

Entrance Fees : Usually €15 per person.

Operating Hours : Daily hourly. In summer, the first departure is 10 am and the last departure 6 pm. In winter, the first departure is 11 am and the last departure 4 pm.

4. Spot Beautiful Azulejo Tiles around Porto

One of the most iconic things to do in Porto would be exploring the azulejo tiles. These glazed ceramic tiles are found almost everywhere in this city – from historic buildings to churches, train stations to fountains, benches in public parks to restaurants. They are an integral part of Porto’s culture and heritage. 

Azulejo originated from Arabic word, al zellige, which translates to ‘polished stone’. This art form first came to southern Spain in the 13 th century during the Moorish period in Iberian Peninsula. It was brought to Portugal by King Manuel I from Seville, Spain in the 15 th century. In the early days, it was simple geometric patterns like birds and flowers. But throughout centuries it evolved into a more ornate and intricate art form telling religious stories, battles, seafaring stories of the country. We saw many beautiful azulejos in Lisbon as well.

The colours are predominantly blue and white , being influenced by the Age of Discoveries. However, you can also spot a tinge of yellow and green sometimes.

Sao Bento Station at the heart of Porto has one of the finest works of azulejos. It was painted in the early 20 th century by Jorge Colaco – a famous azulejo painter. Porto Cathedral , Capela das Almas, Igreja do Carmo, Casa da Musica are some of the places where you can spot some beautiful examples of azulejos.

5. Admire the Panoramic Views from Clerigos Tower

The 76-meter high Clerigos Tower is an icon of Porto . This stunning Baroque bell tower dominates the city skyline. Climbing the tower to see the bird’s eye view of the surroundings is one of the best things to do in Porto. Also, it is the highest building in the city .  

Clerigos Tower dates back to the 18th century. It was built for the Brotherhood of Clerigos. The tower and adjacent church were designed by famous Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni. He also designed many other buildings in the north of Portugal.

To enjoy the view from the tower, you have to climb almost 240 steps . The climb is not for the faint-hearted. As you approach the top, the stairs get very steep and narrow – it might feel claustrophobic for some. But the stunning view is well worth the effort. You will get an amazing aerial view of Porto.

Once you get down from the tower, wander around the church. The building architect, Nicolau Nasoni, is buried in the crypt. Also, take a look inside the adjourning museum. It has a collection of religious sculptures and paintings, and the entry is included in your ticket.

Best Tips : Due to its popularity, it can get very busy sometimes, especially in peak tourist seasons. So, try to be here early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid standing in a long queue. Also, one of the best times to visit is during sunset.

Where to find : Clerigos Tower is just a 5-minute walk from the Sao Bento Station.

Entrance Fees : The church is free to visit. But you have to pay €6 for the tower.

Opening Hours : Every day from 9 am to 7 pm. The tower remains open till late nights in a few summer months.

6. Browse Books in Livraria Lello

Often called one of the most beautiful bookshops in the World , Livraria Lello has been helping book lovers find their next book for over 100 years. It is one of Portugal’s oldest bookshops and one of the highlights for those visiting Porto. Probably you have already seen stunning pictures of this place on social media. It is one of the most photographed places in Porto.

This bookshop was opened in 1906 by the brothers José and António Lello. The Neo-Gothic structure and the Art Nouveau interior of this bookshop were designed by Francisco Xavier Esteves. At the centre of the store is its iconic winding staircase. Admire the beautifully decorated intricate details of the imposing ceiling. It may look like wood but is actually made of painted plaster. The colourful stained glass skylight provides a ton of natural light.

You will find an impressive collection of books written by Portuguese authors. They also have an international section where you will find the English translations.

It is rumoured that the Lello bookstore has a Harry Potter connection . Author J.K. Rowling, who lived in Porto for a couple of years, is thought to have drawn inspiration for Hogwarts from this place. But, recently the author clarified on Twitter that she never visited this bookshop and never even knew of its existence.

Potterheads will enjoy a visit to the Scottish capital city, Edinburgh , where Rowling penned some of the Harry Potter books sitting in a cafe. Also, ride the famous Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William – seen as the Hogwarts Express in the movies.

Regardless of the Harry Potter hype, Livraria Lello is a magical place and definitely worth a visit.

Tip : Livraria Lello is one of the busiest attractions in Porto. It gets thousands of visitors per day. So, we will recommend buying your entrance tickets online in advance and getting there as early as possible to avoid the crowd.

Where to find : Livraria Lello is just around 5-7 minutes from the Sao Bento Station by foot. To reach Sao Bento from other parts of Porto, catch the metro service line D.

Entrance Fees : €5 per person, if you book your ticket online from their website. It is €6 if you buy on site. You can redeem the ticket price over the purchased books.

Opening Hours : Daily 09:30 am to 7:00 pm.

7. Uncover Bolsa Palace’s Unique Past

Set in the historic centre of Porto, Bolsa Palace used to house the city’s Stock Exchange. Founded in the 19th century, this ornate building shows the wealth and opulence of the merchants and traders in this city.  

This historic neoclassical Palladian-style structure was built over the ruins of the nearby Saint Francis convent. Today, it is one of the top visitor attractions in Porto and serves as the headquarters of the Porto Commercial Association.

The interior of the palace is only accessible by guided tours . Tours are mainly conducted in Portuguese, Spanish, French and English, and run very frequently. It lasts for around half an hour. You can buy tickets online as well.

One of the highlights of the tour is the incredibly ornate Arab Room . It took almost 18 years to build this room. It was designed by Goncalves e Sousa in the Moorish Revival style, drawing inspiration from the renowned Alhambra Palace in Granada. Admire the stunning central courtyard on the ground floor. Covered by an octagonal iron dome, it was the original trading floor of the building. Here you will find the coat of arms of several countries around the World with whom Portugal had long-standing good business relationships in the 19th century.

The tour will take you to many beautifully decorated rooms of the palace – like Tribunal Room, Assembly Room and Golden Room. They are filled with many historic furniture, paintings and sculptures. You will even find a cabinet used by the famous French engineer, Gustav Eiffel.

Where to find : Bolsa Palace is around 7-8 minutes walk from the Porto Cathedral and the Sao Bento Train Station.

Entrance Fees : Adult ticket costs € 10.

Opening Hours : Every day 9 am – 6:30 pm.

8. Marvel at Beautiful Azulejo Tiles at Sao Bento Station

Sao Bento Railway Station is arguably one of the prettiest railway stations in Portugal . Although the exterior looks quite simple, the stunningly detailed Portuguese azulejos tiles inside the station will certainly leave you spellbound. Visiting Sao Bento Station is one of the best things to do in Porto.  

The site, where the station stands today, used to be a Benedictine monastery. In fact, the station gets its name from that monastery. Constructed in French Beaux-Arts style, this place became operational in 1916. Today, Sao Bento is the main terminal of Porto’s suburban railway lines and is located in the historic centre of the city. Many tourist attractions of Porto are within walking distance from here.

A National Monument of Portugal , this station is famous for its elaborate tin-glazed white and blue-tiled murals. They are designed by painter Jorge Colaco, who also created the tiles for the nearby Church of Saint Ildefonso. There are approximately 20000 azulejo tiles adorning the walls of Sao Bento’s entrance hall. It took nearly eleven years to complete these murals.

They display significant historical moments of Portugal – like the battle of Valdevez and the conquest of Ceuta. Also, there are illustrations of different modes of transportation and the daily life of the country.

Where to find : Porto Metro service line D runs through Sao Bento Station. Also, there are frequent buses and trains to Sao Bento Station from other parts of the city.

9. See Porto's Finest View from Miradouro da Serra do Pilar

Located at an elevated plane in the Vila Nova de Gaia neighbourhood, the Miradouro da Serra do Pilar provides one of the best views of Porto. Just a short uphill walk from the Jardim do Morro metro station, this viewpoint is a must-visit for anyone visiting this Portuguese city.  

You will get breathtaking views of Dom Luis I bridge, the River Douro, the Ribeira and the bridges connecting Porto. Although the view is great at any time of the day, we would highly recommend coming here during the sunset. Watching the sun go down the city rooftops is an amazing experience. The view is stunning at night as well.

Adjacent to the viewing terrace is the Monastery of Serra do Pilar, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Construction work for the monastery began in the 15th century for the Augustinian Friars. Later, this monastery was used during the war due to its strategic location. Today some part of it is used by the army.  

The circular structure of the church and the cloister is one of its kind in Portugal. You can buy a ticket to see the 36 ionic columns in the church cloisters. Also, if interested, you can climb the dome of the monastery.

Where to find : Ride the metro service on line D to Jardim do Morro. The viewpoint is just a few minutes uphill walk from the metro station.

Entrance Fees : Viewpoint is free. Monastery of Serra do Pilar ticket costs €2 per person and €4 if you want to climb the dome.

Opening Hours : Viewpoint is open and accessible all the time. But the monastery is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6:30 pm and closed on Monday.

10. Go on a Port Winery Tour

Porto is most famous for the port wine. Port got its name from this city where the fortified wines, produced from the grapes of the nearby Douro Valley, are exported to other countries in the world.

In Vila Nova de Gaia at the south of Porto, there are plenty of historic port lodges on the bank of River Douro. Port is aged and bottled in these port lodges before shipment. Some of these port lodges are over 350 years old. Port wine tasting is definitely one of the best things to do in Porto.

Sandeman Port House: Sandeman Port House is one of the oldest and most renowned port houses in Porto. Founded in 1790, they offer different types of guided tasting tours that run from 50 minutes to 3 hours.

The guides wear capes and sombrero hats. Their standard tour lasts about 50 minutes and costs 17 euros per adult. You will learn a lot of history of this port house and the production process.

At the end of the tour, you will get to taste three different port wines – white, ruby and tawny. 

Calem Port House: Established in 1859, Calem is one of the best-selling port manufacturers in Porto. They run guided tasting tours in four different languages. With the standard tour, you will have a tasting of two different port wines, and with the premier tour, they will offer you to taste three different port wines, including some of their vintages.

Also, you will have the option to include food pairing or a Fado show in your tasting tour. All their tours include an interactive museum which is quite unique.

Also, Graham, Burmester, and Taylors are well-recommended Port Houses that offer port tasting tours. 

11. Enjoy a Vintage Tram Ride

Riding the vintage tram is one of the fun things to do in Porto, especially if you are travelling with kids. Tram began operating in Porto in the late 19th century. In fact, this was the first city in Portugal to have tram services, followed by Lisbon. Once there was an extensive network of trams around the city. But in the 1960s, due to other cheaper modes of transportation, tram service got discontinued. Today only three tram routes remain, mostly used by tourists and a few locals.

Among the three routes, tram line 1 is the most scenic and the most popular one. You can ride it from the Infante stop, located right in front of the Monument Church Of St Francis. It follows the path along the northern bank of River Douro to Foz, one of the beautiful coastal areas in Porto. Sit back and enjoy the beautiful views along the way. You will get a magnificent view of the Arrabida Bridge. The entire journey takes about 20 minutes.

Tram lines 18 and 22 are not as popular as tram line 1, but they cover some of the popular historic attractions of Porto. Both the tram services follow a circular route. Line 18 starts from the Tram Museum and terminates near the Igreja do Carmo. Tram line 22 gives stops at Clerigos Tower, Sao Bento Metro Station, Batalha, Bolhão, Avenida dos Aliados.

Ticket Price : A single fare on the tram is €3.50 per person, and a return fare is €6 per person. A 2-days pass will cost you €10 per adult and €5 per child.

Tips : Tram line 1 can get very busy during peak hours. To avoid the crowd, ride the tram early in the morning or late in the evening.  

If you are interested in learning about the history of trams in Porto, we would suggest visiting the Porto Tram Museum.

12. Visit Igreja do Carmo

Igreja do Carmo is one of the prettiest churches in Porto . It is hard to realise at first glance, there are two separate churches joined by a very narrow house. The house in the middle was constructed to keep the nun and monks of the churches separate from each other.

Igreja do Carmo was built in the second half of the 18th century, and the neighbouring Igreja dos Carmelitas was made in the mid-17th century.

The side facade of Igreja do Carmo is decorated with beautiful white and blue ceramic tiles. This baroque church is a must-visit for anyone wanting to see and photograph the beautiful azulejos in Porto.  

The tiles were made in the nearby Vila Nova de Gaia and put on the wall in 1912. Designed by Silvestro Silvestri, it portrays scenes from the history of the Carmelite order and Mount Carmel.

Very close to the church, you will find the Fonte dos Leões , a fountain built for over 130 years, featuring four metal lion statues. It’s a nice little place to sit and relax.

If you are in this area, visit other nearby landmarks of Porto. A few meters from the church is the Livraria Lello. Also, the Clerigos Tower and church is just a few minute’s walks from here.

Where to find : The nearest metro station from Igreja do Carmo is Aliados, on the metro line D. From the station, the church is around 8 minutes walk away. Also, São Bento Station is not far from here.  

Opening Hours : Both the churches are open Monday to Friday from 7:15 am to 7 pm; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9 am to 6:45 pm.

Entrance Fees : The church is free to visit. But if you want to visit the Carmo museum, catacombs and Casa Escondida, you need to buy a ticket for €3.50 per person.

13. Discover the Chapel of Souls

Known as Capela das Almas in Portuguese, the Chapel of Souls is located at the heart of Porto’s main shopping hub, Rua de Santa Catarina, in Santo Ildefonso district.  

This small chapel is famous for the stunning Portuguese tile art covering its exterior. It is one of the best places to see the beautiful azulejos in Porto. The Chapel of Souls was built in the 18th century. But the ceramic tiles you see today were placed in 1929. There are a total of 15,947 tiles designed by Eduardo Leche. The mural on the wall displays religious stories from the lives of the saints the chapel is devoted to – St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Francis of Assisi.  

After admiring the outside of the church, take a look inside. The neo-classical interior is simple but beautiful, with stained glass windows and a decorated altarpiece.  

Tips : The Chapel of Souls stands near a junction of two busy roads. Come early in the morning to photograph the church without traffic and people.

This area is filled with bijou cafes and restaurants. Try some of the most delicious pastéis de nata in Porto at Manteigaria, Confeitaria do Bolhão and Fábrica da Nata.

Where to find : The chapel is just a stone’s throw away from the Bolhão metro station. Line A, B, C and F of Porto Metro runs from here.  

Entrance Fees : Free

Opening Hours : Daily 7:30 am – 7 pm.

14. Eat Delicious Portuguese Sandwich - Francesinha

When you are in Porto, you will have to try Francesinha – the most traditional Portuguese food associated with this city. Francesinha is a Portuguese adaption of Croque-monsieur (ham and cheese hot sandwich) that originated in France. Francesinha means ‘Little Frenchie’ in Portuguese. Legend has it a French immigrant customised Croque-monsieur to the taste of Portugal using some local ingredients when he moved to Porto. That’s how Francesinha became a popular food in Porto.

Francesinha is a sandwich made of bread, ham, steak, linguica (smoked Portuguese sausage) and melted cheese on top . It’s not that kind of a sandwich though that you can eat by hand. It usually comes with spicy tomato and beer sauce. However, it varies a bit depending on the restaurants. French fries and runny eggs are popular accompaniments with this dish. It doesn’t sound like the healthiest food on earth – but hey, who counts calories on holidays! Restaurante O Afonso , Cafe Santiago and Brasao Aliados are some of the best Francesinha in Porto .

If you are a vegetarian, don’t worry. Some restaurants like Lado B Café and Lupin Restaurante serve vegetarian versions. So, you won’t miss the fun of Francesinha.

15. Explore Igreja de Santo Ildefonso

Another place in Porto to find the traditional artwork on azulejos is the Igreja de Santo Ildefonso or Church of Saint Ildefonso. Located right next to the Batalha Square, a historic public square, this Baroque church was built in 1739. However, the beautiful tiles you see on the exterior today was added later in 1932.  

It is hard to believe that there are around 11,000 tiles covering the facade of the bell towers . They showcases religious stories from the Gospels. Particularly the life of Saint Ildefonso, a 7th century Bishop of Toledo to whom the church is dedicated to. It was created by Portuguese painter Jorge Colaço, who also designed and painted the stunning murals at the São Bento Station.

Another highlight of the church is the baroque and rococo style retable on the main altar. It was created by the Italian artist and architect Nicolau Nasoni, whose work can also be seen in the Porto Cathedral, Igreja dos Clérigos among others.  

The nearby Rue Santa Catarina is the main shopping street of the city. If you are around here, definitely visit the famous Majestic Cafe. It is just a few minutes walk from Igreja de Santo Ildefonso.

Where to find : Take a metro ride to the Sao Bento Station. The church is around 7 minutes walk from the Station. Also, this area is served by trams and buses.

Opening Hours : Monday 3 pm to 6:30pm. Tuesday to Saturday 9 am to 12 pm and 3 pm to 6:30 pm. Sunday: 9 am to 1 pm and 6 pm to 8 pm.

16. Monument Church Of St Francis

Founded around 1245, Monument Church of St Francis is one of the most prominent Gothic landmarks in Porto. Don’t get fooled by the church’s simple structure from the outside. The intricately decorated and heavily gilded Baroque interior will leave you spellbound.

Legend has it that the church’s impressive wood carvings are decorated with three hundred kilos of gold dust. One of the most impressive altarpieces is the Tree of Jesse by Filipe da Silva and Antonio Gomes. It depicts the family tree of Jesus.

After admiring the interiors of the church, visit the catacomb where the Franciscan monks and the influential people of Porto are buried.

There is also an ossuary with thousands of bones. You can see some of them through the glass floor. 

Where to find : Monument Church Of St Francis is about an 8-minute walk from the Sao Bento Train Station. Also, the scenic Porto Tram Linha 1 stops at Infante, right next to the church.

Entrance Fees : € 7.50 Adult.

Opening Hours : Daily. November – February 9am – 5:30pm. March – October 9am – 7pm. July – September 9am – 8pm.

17. Discover the Street Art of Porto

If you are interested in discovering urban street arts, Porto is the right place for you. The street art scene is relatively new here, but it’s growing fast. The stunning colourful works by local artists brighten up the otherwise dull vacant walls. It reminded us of Glasgow street murals of Scotland. A self-guided walking tour to visit these vibrant street artworks of Porto is one of the unique things to do in the city.

Some of the subjects of the paintings are abstract, while others are based upon local characters. Also, a few of them delivers a political and social message in it. So, while wandering around the city, look out for these colourful street artworks and graffitis.

One of our favourite street artwork is the Half Rabbit , created by Portuguese artist Bordalo II in the streets of Vila Nova da Gaia. This large mural shows a rabbit made of recycled materials and spare parts to create awareness about human wastefulness and sustainability. You can see more of this artist’s work in Lisbon.

While walking across the upper level of Dom Luis I Bridge, watch out for the AN.FI.TRI.AO mural. It shows an aged man extending his hand to welcome people in the city. Created by artist Frederico Draw, you can find this one on the side of a derelict building near the bridge.

The Don Quixote of La Mancha mural can be found in Rua de Miguel Bombarda. It is one of the earliest legal street art in Porto. Local artists Mesk, Fedor and Mots came together to create this quirky mural showcasing characters from the Spanish book.

Another one of our favourites is the Mira mural at a small square in Rua Nova da Alfândega in the Miragaia neighbourhood. If you are in this area, don’t miss the nearby Look at Porto mural on the wall of a movie theatre.

18. Majestic Cafe

Located in Santa Catarina Street, the main shopping street in Porto, Majestic Cafe is far more than just a coffee house – It is a popular tourist attraction of this city. The interior of this cafe is beautifully decorated in Art Nouveau style with wooden panels and plenty of Flemish mirrors. It will make you feel you have stepped back in the Belle Epoque era.

This historic coffee house first opened its door in 1922. Many dignitaries and influential people of Porto were regulars in this iconic cafe. From the 1960s, this cafe started losing its former glory, and in the mid-’90s it went through major renovation work to revive its original setting.

Majestic Cafe has a Harry Potter connection as well. If you are a potter fan, you would be delighted to know that author JK Rowling lived a few years in Porto in the early ‘90s, and she would come here very frequently. She was seen writing down ideas on the napkins. Some believe that she started writing her first Harry Potter book in this café. It would be an overstatement to say the food is too good but is worth a visit for the grand interior and the great ambience.

After stepping out of the cafe, head towards Igreja de Santo Ildefonso, which is just 2 minutes walk from here. You will get to see some beautiful works of azulejo tiles. Also, visit nearby Bolhao Market, which is more than 100 years old.

Opening Hours : Monday- Saturday 9 am – 11:30 pm. Sunday closed.

Where to find : Aliados on line D is the nearest metro station. The cafe is about 5 minutes walk from there.

19. Explore the Tranquil Gardens at Jardins do Palacio de Cristal

The Crystal Palace Gardens is an excellent place to escape the hustle and bustle of Porto . If you are looking for a peaceful place to relax, this garden is a perfect spot. It is a tranquil urban oasis away from the crowd of the city.  

Set on a hill overlooking the Douro River, the garden is not too far from the popular tourist attractions of the historic centre of Porto. It also provides some of the best panoramic views of the city skyline and the nearby Douro River. Also, an excellent spot to catch a gorgeous sunset.

This 8-hectare landscape garden was built in the 19th century, and the layout was created by the German landscape gardener, Émille David.  

Take a leisurely stroll around the small themed gardens around the park, including the Garden of Feelings, the herb garden and a rose garden. They are well maintained and beautifully decorated with fountains and sculptures. If you are lucky, you might catch a few peacocks roaming around the grounds.  

The original palace, the garden is named after, does not exist anymore. It was demolished and replaced in the 1950s with a domed pavilion. Today it serves as a venue for concerts and sporting events. There are also cafes and restaurants inside the garden.

Where to find : The Jardins do Palacio de Cristal is around 15 minutes walk from the Clerigos Tower. Also, you can easily reach here by bus and tram.  

Opening Hours : Every day. April – September 8 am to 9 pm. October – March 8 am to 7 pm.  

Map of the Attractions in Porto

Here is a map of all the best attractions to visit and the best things to do in Porto. Click on the link to save the Google map on your phone. You can also use it offline. We have also marked famous places to eat and the stunning viewpoints around the city.

How to Get to Porto

With high speed trains, budget airlines, frequent bus services and well maintained highways – reaching Porto couldn’t be any easier.

Arriving Porto by Flight

Porto Airport (OPO) is situated approx 6.8 miles northwest of the Porto city centre. It is one of the busiest airports in Portugal and serves as an important hub in the north of this country. The airport is easily accessible by public transport. You will find car rental services, foreign currency exchange, shops, restaurants and cafes here.

There are direct flights to Porto from all the major European cities alongside domestic flights from other cities in Portugal. It is a base for Ryanair, EasyJet and TAP Air Portugal. Also, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Vueling, Transavia, Iberia and Brussels Airlines operate flights to Porto.  

If you are travelling from a Non-European country, you have to transit through a major European Airport to reach here. Read below for more information about the flights from the UK.  

Flights from the UK

There are many regular flights from various cities in Great Britain. You can catch direct flights from London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol. Flights from London typically take about 2 hours 30 min to arrive in Porto. Flights are operated by British Airways, TAP Air Portugal, as well as budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet. So, Porto should definitely be on your travel bucket list for a great weekend city break.

How to Reach Porto City Centre from the Airport

You can reach Porto city centre very easily by metro, bus, taxi and car from the airport. Porto Metro service is the easiest and most convenient way to get to the city centre. The airport is on the metro line E. To reach the city centre, you will have to change the metro line at Trindade subway station. It takes 26 minutes to get to Trindade. Trains run every 20 to 30 minutes, and a single ride ticket costs only €2.  

You can also catch bus services 601, 602 and 604 (operated by STCP ) to reach various locations around Porto from the airport. Journey time on the bus is much longer than on the metro. Also, Terravision operates a door to door shuttle bus service from the airport.

Private taxi service to the city centre costs around €20- €30 and will drop you in about 20 minutes.

Arriving Porto by Bus

You can also reach Porto by bus from other cities in Portugal. Rede Expressos operates a network of buses around the country. For the lowest price, buy your bus tickets online in advance. The bus from Lisbon takes around 3 hours 30 minutes to reach here and terminates in Campo 24 de Agosto. From there, you can ride the metro services to get to the city centre. Also, there are ALSA buses from Porto to Spain.  

The bus doesn’t run from a single bus station. Different bus companies arrive and depart from various places around Porto. So, it might be a little confusing.  

Arriving Porto by Trains

There are two main train stations in Porto. The Intercity train services stop at Campanha Railway Station , whereas the suburban local trains run through Sao Bento Railway Station .  

If you are coming from Lisbon, Faro, Coimbra or Braga, you can catch the high-speed train services to Porto, known as Alfa Pendular. There are also slower intercity trains between the major cities of Portugal. An intercity train connecting Lisbon to Porto takes over 3 hours. With the high-speed Alfa Pendular and Intercity services, you will find plenty of trains per day.

If you are planning to travel around Portugal by train, we would suggest buying the tickets online in advance. Tickets sell out very fast, especially in peak tourist seasons.

Arriving Porto by Car

If you prefer to drive to Porto, Portugal has good highway networks across the country. The A1 motorways connect Porto to Lisbon. Here’s an approx journey time and distance to Porto from other cities in Portugal:  

• From Lisbon- 3 hours 10 min/ 314 km
• From Coimbra- 1 hours 15 min/ 122 km
• From Braga- 40 min/ 57 km

How to Get Around Porto

Porto is a city best explored on foot. Most of the visitor attractions lie quite close to each other. Exploring the winding cobbled streets of this historic city is part of its charm. So, we will suggest wearing comfortable shoes as some parts of the city are a bit steep and hilly, especially the area from the city centre to Ribeira. If you are staying near the city centre, you don’t even have to use any transport.

That being said, Porto has an extensive network of the public transport system. You can get around the city by metro, bus and tram. They are cost-effective and efficient.  

There are six colour-coded metro lines – A, B, C, D, E and F. It is the quickest way to get around the city. A single metro ticket costs € 1.20. Also, you can buy an Andante card for €0.60, so you can recharge with as many journeys as you need. Don’t forget to validate your card every time you board the metro or change lines.

A bus is a great option to reach the places not covered by the metro. Also, there are three tram routes to help you get around the city. You can ride the funicular from the Ribeira to the Batalha square to avoid the steep walk. Also, there are many taxi services available throughout the city. So, getting around in Porto is easier than you might think.

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Travel Blog

Things to do in Porto (Portugal): complete travel guide with what to see and where to eat and sleep

Porto boasts plans for the most cosmopolitan tastes without losing its small-town essence , a charisma that it happily did not lose and, hopefully, will not lose even though mass tourism is becoming more and more prevalent, especially in its old town. You can explore the intricacies of its pastel-colored streets while discovering centuries-old architectural pearls, enjoy an exhibition in the oldest museum in the country or train your palate in a Port wine tasting with the best panoramic view as a backdrop.

In this guide, we show you things to do in Porto , from the most essential to the most alternative and off-the-beaten path , with suggested itineraries for a day in the city, for a weekend getaway, or even for a 5-day vacation. We also tell you the best ways to move around the city, where to stay , and even restaurants that we love so that your days in Porto are as incredible as ours have been.

Basic facts for traveling to Porto

When to visit porto, how to get to porto, how many days to spend in porto, map of porto, torre dos clérigos (clérigos tower) and clérigos church, são bento train station, one of the most beautiful in the world, church of santo antónio dos congregados, rua das flores, mosteiro de são bento da vitória mosteiro de são bento da vitória, centro português de fotografia, miradouro da vitória and escadas da vitória, museu das marionetas do porto, mercado ferreira borges and hard club, palácio da bolsa, são francisco church, são joão national theater, sé do porto (porto cathedral), strolling around the cathedral: largo pena ventosa, rua de sant’ana…, muralha fernandina, funicular dos guindais, ribeira do porto, paços do concelho do porto (city hall), igreja da santíssima trindade, avenida dos aliados, bolhão market, capela das almas, rua de santa catarina and café majestic, coliseu do porto, praça da batalha, santo ildefonso church, librería lello: one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world., rua do almada: craft beers, second-hand clothes, books, and independent cinema., lapa church, rua galeria de paris: bars to suit all tastes, steak’n shake mural: tiles by joana vasconcelos, igreja do carmo, igreja dos carmelitas and casa escondida, fonte dos leões (lions fountain), jardim da cordoaria (joão chagas garden), rua miguel bombarda: the street of art galleries, soares dos reis national museum: portugal’s oldest museum, crystal palace gardens, romantic museum (museu da cidade – extensão do romantismo), virtudes park and virtudes viewpoint, miradouro bandeirinha da saúde, alfândega do porto and its museum, ponte dom luís i: the city’s most emblematic bridge, mosteiro da serra do pilar, jardim do morro: our favorite place to say goodbye to the day., calçada da serra, ribeira de gaia, wine tasting: visit one of gaia’s wineries, wow: world of wine, curiosities: did you know that port wine is not port wine, bordalo ii half rabbit, beira-rio market, gaia cable car, casa da música, agramonte cemetery, biodiversity gallery: museum of natural history and living science, serralves foundation: park, cinema, and contemporary art, miradouro santa catarina (chapel of santa catarina e senhora dos anjos), foz do douro, marques de oliveira garden (jardim de são lázaro), rodrigues de freitas avenue, bairro herculano, miradouro das fontainhas, estadio do dragão (fc porto’s stadium), where to sleep in ribeira, where to sleep in baixa do porto (city center), where to sleep in cedofeita, where to sleep in gaia, where to eat a francesinha in porto, where to eat everything else in porto: there’s life beyond francesinhas, where to have a drink in porto, one day porto itinerary, 2-3 days porto itineraries (one weekend), 4-5 days porto itinerary, porto card: is it worth it, rent a car in portugal (to explore porto surroundings), how much does it cost to travel to porto, useful apps for traveling to porto, tips for traveling to porto and not being a guiri, checklist: what to pack in your backpack/suitcase for porto.

Currency : Euro (€)

Language : Portuguese

Population : 214,000 (in 2021)

Daily budget : From 50€/day per person (approx.) for a weekend trip and the most economical private accommodation options for two people. More info here

Weather : Porto is a city with a rather rainy climate; although it can be visited with rain, it is more enjoyable with sunny weather, so to avoid the masses of tourists, we recommend you to go in May, June, September, or October. More info here

Accommodation : Ideally stay between the Centro Historico and Baixa, for example in Ribeira , Baixa , or Cedofeita . More info here

Duration : Minimum 2 days (a weekend), recommended 5 days and, if you can, a week to explore the surrounding areas. More info here

How to get there : There are flights with low-cost airlines from several European cities. We recommend you use flight comparison sites such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates. If you are coming from Portugal or Spain it may be worth going by car, although you will not use it inside the city, and you will have to find parking space. There are also some public transport options (train and bus). More info here

Getting around : The best option is to walk and/or use public transport. You can buy the rechargeable municipal card Andante for transport or, if you prefer, buy the Porto Card (from 6€/day) with which you will have unlimited access to the public transport network and also discounts on tickets to museums and most emblematic visits (there are Porto Card for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days , you choose). You also have the option of Taxis/Uber/Bolt. More info is in the section How to get around Porto .

Time zone : UTC +1. The time in Porto (Portugal) is one hour less than in the Spanish mainland and Balearic Islands, and the same time as in the Canary Islands or the UK.

Porto, Oporto… what is the real name of the city? The name in Portuguese is “Porto”, which literally means “Port”. Its origin is said to come from Portus Cale (Port of Cale, the name of the “city” founded there), which also gave its name to the country (Portugal). In Portuguese, as in other languages, some city names are said with an article, as is the case of Porto (“o Porto”, which would be “the Port” in English), and from there comes the name we use in Spanish (Oporto) and also sometimes in English. When you visit the city, when talking to local people try to use the Portuguese name (“Porto”). Another curiosity is that nowadays the city neither is nor has a port, since the current port, Porto dos Leixões (one of the most important in Portugal) is located in Matosinhos (which belongs to the Metropolitan Area of Porto, but not to the city). If you want to know a little more about the origin of the name, we recommend this article in Portuguese

In our opinion, cities like Porto are ideal destinations to visit during any time of the year , in the sense that rain or shine there are almost always available plans . Still, if you want to make the most of the city there are several factors to take into account, which we try to explain below to help you decide when to visit Porto.

Porto is quite a rainy city, so apart from the central months of the year, it is quite likely that you will have a rainy and/or cloudy day if you visit the city outside that time. In our opinion, in terms of climate, Porto is best enjoyed with sunny days and warm weather , so our recommendation is that you visit the city in May, June, September , or October , avoiding the months with more tourists (July and August).

Here is a summary table of the weather in the city to give you an idea of what you can expect:

Tourism demand

The times of highest tourist demand (and therefore, when we will find more people, more lines, more expensive prices , and more complications to go to the most famous restaurants or places) are:

• Summer (July and August)
• Easter Week (March/April)
• Popular holiday weekends (November, December)

So we recommend you avoid those dates if you want to enjoy the city more calmly and with better accommodation prices.

Festivities

If you want to coincide your trip with Porto’s biggest event and the city’s most important celebration, aim to be in Porto on the night of June 23rd where the “Festa de São João” (patron saint of the city) is celebrated , a festival during the summer solstice in which the streets of the city center are filled with music, the smell of “manjerico ” (basil) and fireworks.

Summary: best months to visit Porto

Based on the above, if you are looking to visit Porto with fewer people, good weather, and reasonable prices, the best months are May, June, September, and October .

Porto is a well-connected city so you have several options to get there, depending on where you start your trip from.

Flights to Porto

Porto International Airport has connections to many European destinations and is served by low-cost airlines such as Easyjet or Ryanair, so you are likely to find good prices. We recommend you use flight comparison sites such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates.

How to get from the airport to the city center ? Porto airport is located north of the city, about 15km away, and you have several options to get to (or from) the city center:

• By Metro : the purple line takes you to Trindade (where you can get off or change to another line depending on your final destination), and runs from 6:00 to 1:00 every day. The ride to Trindade takes about 20-30 minutes and costs 2€ (+0,60€ for the Andante card that you can reuse on other metro journeys).
• By Bus : you also have several bus lines that connect the airport with different areas of downtown Porto. You have more info about the lines, schedules, and prices on the official website
• By Taxi/Uber : taxis are metered, and a ride between the airport and downtown can cost around €25, depending on time, traffic and luggage. Uber/Bolt are usually cheaper, although the price varies according to demand.
• Private transfer : you can hire a private transfer in advance to meet you at the airport and take you to your accommodation in Porto. It costs between 29 and 52€ per vehicle depending on the size. Book it here

Although in most blogs you will read that between 2 and 4 days are enough to see “everything”, in our opinion Porto needs at least 5 days and ideally a week to get to know it well without running from one place to another. Besides, if the weather is good and you feel like going to the beach you can always join a few dips in Matosinhos to the more urban days in Porto.

If you are going to move mainly walking around the city (the old town is perfectly doable on foot) perhaps it is worth buying just the rechargeable card “Andante” for the route you need (the card costs 0.60€ and you can top up trips or day passes, for several areas). If you are going to move around the city a lot and, above all, you are going to enter many of its museums and monuments, it may be worth buying the Porto Card (1, 2, 3 or 4 days, you choose) as you will have free access and discounts in many of the most emblematic places in the city and even in some typical pastry shops . In addition, if you buy the Porto Card + Transport you will have unlimited access to the entire public transport network (metro, train and bus), without having to worry about anything else. You can see what’s included and/or buy your Porto Card at this link .

Things to do in Porto

To make it easier for you to plan your walks around Porto, we have divided the places into 5 areas, based on the tourist areas used by Turismo do Porto , and we have put each area in a different color to make it easier for you to identify. It’s all on a Google Maps map that you can take with you on your smartphone to use during your trip.

As we told you, we have divided the places into 5 areas, based on the tourist areas used by Turismo do Porto, and we have put each area in a different color to make them easier to identify. It’s all on a Google Maps map that you can take with you on your smartphone to use during your trip.

You can also find here an official tourist map of Porto , you can view/download it in larger size and resolution by clicking on the image:

Area 1: Historic center of Porto

Undoubtedly one of the most famous landmarks of the city , the Torre dos Clérigos and its church are part of an eighteenth-century building of baroque inspiration, and will accompany you at various points and viewpoints in your walks through the historic center of Porto and even from the other side of the Douro River, in Gaia (believe us, every now and then you’ll be looking to see if you see the tip of the tower wherever you are).

This architectural ensemble was created by Nicolau Nasoni and has been considered a National Monument since 1910. The Church and the Tower are joined by the House of the Brotherhood (also known as the Clerics’ Museum) and when you buy the ticket to go up to the Tower you can also enjoy the church and the museum.

It was precisely the Tower or, rather, its 360º views of Porto that brought us (and what attracts most tourists) here. After climbing the 225 narrow steps we reached the highest point of the tower more than 75 meters high to contemplate the panoramic view of the city .

But the views are a long time coming. To create suspense for those who go for the panoramic view, the architectural complex gives us two visits before undertaking the climb. First, we enter the museum to get a closer look at the House of the Brotherhood that lived here between 1754 and 1758. We will enter different spaces that were destined for the daily life of the Brotherhood of the Clerics as the old infirmary that worked until the late nineteenth century to care for the sick of the clergy.

After that, we get to know the interior of the beautiful Igreja dos Clérigos through the gallery that surrounds the entire nave and allows us to contemplate the altar from above (note the dome with the coat of arms of the Brotherhood of the Clerigos).

The Torre dos Clérigos is open from 09:00h to 19:00h (last entrance at 18:30h) and the entrance costs 6€ (free entrance for children up to 10 years old and 25% discount if you have the Porto Card ): this ticket is valid to visit freely the Clérigos Museum (Casa de la Hermandad), to see the Church and to climb the Tower; if you want a guided tour of the museum and the church the ticket costs 7,50€ (the climb to the tower is always on your own).

Book in advance your entrance to Torre dos Clérigos in this link and choose the time and number of people.

If you want to see the views of Porto from the Clérigos Tower at night, there is a night entrance from 19:00h to 23:00h that costs 5€ although this option is usually only available from spring to mid-October: confirm in any case if you can go up when you visit the city on this official link or directly at the ticket office.

In this same link you will see that there are also combined tickets with other attractions in the city such as the Serralves Foundation (20,80€ combined ticket) or with the Palácio da Bolsa or the Misericórdia Museum (18€ combined ticket) so if you know for sure that you are also going to go to one of these attractions, buy the combined ticket and save a few euros.

The Porto Card can also be worth it if you are going to enter several monuments of the city such as the Torre dos Clérigos (discount on the entrance) and/or if you are going to use public transport (unlimited access to metro, train and bus lines). There are 1, 2, 3 or 4 day Porto Cards from 6€/day and you can choose the one that only includes discounts and free entrance to attractions (Porto Card ) or that also includes unlimited access to public transport (Porto Card + Transport ): see what is included and buy yours here .

You can buy your Porto Card or Porto Card+ Transport (1, 2, 3 or 4 days), save on entrance fees and have unlimited access to transport in the city without worries.

Considered one of the most beautiful train stations in the country (and according to the American magazine Travel+Leisure, one of the most beautiful in the world), the atrium of the São Bento train station is worth a visit, even if it’s not just to take a trip on the rails.

Designed by the architect Marques da Silva, the station does not leave you indifferent when you pass by its 19th-century exterior facade, but it is inside that you will find its real treasure. The atrium of the station is covered with 20,000 pictorial tiles by the painter Jorge Colaço that tell part of the history of the country through daily life scenes and the evolution of the means of transport.

It is located in the center of the city and, in addition to admiring its beauty, it is an excellent starting point for a train trip along the beautiful Douro Line (there are trains from São Bento to the picturesque Régua and Pinhão, the latter being our favorite in the Douro Valley). Trains also depart from here to nearby towns such as Miramar (with its beautiful beaches and mansions), Braga, or Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal. If you prefer to know the Douro Valley from Porto by boat, hire here your full day boat cruise from the very center of Porto (Ribeira) to Pinhão, or this other one-day road tour .

Not many people know the legend of the last nun at São Bento station , but if you like ghost stories, read on. It turns out that this station was built on the site where once stood the Benedictine convent of São Bento de Avé Maria, a convent for noble women. When the decree for the extinction of religious orders in Portugal was issued in 1834, it decreed the immediate extinction of the male orders (and the confiscation of their property) and the extinction of the female convents upon the death of the last nun to reside there. It turns out that the last abbess of this convent lived until 1892, 58 years after the decree! and the construction of the station began immediately after her death. Legend has it that, in the hours of little movement and little noise at São Bento station, the prayers of the abbess can still be heard in the station’s corridors.

In the same square where the São Bento station is located, Praça Almeida Garret, you can find this church with the facade also covered with blue and white tiles by the same artist of the station tiles, the painter Jorge Colaço.

Built at the end of the 17th century, in the place where there was a chapel dedicated to St. Anthony, on the walls, there are murals by Acácio Lino depicting scenes from the life of St. Anthony since this church was initially intended to be the headquarters of the Confraternity of St. Anthony, patron saint of Lisbon.

A curiosity: the chapel of this church houses the tomb of the mummified body of Pope St. Clement, the only pope who rests away from the Vatican.

One of the most beautiful and, precisely for this reason, one of the busiest streets of the historic center, Rua das Flores is a pedestrian street from the 16th century where the baroque style mansions with coats of arms of aristocratic families that settled there in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries stand out .

On the same street, the facade of the Igreja da Misericórdia attracts attention. It was designed by Nicolau Nasoni, the same creator of the Torre dos Clérigos, and has one of the most emblematic baroque facades of the city. If you want to enter the church, the entrance fee is 1,50€ (with your Porto Card you get a 30% discount ; students free), from Tuesday to Friday from 9:30h to 12:30h and from 14:00h to 17:30h and weekends from 9:00h to 12:00h.

Rua das Flores was home to many of the finest and wealthiest stores of the 19th-century bourgeoisie. The north of the street was the old jewelry street , visible in many of its facades, while the south of Rua das Flores was occupied by other types of commerce. Today, traditional stores are becoming fewer and fewer, giving way to more and more multinational brand stores, some restaurants, hotels, and local lodging.

If mass tourism has had a negative impact on the center of Porto, Rua das Flores is one of the best examples of it: when we went there it was practically impossible to walk among the number of trolleys and suitcases that flooded the street. It is beautiful, yes, but not always easy to enjoy.

Walking down Rua das Flores towards Rua Mouzinho da Silveira along Rua Afonso Martins Alho where the impressive street art mural of a cat is located, we find the monumental fountain Mouzinho da Silveira from 1875.

The Monastery of São Bento da Vitória is one of the most important religious buildings in Porto, classified as a national monument in 1977. Built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it had different uses throughout history: it was a military hospital during the Peninsular War and later also a military court. From 1985 to 1990 it underwent restoration works, and since 2007 a part of the building is used for events (theaters, concerts, private events…). You can see the agenda here

There is the possibility to visit the monastery on a guided tour from Monday to Saturday (10:30 and 12:30), for a price of 6€/person (you can buy tickets here ).

A visit to the Portuguese Center of Photography is a must for photography lovers . It is located in an impressive building, a former 18th-century prison in Porto , and houses the most important national photographic collection and archive . It also presents interesting temporary exhibitions of national and international photographers, and the António Pedro Vicente museum center takes us back in time through the exhibition of 600 pieces of photographic equipment . It also has the so-called “sala da memória” where we are presented with various important personalities who were imprisoned here , such as one of the most representative authors of Portuguese literature, Camilo Castelo Branco (19th-century, late romanticism). In fact, the square where the Center is located is named after one of his most outstanding works, “Amor de Perdição”.

Admission is free and the Center is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and on weekends from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

It is worth climbing the stairs in the Vitória neighborhood (“escadas da Vitória “) to enjoy one of the best panoramic views of the city . These stairs were formerly known as “Escadas da Esnoga” in direct reference to the synagogue of the “Judiaria do Olival” , a Jewish quarter founded in the 14th century.

The history of Porto and the Jewish history cannot be dissociated since there have always been members of this community either practicing their religion openly or, at the time of the Catholic Inquisition and its persecution, in secret. It is said that being Porto a commercial and liberal city, during the Jewish persecution a large part of the community was protected by the inhabitants of the city and that the Inquisition even complained about the protection that the city offered them, and there were even secret synagogues.

From the viewpoint (Miradouro da Vitória ) it is possible to look across the Douro River to Vila Nova de Gaia with its Port wine cellars, the Mosteiro Serra do Pilar , and the Jardim do Morro (one of our favorite spots to watch the sunset); contemplate the photogenic Dom Luís I bridge that crosses the river and already, on this side of the river, the Igreja e Convento dos Grilos , also known as Igreja de São Lourenço; the Paço Episcopal , the famous Sé de Porto , and even the Palácio da Bolsa .

Randomtip : As you leave the lookout along Rua de São Miguel, keep an eye on the facade of the 18th-century Igreja Nossa Senhora da Vitória:

Very close to the “escadas da Vitória” is a great plan for kids (and not so little ones): the puppet museum of Porto . Here you can see not only an exhibition of contemporary puppets but also attend a puppet play ! If you want to know what plays are on stage during your trip (and for what ages) go to their website .

The entrance to the exhibition of the “Museu das Marionetas do Porto” costs 3,50€ ( 2€ discount if you have the Porto Card ) and is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 14:00h to 18:00h and on weekends from 11:00h to 13:00h and from 14:00h to 18:00h (last admission 30 minutes before closing time).

The Ferreira Borges Market is a landmark and, in fact, this Historical Monument is classified as a Cultural and World Heritage Site by Unesco. An example of “ iron architecture ” in Portugal (19th-century), the market was built in 1888 to replace the Mercado da Ribeira, and it never really served the purpose of a market with its various stalls but has always been used for cultural projects, exhibitions, and fairs.

An example of this is the Hard Club , a cultural space in the market that hosts concerts, exhibitions, book and music fairs, and also serves as a studio.

Very close to the market (and the Hard Club) is the Palacio das Artes where there are interesting exhibitions on various artistic techniques, especially sculpture, photography and video. And if you feel like learning (and tasting) about Port wine, next door is the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto with all kinds of wine tastings.

In addition, from the market terrace you have a nice view of the Praça do Infante Dom Henrique (with the monument of the important Portuguese explorer and navigator) and the Palacio da Bolsa to which we will go next.

The national monument Palácio da Bolsa is one of the most important (and most visited) architectural attractions in Porto and, in fact, it is still the venue chosen for some official visits, to receive great leaders, and for different types of events. Unfortunately, when we visited Porto it was closed to the public for maintenance works so we were left with the desire to know the treasures hidden inside .

Although there is currently no Stock Exchange in Porto (the Portuguese Stock Exchange is in Lisbon), it did exist in its day and the Stock Exchange Palace began to be built by the architect Joaquim da Costa Lima in 1842 as the Commercial Association of Porto. It houses more than twelve imposing spaces between halls, galleries, cabinets, library, and a courtyard .

One of the most remarkable (and important official assembly halls of the city) is the Arab Hall , designed by Gonçalves de Sousa and inspired by the Alhambra in Granada , but there are many spaces that will surprise you as the glazed Courtyard of Nations or the sculptures of Soares dos Reis (the famous sculptor who gives his name to the oldest museum in the country that we will talk about later ). No wonder, then, that the Palacio de la Bolsa is classified by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.

You can visit the Palacio da Bolsa on a guided tour from 09:00h to 13:00h and from 14:00h to 17:30h (from April to October uninterrupted hours from 9:00h to 18:30h). Guided tours last just under an hour and the entrance fee is 10€/person (25% discount if you have the Porto Card which gives you discounts on the city’s attractions and unlimited use of public transport). If you prefer, you can book your ticket to the Palacio da Bolsa in advance at this link, choosing the time you are interested in .

Book in advance your guided tour of the Palacio da Bolsa in this link , choosing time and number of people.

Very close to the Palacio da Bolsa is what is considered one of the most important religious monuments of the city , the church of São Francisco , which was also declared a National Monument. The construction of this Gothic church began in the 14th century as part of a Franciscan convent but had to be reformed later, in the 19th century, due to a fire. Its interior has three naves covered with gilded carvings in which it is believed that more than 300 kilos of gold dust were used! Such was the ostentation that the church was closed for years due to the poverty that surrounded it. Another attraction is the Tree of Jesse (the family tree of Christ), a polychrome wooden sculpture considered one of the best of its kind in the world, which you can find in the left aisle. Below, in the catacombs, are the tombs of some members of the Franciscan order and members of noble families and also a glazed ossuary.

The entrance to the Igreja de São Francisco costs 7,50€ ( 25% discount if you have the Porto Card and for students), opens at 9:00h and closes at 17:30h from November to February, at 19:00h from March to June and October, and at 20:00h from July to September.

Inaugurated in 1798, the building of the National Theater of São João was the first building to be built from scratch in the city to be dedicated solely and exclusively to the presentation of shows. It was designed by the Italian architect and scenographer Vicenzo Mazzoneschi in the beautiful Batalha Square in Porto and quickly became the meeting point of the romantic generation of that time. It was destroyed in a fire in 1908 and the building we see today is a reconstruction designed by Marques da Silva, considered “the last classical architect and the first modern architect of Porto” (we read it on the official website of the theater , in the section dedicated to the history of the building).

You can take a guided tour of the national theater from Tuesday to Saturday at 12:30, 6€/person ( 50% discount with your Porto Card ). To find out which play will be on stage when you visit the city, go to their website and take a look at the agenda . With the Porto Card you will also get a discount on the shows: 50% discount on tickets purchased more than 48h in advance, or 5€ discount if you buy them less in advance.

The main church of the city and one of the oldest monuments, the Sé do Porto is also one of the most visited points .

It was built in the 12th century (the first mass was celebrated in 1120) but did not reach its present imposing size until the 13th century and it was not until the 14th century that the Gothic-style cloister was added. Later, in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was rebuilt in Baroque style (it retains only its original rose window) both inside (visible in the altarpieces and chapels) and outside (the portal), details added by someone who will already ring a bell from Torre dos Clérigos and Igreja da Misericórdia de Rua das Flores, Nicolau Nasoni.

The Sé Cathedral of Porto is the episcopal seat of the diocese of Porto in Portugal. It hides a treasure in its “Casa do Cabildo” (accessible from the Cloister) consisting of 150 objects of worship, vestments, silverware, and liturgical books from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries of which there are a few on display. But we most wanted to climb its tower and enjoy the 360º views it offers, which was impossible due to the hordes of people in front of us.

Although we understand that the magnificence of the architecture of the Sé and the views of the historic center that surround it make the visit a must in the city, it was one of the points where we most felt the negative impact of the mass tourism (visible, for example, in groups of free tours of more than 20 people) that Porto is suffering (here we felt it much more than in Torre dos Clérigos, where we thought it would be impossible to climb and it was relatively fast, you can buy your ticket to Clérigos in advance here ).

We suppose that the time of the visit also has an influence, so we advise you to go early or late because when we went around 11:00 am there was such a concentration of tourists, free tours, and tuk-tuks that it was impossible to walk, visit or contemplate the Sé quietly.

You can visit the Sé Cathedral of Porto from 09:00h to 18:30h (from November to March from 09:00h to 17:30h). The entrance to the cathedral is free but if you want to enter the Cloister, the Casa do Cabildo and climb the Tower you have to pay 3€/person ( 35% discount if you have the Porto Card ).

RandomTip : Very close to the Cathedral is the Igreja e Convento dos Grilos , also known as Igreja de São Lourenço, and next to it a viewpoint with an incredible view over the old town, over the river and over the promenade of Gaia. Don’t miss it. If you like the art of stained glass and want to know a little more of Porto’s, the Museu do Vitral is next door (open from 10:00h to 19:00 and admission is 8€, 10% discount with the Porto Card ) and they invite you to a glass of Port wine. The equally nearby Casa-Museu Guerra Junqueiro offers free tours of what was the home of one of Portugal’s most important early 20th century poets. The building is 18th century, baroque in style, and the project is attributed to Nicolau Nassoni himself. It is a visit quite out of the way and has a nice cafe on the terrace of the courtyard of the house if you want to rest a little.

The narrow streets surrounding the cathedral, which can lead to the Ribeira de Porto, are worth getting lost in them and venturing into their corners.

You can start at Rua de Dom Hugo and stop at Igreja e Convento de São Lourenço (also known as Igreja dos Grilos) and its fantastic viewpoints. Continue to Largo da Pena Ventosa , with its photogenic colorful little houses, where you can stop for a drink on the terraces. Continue to Rua de Sant’Ana and then on to Escadas do Barredo ; all you are seeing is the oldest area of Porto.

Then follow Rua da Senhora das Verdades, go up the Escadas do Codeçal , stop to visit the Igreja de Santa Clara, and go back down the other side of the Muralha Fernandina towards Escadas dos Guindais , enjoying the spectacular views of the bridge and the river.

Randomtip : If you feel like it, have a well-deserved drink at Futbol Club Guindalense , before going down to Ribeira de Porto, either on the funicular, which we’ll tell you about below, or on foot, always with a view of the Dom Luis I bridge.

The Muralhas Fernandinas, of which today only a few pieces are preserved, were the walls built during the 14th century and completed under the reign of D. Fernando (hence its name), to protect the city given the growth it had at the time.

The best-preserved part of the Muralha Fernandina is the one next to the Funicular dos Guindais, although another small vestige can also be seen in the Ribeira, the Postigo do Carvão , so-called because it was the gateway for coal to enter the city.

If after touring the entire Porto Cathedral your feet hurt, you don’t have to walk down to the popular Ribeira area: you can take the Funicular dos Guindais ! This popular means of transport connects the upper part of the city (where the cathedral is located), leaving from Praça da Batalha, with the lower part of the city, down to the famous Ribeira , and vice versa . The ride goes down (or up) about 60 meters and takes just two minutes while enjoying breathtaking views of the Dom Luis Bridge and the Fernandine walls that served as fortification and defense of the city.

The funicular is open from April to October from Sunday to Thursday from 08:00h to 22:00h and Fridays and Saturdays from 08:00h to 00:00h and from November to March from Sunday to Thursday from 08:00h to 2o:00h and Fridays and Saturdays from 08:00h to 22:00h. The price per ride is 2,50€ per adult, 1,25€ per child over 4 years old and free for children under 4 years old. You can use your Porto Card on the funicular dos Guindais and get a 25% discount .

RandomTip : There is a free alternative to the Funicular dos Guindais, the Ascensor da Ribeira (known as Elevador da Lada), is an elevator that connects the Ribeira with the old town of Porto. Of course, this free plan has a downside : it leaves you halfway and you have to climb some stairs to get to the historic center. In exchange, it leaves you in the neighborhood of Barredo, a very authentic neighborhood of Porto and also gives you a view over the city.

You have arrived at the postcard of Porto . The set of historic colorful buildings on the banks of the Douro where they rest or sail rabelos (traditional boat in which wine barrels were transported) loaded with tourists is one of the most emblematic places of the city and the most photogenic. Besides being one of the oldest areas of the city, of medieval origin, Ribeira is a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

On a leisurely stroll between Gustavo Eifell Avenue (where you will exit on the funicular or down the stairs of Guindais) to the pier “Cais da Ribeira” you will realize that this area is full of tourists, restaurants, cafes, and terraces with privileged views of Vila Nova de Gaia and it is one of the most popular places to eat, dine or have a drink at sunset.

One of the squares with several terraces is the famous Praça da Ribeira with the statue of São João Baptista, patron saint of the city, celebrated on the night of June 23rd in Porto’s biggest event, the “Festa de São João “, a festival during the summer solstice in which the streets throughout the historic center are filled with music, the smell of “ manjerico ” (basil) and fireworks.

Be careful, the vast majority of restaurants and terraces in Ribeira have tourist-trapping prices and menus. If you don’t want to be “trapped” we recommend moving away from the shore and explore narrow streets like Rua da Fonte Taurina which has good options like Casa Lopes or Ora Viva that serve traditional food at reasonable prices. If you are looking for something special, don’t hesitate, go to Bacalhau and ask for a table on the terrace. Not only are their dishes the best in the area, the views with which you will eat or dine are also the best in the area.

But what we liked most was getting into the ins and outs of Ribeira, in its labyrinth of labyrinthine streets that invite you to get lost and that tell us about the past of Ribeira and the city , you just have to pay attention.

For example, one of the posters in Ribeira tells the story of the “Ponte das Barcas” tragedy that took place in 1809 during the second French invasion. It turns out that the fear of the French troops pushed thousands of people from Porto who tried to cross the Douro River using a bridge built on barges, the “Ponte das Barcas”, but the bridge did not resist the weight of the crowd, gave way and more than four thousand people died . In 1897, 88 years after the tragedy, the sculptor Teixeira Lopes eternalized that tragic day in a bronze bas-relief called “ Alminhas da Ponte ” which has become a place of worship for the believers and inhabitants of Ribeira who pray there and pay homage to those who died that day. This tragedy is also remembered today through a memorial in Ribeira itself which consists of a steel sculpture designed by the architect Souto Moura .

Another interesting point in Ribeira is the “ Muro dos Bacalhoeiros “, a continuation of the Fernandine wall and one of the best places to have a privileged view of the banks of the Douro. In addition, in Ribeira lived one of the most outstanding personalities of the city, the Duke of Ribeira , a boatman of this area known for having saved several people from drowning and having rescued the bodies of many others due to his knowledge of the river currents. For this feat, after his death, a tribute was paid to him and the square next to the pillar of Ponte D. Luís bears his name and a tombstone was placed on the premises.

From Ribeira de Porto you can do one of the star activities: a one-hour cruise across the six bridges (15€/person). Aboard a Rabelo , of course, the traditional boat used to transport the barrels from the vineyards of the Douro Valley to the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, you will pass over the Arrábida Bridge, the longest bridge in the city, located next to the mouth of the river, to the Freixo Bridge , located at the eastern end of Porto. You will also pass the most photogenic bridge , the Don Luis I bridge (from the 19th century), the Infante Don Enrique bridge (built in 2003), the Maria Pia bridge (designed by Théophile Seyrig, Gustave Eiffel’s partner, in 1873) and the São João bridge (railway bridge, for trains only).

If you prefer something more romantic, this 3-hour evening cruise includes dinner, wine, and live traditional music. Take a look at this link .

Book the one-hour cruise on the six bridges (from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm) at this link or the cruise with dinner and music at this link .

Area 2: Baixa de Porto

The Paços do Concelho do Porto is the building of the “ Câmara Municipal do Porto ” (Porto City Hall) since 1957 although its construction began much earlier, in 1920 , a project of the architect Correia da Silva that dragged on for several years and underwent modifications to the initial plan by the architect Carlos Ramos, the author also of the neighboring Palácio dos Correios .

The work on the building arose from the plan for the extension of the civic center of the city, designed by the English architect Barry Parker (plan approved in 1916 ) and was architecturally inspired by the great communal palaces of northern France and Flanders .

In front of the main door of the building, we can find the statue of one of the most outstanding Portuguese romantic writers, Almeida Garret , born in Porto in 1799. The statue was unveiled in 1954 to commemorate the first centenary of the author’s death.

Inside the six-story building of Paços do Concelho, we find a large granite staircase that, upon ascending, leads us to the noble floor and four frescoes that evoke personalities of Portuguese history : Dom Afonso Henriques , the first king of Portugal; Infante Dom Henrique , promoter of Portuguese maritime exploration (15th century); Afonso Martins Alho, a bourgeois from Porto and negotiator in the first commercial treaty with England (14th century); and Camilo Castelo Branco , one of the most representative authors of Portuguese literature (19th century, late romanticism). In addition, on the balcony of this same floor, we can find four statues that symbolize the riches of the north of Portugal: the Earth, the Sea, the Vineyard, and the Work.

Admission is free and on the first Sunday of each month, there are guided tours at 11:00 am.

The Igreja da Trindade is the church located just behind the town hall (Paços do Concelho). It was built during the 19th century on the initiative of the Ordem da Trindade and opened for worship in 1841. The facade is neoclassical with details of baroque tradition.

It is said that in this church a visionary and thaumaturge named Guilhermina had a vision of the Holy Trinity and angels singing the Tantum Ergo Sacramentum . Another curiosity is that the architect who designed this church in the early years of the 19th century, Carlos Amarante, is buried here.

We did not enter the church but inside there is a large panel depicting the Baptism of Christ, a work of the painter José de Brito.

One of the most popular and crowded streets of the city, Avenida dos Aliados is the meeting point for many Portuguese people, especially when it’s time to celebrate . A Christmas tree is illuminated here every year, the countdown to the New Year is on, young people in black suits and capes celebrate the end of their bachelor’s degree at the “Queima das Fitas” and the music is loud at the concerts of the São João festivities, the city’s most important event. It is also often a starting point for the demands of the people of Porto, as this is where most of the demonstrations in the city are held.

This avenue was born from the same plan for the expansion of the city’s civic center by the English architect Barry Parker in 1916 that we told you about in Paços do Concelho, and which led to the expansion of Praça da Liberdade to the north, opening up Avenida dos Aliados and Praça do General Humberto Delgado. In 2005, Avenida dos Aliados underwent a profound transformation by architects Siza Vieira and Souto Moura, making it more versatile (easier to put up and take down stages, for example) but, in the opinion of some locals, also taking away some of its charm (it used to be a large green area with the typical Portuguese cobblestones “calçada portuguesa “).

It is a noble avenue where the best plan is to stroll and contemplate the facades of the modernist buildings of the early twentieth century with art deco traces , now occupied mostly by banks and insurance companies. Here you will find Culturgest , an art gallery of the financial group Caixa Geral de Depósitos, which just by entering and admiring the room that hosts temporary exhibitions is already worthwhile but, in addition, usually exhibits very interesting works (and for free).

Very close to Culturgest and Aliados is the Rivoli Theater , the municipal theater of Porto that hosts plays, dance, music, cinema, “cafés literários” and different types of events. Ideally, you should go to the Rivoli website to see the program for the days you will be in the city. Our friend Joana told us that it was worth going up to the café-concert on the 5th floor but in the end, we didn’t have time to go, we’ll do it next time.

Re-opened in September 2022 after being closed for 4 years due to renovation works, the Mercado do Bolhão is the most famous of the city and occupies an entire block in the center of the Baixa Portuense (bounded by the streets of Sá da Bandeira, Formosa, Alexandre Braga, and Fernandes Tomás), dating back to 1837, when the city council of Porto decided to build a square on this land purchased from the church but did not open its doors until two years later, in 1839.

Bolhão in Portuguese means “big bubble”. The name of the market is due to the existence of a stream in this land that, when crossing a swamp between Rua Formosa and Rua de Fernandes Tomás, formed a large bubble of water. In fact, in the vicinity of the land there was already a water fountain, called, precisely, Fonte do Bolhão . Source: MercadodoBolhao.pt

For several years, improvement works were carried out in the market, such as a definitive structure to replace the existing benches and the great central staircase, but at the beginning of the 20th century, the city officials decided to build a new market outside the city in order to ensure the food supply that would allow the expansion of Porto. The project was abandoned for economic reasons.

It was not until 1914 (the year in which the First World War broke out) that the current building was built . The project designed by architect Correia da Silva (you will be familiar with him because he is the same one who designed the city hall, Paços do Concelho) was an avant-garde work for the time due to the use of reinforced concrete in conjunction with metal structures, wooden decks, and granite masonry. Throughout its history, the market has undergone several changes such as the construction in 1939 (the year World War II broke out) of the transversal gallery, the passage between the upper galleries that divides the central courtyard of the building and establishes the connection between the accesses to Alexandre Braga and Sá da Bandeira streets.

In 2006 the market was classified by the municipality as a Property of Heritage Interest for its architectural, artistic, historical, symbolic, cultural, and social values and in 2013 it was granted the category of Monument of Public Interest .

At Randomtrip where we love markets wherever we go, we curiously visited the iconic building on its reopening, in September 2022, and had mixed feelings. While the monumentality of the market caught us by surprise (no matter how much you read, we doubt you won’t be surprised by its beauty), the direction in which the market is going reflects what we feel in the streets surrounding it: the loss of authenticity.

Currently, the Bolhão market is a modern, orderly and clean market with more than 70 merchants with different products (from fish, vegetables, and fruits to handicrafts or coffee) with their names on each stall, stores around the building, and restaurants on the second floor.

We had the feeling that the stalls are more and more directed to those who pass by, tourists, or those who live in the nearby streets (with high purchasing power) and that it will be increasingly difficult to fit Bolhão into the daily life of most of the local Portuguese people: when we visited it there were several groups of tourists of more than 20 people!

In our opinion, it is a unique and beautiful visit (if you can buy something from the stalls and contribute to the local economy in addition to contemplating the market, even better) but we believe that if the direction of tourism in “Baixa do Porto” does not change, this particular essence of Porto, where the history of the market and the city have been intertwined for over a hundred years , will soon disappear.

You can enter and shop at the Bolhão market from Monday to Friday from 08:00h to 20:00h and on Saturdays from 08:00h to 18:00h (closed on Sundays).

On your way out, don’t miss the “ Pérola do Bolhão ” store and its incredible Art Nouveau façade, covered in tiles with references to the spice route which is, in itself, one of the tourist attractions of the city of Porto. The store was founded in 1917, witnessing the transformations of the market since the construction of the current building (in 1914) and here you can find a selection of Portuguese delicatessen such as cheeses, sausages, wines, dried fruits or biscuits. The other two nearby stores with the same type of product offerings that are also worth a visit and tend to be less crowded are Confeitaria do Bolhão and Mercearia do Bolhão . Unfortunately, news came out recently warning of the sad closure of Merceria do Bolhão due to non-renewal of the rental contract. One more historic store in the city, this one apparently the oldest, that closes, reflecting the greed, gentrification and decharacterization that the historic center of Porto is suffering.

The Capela das Almas (Chapel of the Souls), or Chapel of Santa Catarina, will surely catch your attention when you leave (or before you enter) the market. Its façade is covered with 16,000 tiles depicting religious scenes from the lives of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catherine. Although the building dates from the 18th century, in neoclassical style, the tiles were added later, at the beginning of the 20th century. Its name comes from the image of the Virgin of the Souls inside.

The shopping street par excellence of the baixa portuense , in Santa Catarina you will find all kinds of stores , especially multinational brands (the more traditional stores have been disappearing giving way to these others), and even a couple of shopping malls.

If after so many stores you feel like resting your legs or if, as in our case, you pass the stores and feel like sitting down and enjoying a coffee, know that you are in the street that hides one of the most beautiful places to do so: the Café Majestic .

This Art Nouveau style café opened its doors in 1921 and to tell its history is to tell the history of the city as it was here that gatherings of politicians, writers, and intellectuals took place during the “Roaring Twenties” . Its architect was João Queirós and this atmosphere between crystal mirrors, marble floors, and beautiful lamps in the most emblematic cafeteria of the city will transport you to a movie atmosphere. They usually host poetry or piano recitals, painting exhibitions, and even book presentations and other types of events.

However, having a coffee that transports you to the “Belle Époque” is not cheap: an espresso costs 5€ (in Portugal coffee usually ranges between 0.70€ and 1€, in special places up to 2€ to give you an idea) and, perhaps, there will be a queue when you arrive and you will have to wait…

One of the city’s main performance halls with a capacity for 4,000 people, the construction of the Coliseu building, in Art Deco style, began in 1937. It was a project of architects Cassiano Branco and Júlio de Brito and opened its doors in 1941. In 2012 it was classified as a National Monument.

The name of one of the most important and crowded squares of the city says it all and it is said that it was here, in Praça da Batalha (Battle Square) that a bloody fight took place between Portuguese and Saracen troops of Almanzor in the tenth century, winning the battle Almanzor with the consequent devastation of the city.

In the center of the square stands the statue of King Pedro V , responsible for several improvements that led to the modernization of the country in the 19th century (from public health to infrastructure and telegraphs).

It is an almost exclusively pedestrian square full of restaurants, cafes, and hotels and we call your attention to some buildings that stand out architecturally as the central post office (late eighteenth century); the National Theater São João, Renaissance-style; the old cinema Águia Douro; the homonymous cinema, cinema Batalha; the Chave de Ouro cafe; the Hotel Império; and the NH Porto Batalha .

In the middle of Praça da Batalha is this beautiful church rebuilt in the sixteenth century (the previous church was in ruins) that stands out for the tiles that cover it almost completely and for the photogenic staircase to reach it. The tiles of the Igreja de Santo Idelfonso were created by Jorge Colaço (1932), the same painter of the tiles that cover the emblematic station of São Bento and its neighboring Igreja de Santo António dos Congregados, and represent scenes from the religious life of St. Ildefonso and allegories of the Eucharist.

Its interior features an organ with more than 1,000 pipes, impressive stained glass windows, and an 18th-century rococo-carved baroque altarpiece designed by Nicolau Nasoni.

If you want to visit it you should know that it closes on Mondays so avoid going on this day of the week; on the other days its schedule is from 10:00h to 12:30h and from 15:00h to 18:00h (on Saturdays it closes at 20:00h), after that time the iron gates that give access to the staircase are closed.

Considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world , Livraria Lello was inaugurated in 1906 and is currently one of the most sought-after tourist attractions in Porto .

The bookstore is in neo-Gothic style and its beautiful facade formed by a wide semicircular arch does not go unnoticed (also because of the crowds of tourists just in front of it), two figures representing Art and Science will welcome you from the street.

If you notice, underneath “Livraria Lello & Irmão ” is written “Livraria Chardron ” because the brothers José and Antonio Lello bought the old bookstore/publishing business of Ernesto Chardron in 1894 and kept the name of the original business:

But the real treasure of the bookstore is hidden inside , where the protagonist of the room is the ornamental staircase that gives access to the upper floor. The walls of the bookstore are lined with shelves with more than 60,000 books ! and in the broken arches that rest on the pillars, the sculptor Romão Júnior sculpted the busts of great Portuguese writers Antero de Quental, Eça de Queirós, Camilo Castelo Branco, Teófilo Braga, Tomás Ribeiro, and Guerra Junqueiro. No female writers, however.

photos by LivrariaLello.pt

The myths of Harry Potter and Porto : If you are a Potterhead (fan of the Harry Potter saga) and you come here in search of some magical vestige you should know that the author of the famous saga, the British J. K. Rowling, although she lived in Porto for a season (between 1991 and 1993) in which she was precisely writing the story of Harry, has denied the belief that the Lello Bookstore has inspired the story and confirmed that any resemblance between the library (or any environment) of Hogwarts and the Lello & Irmão bookstore is purely coincidental . In addition to the false relationship with the bookstore, there are also other rumors such as that she wrote in the Café Majestic (this is true) , that the name Salazar Slythering comes from Antonio Salazar, the Portuguese dictator (also true) or that the capes used in the saga are inspired by those worn by university students. In any case, taking into account the little respect we have for the opinions of this transphobic author, our recommendation is that you get to know Potter’s narrative and let yourself be carried away by your imagination.

However, the fame of the bookstore has made it practically impossible to visit without queuing. The size of the queue will depend on the season in which you visit Porto and the time you visit the bookstore, being better at lunchtime (between 12h and 14h) or in the late afternoon, before closing time. You can buy the ticket physically next to the bookstore, at the “Check in Libreria Lello” or, better yet, buy the ticket in advance online at this link of the bookstore (be careful, both buying the ticket physically and online you will have to queue as you buy the ticket for the day you want to go, not for a specific time).

The entrance fee is 5€ (free for children under 3 years old, although in this case, you will have to buy the ticket at 0€ online anyway) or 15,90€ if you want to enter with priority and save the queue (as in some airlines). You can buy the ticket you want online at the bookstore’s website and it is deductible in what you buy, that is, what you pay for the entrance to the bookstore (either 5€ or 15,90€) is discounted in the price of what you buy at the end. In addition, the bookstore has books in several languages or Lello & Irmão would not be one of the most visited bookstores by tourists from all over the country.

The bookstore is open from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm every day of the week and there are some rules to follow such as having your cell phone on silent, wearing a mask inside and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times, the other rules on the website of the bookstore .

If this is your second time in Porto, if the queue for the bookstore is too long or if you simply don’t plan to go to the Lello & Irmão bookstore during your visit to the city, we propose an alternative plan for book lovers: the Livraria Aberta , the only queer bookstore in the country. It is very close and if you are interested we give you more details in the next point, read on.

The hipster and modern street par excellence, in Rua do Almada you will find craft breweries (like Baobab , Baixada , or Alvares ) where you can not only taste the beer but also eat something delicious, vintage second-hand clothing stores (like Wild at Heart where we bought some sunglasses and a jacket), vinyl stores (like Louie Louie ) and even an independent cinema , the Cinema Trindade .

We always try to recommend you a bookstore in each destination and in Porto it was not going to be less. In this area, there are several interesting small bookstores but at Randomtrip we met a very special recent project thanks to our dear friend Humberto that we can’t stop recommending to you. Livraria Aberta (“Open Bookstore”) is the only bookstore currently open in the whole country specializing in LGBTQI+ books . The first queer bookstore in Portugal was born in Lisbon, “Esquina Cor de Rosa”, but closed its doors in 2006. At Livraria Aberta you can find books in Spanish and English, as well as Portuguese of course, and the best part: chatting with Paulo and Ricardo about books, leaving with a recommendation in your backpack and eager to devour it.

The Igreja da Lapa , built between the 18th and 19th centuries, is famous because it houses King Dom Pedro’s heart (at his own request before his death), separated from his body (which was buried in São Paulo, Brazil). It is preserved in a flask with formaldehyde, under lock and key.

In 2022, on the occasion of the bicentennial of Brazil’s independence, it was agreed that the heart would travel to Brazil for exhibition, returning after to Igreja da Lapa where it could be seen by the public for a weekend before being put back into storage.

And if we think that Rua do Almada is ideal for an afternoon (or early evening) plan, Rua Galeria de Paris is transformed when the sun says goodbye and the moon welcomes you. Both this street and its parallel street (Rua Cândido dos Reis) are known for their nightlife and are full of bars for all tastes so you are sure to find one you like. At Randomtrip we visited Plano B and we liked it a lot.

This area is one of the most important nightlife hotspots in the city , with several bars and nightclubs although you are likely to see a lot of people out drinking and chatting, swarming from bar to bar.

If you pass by in the afternoon, Rua das Carmelitas (perpendicular to Galeria de Paris) has several stores where you can buy some souvenirs, some of which keep their original facade.

This mural, about 20 meters long , completed in 2016 and inaugurated the following year, includes 8,000 hand-painted tiles by one of the most internationally renowned contemporary Portuguese visual artists, Joana Vasconcelos . Some of her most mediatic works will probably ring a bell, such as “ The Bride “ ( 2001-2005), a hanging chandelier composed of 25,000 tampons, or the work “ Marilyn ” (2009), a pair of heels composed of a hundred pots.

This mural by the artist covers the side facade of Steak’n Shake (a hamburger franchise) and is a partnership project between Fundação Joana Vasconcelos and the franchise. Apparently, the mural is inspired by the symbolism of the filigree and embroidery designs of Viana do Castelo, known as “ Viana embroidery “ .

RandomTip : If you get hungry when you’re here, just next to this mural is the newest Casa Guedes, Casa Guedes Progresso , and its famous “sandes de pernil” (freshly baked roast pork sandwich). If you prefer to try the famous sandwich at Casa Guedes Tradicional , it is close to the Coliseu do Porto. Casa Guedes: delicious sandwich

Even if you have not yet arrived in Porto, you have probably already seen some pictures of the most famous church in the city, Igreja do Carmo , due to its impressive tile panel covering the entire side facade.

What you may not know is that there are actually two churches , Igreja do Carmo and Igreja dos Carmelitas , belonging to two different orders, in the same building and, in addition, a hidden house (Casa Escondida) between the two.

The Igreja do Carmo, a magnificent rococo-style church, was built in the 18th century on a lot next to the Igreja dos Carmelitas, from the previous century in baroque style, but since it was not allowed to build two churches together at that time, a house was built hidden between the two churches, separating them .

The Casa Escondida do Porto , wedged between churches, is just over 1.5o meters wide and, in fact, is considered the narrowest house in the city and one of the narrowest in the country (narrow but it has three floors, mind you). It is said that the Casa Escondida not only served as a residence (for chaplains, artists working on the decoration of the church, or doctors working in the hospital of the Order) but also as a venue for important secret meetings in the nineteenth century. Thus, the Casa Escondida would have been a refuge where strategic decisions were taken in historical periods in which the city was more vulnerable, such as the time of the French Invasions (1807-1811), the time of Liberalism (1828-1834), during the “Cerco do Porto” (between 1832 and 1833, in which the liberal troops of D. Pedro were “surrounded” by the absolutist forces loyal to D. Miguel, having resisted and made liberalism triumph in Portugal) and even after the Proclamation of the Republic in 1910.

More recently, the Sacristan and the caretaker of the church lived in the Casa Escondida. Currently, and especially after the complex was classified as a National Monument in 2013, it is possible to visit and enter the Casa Escondida through the “ Circuito Turístico Ordem do Carmo “.

The entrance for this curious tour costs 3,50 € ( 40% discount if you have the Porto Card ) and you will visit the Hidden House, the Igreja do Carmo, the Catacombs, the Noble Hall, and even the Sacristy where you can glimpse the heritage of the Ordem do Carmo (such as paintings, sculptures, liturgical vestments, and relics). The schedule for visits to the Tourist Tour of the Church of Carmo is every day from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The Fonte dos Leões (Lions Fountain) is in the center of Praça Gomes Teixeira and is in fact the reason why the people of Porto know this square as “lions square”. It is a cast iron fountain created in the 19th century by the Compagnie Générale des Eaux pour L’Etranger , the company then responsible for water supply in the city, whose contract (signed by King Luís himself and the minister Fontes Pereira de Melo) included the obligation to build a monumental fountain . After a long process of project approval, the fountain, 8 meters in diameter and 6 meters high, was finally built. The central fountain is painted bronze with four winged lions seated at the ends.

Jardim João Chagas ( more commonly known as Jardim da Cordoaria, due to the presence of Cordoeiros in the area for more than 200 years) is a 19th-century public garden, designed by the same architect responsible for the Crystal Palace gardens (the German Émile David).

It is a good place to rest for a while in the shade after a good walk around the city, next to the lake.

And if Rua do Almada is the hipster street, we could say that Rua Miguel Bombarda is the culture street. Here, beyond small art, ceramics, and illustration stores where you can buy a souvenir for home (at Randomtrip we are unable to go to Porto and not take a look at Ó!Galeria and we always buy something), it also has several art galleries such as Quadrado Azul , Serpente , Galeria Fernando Santos , Presença , São Mamede or Bombarda . Of course, almost all of them are open only in the afternoon, so this is a plan for after lunch.

Perpendicular to Rua Miguel Bombarda is Rua da Cedofeita , so called because of its proximity to the Colegiada da Cedofeita, one of the main shopping streets of the city that is worth visiting more than for shopping, to admire the facades of its buildings built between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries.

The Soares dos Reis National Museum is the oldest public museum in the country and owes its name to the famous Portuguese sculptor António Soares dos Reis (1847-1889), born in Gaia.

It is located in the Palácio dos Carrancas , a neoclassical palace of the eighteenth century, a private residence of such illustrious personalities as General Soult, the Duke of Wellington, or D. Pedro IV. In fact, the origin of the collections of the museum goes back to the Museu Portuense which opened its doors in 1833 by D. Pedro IV to house the works of art coming from the convents closed by the liberal legislation and its decree for the extinction of the religious orders in Portugal. In its rooms, we can contemplate an important collection of Portuguese paintings from the XVIII to XX centuries (special attention to the works of the so-called “Escola do Porto” of the naturalist period) and international paintings from the XVI to XIX centuries through currents such as Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Naturalism and Realism.

The sculpture collection of the Soares dos Reis National Museum includes works from the 15th to the 19th centuries with special emphasis on the work of the 19th-century Portuguese sculptor António Soares dos Reis where you can find his famous sculpture “O Desterrado “, among many others.

The collection of the Soares dos Reis National Museum is divided into periods, during which we can contemplate not only great works of painting and sculpture but also jewelry, ceramics, decorative objects, and even archaeological pieces representative of Portuguese daily life. The bonus of the visit: the beautiful gardens of the palace where you can take a leisurely stroll.

The entrance fee for the oldest museum in Portugal and its impressive collection is 5€ euros (50% discount if you have the Porto Card , for seniors over 65 and for young people between 15 and 25 years), free admission for children under 12 years. Sundays and holidays free admission until 14:00h. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00h to 18:00h, and closed on Mondays.

RandomTip : If we only had time to visit one museum on our trip to Porto, we would choose this one or, if you prefer contemporary art, the museum of the Fundação Serralves we talk about below, in the western part of the city (area 4) . If you can visit both, all the better.

If you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city , we have the solution: a walk through the lungs of the city center, the Crystal Palace gardens , among fountains, lakes, and peacocks .

Just don’t look for the palace that gave its name to the gardens because you won’t find it today. The former Crystal Palace , created for a World’s Fair in 1865, is said to have been inspired by the Crystal Palace in London’s Hyde Park, also built to host a World’s Fair a decade earlier, in 1851. The London palace was destroyed in a fire in 1936, and the Portuguese palace was demolished in the 1950s to make way for what you can find today: the Super Bock Arena/Rosa Mota Pavilion .

The Rosa Mota Pavilion pays homage to Rosa Mota, a great Portuguese athlete born in Porto who became the Olympic champion in the 1988 Seoul Games in the marathon. It is in this multifunctional space with its huge futuristic style dome that sports competitions are held (it is also known as the Sports Pavilion) and large concerts by national and international artists, as it can accommodate up to 5,400 people.

You can also climb the hemispherical dome of the Super Bock Arena/Pavilhão Rosa Mota at the Porto 360 viewpoint! After climbing 150 steps, you will have an incredible view (of course, 360º) of the entire city of Porto, some of the most emblematic buildings of the city, the Douro River, and Gaia on the other side. In addition to the amazing views from the top of the dome, the ticket includes a visit to the interior of the pavilion where you will learn about the history of the old glass palace.

You can access the Porto 360 viewpoint and climb the dome from Tuesday to Sunday until sunset, on a guided tour lasting approximately 40 minutes (you cannot do it on your own). The tours are for a maximum of 13 people with a guide (minimum age 6 years old). You can buy the ticket for the 360º viewpoint physically at the Super Bock Arena/Pavilhão Rosa Mota ticket office or if you prefer online, without defining the time, only the day, on this website . The ticket price is 12,50€ with 50% discount for children under 12 years old. Access to the viewpoint is through Gate 3 of the pavilion and you can check more info on this website , by email [email protected] or by phone +351 933 088 331/ +351 220 503 257 .

The Crystal Palace Gardens , open since 1860, were designed by the German landscape designer Émile David and each species is classified by its scientific name and origin. In the park of approximately 9 hectares, we can find several gardens (of aromatic plants, medicinal plants, …) around its central axis, the Avenue of the Linden trees, and a garden dedicated to Émile David.

On your walk along the various paths, surrounded by trees, you will also come across an open-air auditorium (the Concha Acústica), a municipal library, and the chapel of Charles Albert of Savoy, King of Sardinia who died in Porto during his exile after he was overthrown. We will tell you about this historical figure in the next point, the Romantic Museum, since precisely on the slopes of the gardens of the Crystal Palace is his former residence, now converted into a museum.

It is precisely at the Crystal Palace Gardens where cultural events are held, such as the Porto Book Fair (usually held in late August) and other exhibitions and fairs. But in our opinion, the best of the Crystal Palace Gardens are its views thanks to where they are located, in the upper part of the city. These gardens have several viewpoints from which we can enjoy a good panoramic view of the Douro and its bridges.

The entrance to the Crystal Palace Gardens is free and you can enjoy them from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm from April to September and from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm from October to March.

The Romantic Museum of Porto is located right on the slopes of the Crystal Palace, in a majestic eighteenth-century house that was the former residence of a bourgeois family of the nineteenth century, which they called Quinta da Macieirinha. One of its illustrious inhabitants was Charles Albert of Savoy, King of Sardinia and father of Victor Emmanuel II, considered the first king of Italy, whose chapel you will see on your walk through the Crystal Palace Gardens. When the monarch was overthrown, he went into exile in Porto and it was in this house that he lived until his death in 1849. It is now a house museum dedicated to the memory of the exiled king and where you can approach the daily life of the bourgeoisie of the nineteenth century.

The entrance fee to the museum is 2,20 € (free for children under 14 years), and free admission every weekend or any day of the week if you present your Porto Card . It is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:30, and Sundays from 10:00 to 12:30. Closed Mondays and holidays.

One of our favorite spots to end the day in Porto is the Parque das Virtudes , in the promenade of the same name (Passeio das Virtudes) for the panoramic view it offers, which can only be improved by the colors of the sunset.

The Park has a viewpoint with a privileged view over the river, the Arrábida Bridge, the Alfândega (Porto’s Customs House) , the Crystal Palace gardens, and the mouth of the Douro River . It is also one of the few places in the city where you can admire the Fonte das Virtudes (Fountain of Virtues ) that gives it its name and the terraces of the Jardim das Virtudes , which go down to Miragaia, an old fishermen’s neighborhood.

In addition to the views, there are a lot of people wanting to enjoy this “Portuguese outdoor movie”, with a glass of wine or beer in hand, so the good vibes are guaranteed.

The Parque das Virtudes is located in what used to be the Companhia Hortícola Portuense (designed by landscape designer José Marques Loureiro), the park was acquired by the Porto City Council in 1965 and restored in 1998. Here lives the largest Ginkgo Biloba L. in Portugal, a tree from the 18th century, originally from China, measuring about 35 meters, classified as a tree of public interest in 2005.

The fact that it is a vertical park, that is to say, it is developed in terraces downwards, means that almost from any point of the Parque das Virtudes you have an incredible panoramic view.

RandomTip : A great plan around here is to go to Musa das Virtudes (craft brewery) right in front of the viewpoint and have a bite to eat. The beers are great and the tapas are exquisite (when we went there the resident chef was amazing). If you prefer to enjoy the beer on the lawn enjoying the sunset, order a Musa to go.

This not-so-well-known viewpoint, Miradouro Bandeirinha da Saúde , hidden among the old fishermen’s houses of Miragaia, also hides an interesting story behind its name. It turns out that the name of this lookout is due to the “sanitary flag” that was raised on the granite pyramid you can see there with the aim of alerting ships and their navigators of the limits of ship docking in times of plague while awaiting inspection by the sanitary authorities. The “Bandeirinha da Saúde” thus functioned as a signaling method to prevent epidemics (in this case, the spread of the plague) from entering Porto 400 years ago. The unknown viewpoint is located right in front of the Palácio das Sereias (or Palácio da Bandeirinha), one of the most important buildings in this area of Porto, and offers magnificent views.

Armazém is a very original space that transformed an old warehouse (armazém, in Portuguese) into a space with antique and second-hand stores, a bar and terrace where you can have a drink, and even an art exhibition area!

It is located right in front of the Alfândega do Porto, a building we will be talking about in a moment.

Recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, the historic building of the Alfândega Nova do Porto (Porto Customs House) is an architectural and heritage reference. It is a 19th-century building with 36,800 m2 that enjoys a privileged location with doors open to both the historic center of Porto and the Douro River.

In fact, Porto Customs had so much commercial movement in the 19th century by the sea that it justified its connection to the Portuguese railway network by creating the Alfândega do Porto railway station (better known locally as Porto-Alfândega). In 1888 the station was inaugurated and the following year it was proposed to continue the Alfândega railway branch to the Port of Leixões (in Matosinhos), currently one of the most important ports in the country and the most important in the north. This extension was opposed by several traders and industrialists from Porto, arguing that this connection was not a priority (other connections would be more advantageous for the region) and that the Alfândega branch line did not have the capacity to increase traffic. After the inauguration of the Port of Leixões, the Porto Customs Office lost its importance as a goods terminal , which made its railway connection be considered. This loss of importance, together with the reduction of freight traffic and the difficulty of the track layout for a possible extension, led to the closure of the railway branch in June 1989.

Since 1993, a rehabilitation project has been underway under the supervision of architect Souto de Moura (2011 Pritzker Prize) to transform the Alfândega into a dynamic, modern, and multi-faceted cultural space without trying to obviate its elements of a customs area.

Currently, the Museum of Transport and Communications (MTC) occupies the historic building of Alfândega Nova do Porto and aims to bring us closer to the history of the Alfândega and the role of transport and communications in the evolution of modern society.

Admission to the museum is 3€ ( 50% discount if you have the Porto Card ), and free admission for children under 6 years. The museum is open from Tuesday to Friday, from 10:00h to 13:00h (last entrance until 12:00h) and from 14:00h to 18:00h (last entrance until 17:00h); weekends and holidays from 15:00h to 19:00h (last entrance until 18:00h); closed on Mondays.

Area 3: Gaia

The Don Luis I Bridge is the co-protagonist, together with Ribeira de Porto, of the most famous postcard of Porto that offers a beautiful panoramic view from Ribeira de Gaia.

The photogenic 19th-century bridge (inaugurated in 1886) is the most spectacular and well-known bridge in the city and is already considered a symbol of Porto .

With almost 400 meters, the bridge Don Luis I crosses the Douro River linking the city of Porto to the city of Vila Nova de Gaia . It is based on a project by the engineer Téophile Seyrig, partner of Gustave Eiffel (the engineer who gave his surname to the famous Parisian tower) in their construction company, “Eiffel et Cie”. Seyrig had been quite successful 10 years earlier as project manager of the first railway arch bridge linking the two banks of the Douro , the Maria Pia bridge . In fact, if you take the six bridges cruise, by rabelo (traditional boat), from Gaia (15€, 50 minutes, check this link ) you will pass under both iron bridges.

It does not take much architectural knowledge to notice similarities between the three projects, Maria Pia Bridge, Dom Luis I Bridge, and the Eiffel Tower, just take a look for example to the large arches and the material used, iron . Out of curiosity, the Bridge Dom Luis I is three years older than the famous tower of Paris.

The Don Luis I bridge has two floors and you can -and should- walk across both of them, as there are specific lanes for pedestrians . In fact, it is essential that you cross this bridge on foot if you want to enjoy one of the best views that the trip will give you. Stop and watch the rabelo boats sailing along the Douro and the Ribeira de Porto, in front of the Ribeira de Gaia, changing color as the hours go by.

However, be careful because despite being enabled for it, none of the levels is exclusively for pedestrians: on the upper level of the bridge (the longest, almost 400 meters) also circulates the Porto subway, and on the lower level (a shorter walk, about 175 meters), vehicles .

It is the most famous of the six bridges that cross the Douro in Porto, known as the city of six bridges . In fact one of the most sought after activities is the cruise across the six bridges from Gaia in a traditional boat, the rabelo, It costs 15€/person, lasts 50 minutes and you can do it in the morning or in the afternoon, take a look here . Ribeira de Gaia

The Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar is the first thing you will see when you cross (walking or by metro) the upper level of the Don Luis I bridge to Gaia: an imposing white, circular church surrounded by a balcony with breathtaking views of Porto and the Douro . The 17th-century monastery is classified as a National Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

The strategic location of the monastery gave it special importance both during the invasions of the Napoleonic troops and in 1832-33 as a military base during the liberal struggles.

The monastery is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm from November to March and from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm from April to October. It is closed on Mondays. The price to enter the cloisters and the exhibitions is 1€ and to go up and visit the dome is 3€. “Cartão Jovem” (Portuguese) and over 65 years old have a 50% discount, and free admission for children under 12 years old.

The Jardim do Morro , in Gaia, has become our favorite place of the trip to enjoy the sunset . So much so that we repeat it every time we visit the city.

This garden is very close to the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar and you will also see it when you cross the bridge on the upper level from Porto to Gaia: the monastery is on the left and the garden on the right. If you want you can cross the bridge on foot or if you prefer, by metro, getting off at the Jardim do Morro stop . If you have the Porto Card , you have unlimited access to the metro during the day or the days you contract it.

In the Jardim do Morro, once a month during the spring and summer months (from April to September), an alternative market is held in the garden itself, the MAR market (Mercado Alternativo do Rua). In this market, you can buy local crafts, drink a craft beer with a view, listen to live music, enter an art workshop, get a tattoo and even get a haircut. As we told you, this market happens only once a month and at Randomtrip we were very lucky and went to the last one of the year 2022, on September 18th. To find out which weekends there is a flea market, visit their Facebook page .

To enjoy the sunset there is to feel that you have gone to the summer cinema and that the film is one of the most beautiful sights of the city.

In addition, next to the Jardim do Morro there are two viewpoints to enjoy our favorite panoramic view: Miradouro da Ribeira and Miradouro do Teleférico .

Below the Jardim do Morro is the Calçada da Serra , a small alley overlooking the bridge with some quaint little houses. It is worth going down from the Jardim do Morro to the Ribeira de Gaia this way.

The Ribeira de Gaia offers the best views of the Ribeira de Porto and the Dom Luis I bridge and it is from here that we took the picture of one of the most spectacular panoramic views of Porto and one of its most famous postcards.

If you are in Ribeira de Porto and you want to cross to Ribeira de Gaia, the best way is to cross the lower level of Dom Luis I bridge , walking as we did or by car (Note, to get to Mosteiro Serra do Pilar or Jardim do Morro coming from Porto you have to cross the upper level of Dom Luis I bridge, walking or by subway).

If you are in the Jardim do Morro and want to go down to the Ribeira de Gaia you can also do it walking or by taking the Gaia cable car (with the Porto Card you will get a 10% discount on the Gaia cable car ).

If you prefer to do the cruise in rabelo passing through the six bridges from Gaia it is also possible: it lasts 50 minutes and you can hire it at this link (15€/person) .

Randomtip : If you feel like having a drink with a view of the Ribeira de Gaia, at Randomtrip we enjoyed a very good Porto Tonic at Espaço Porto Cruz and we loved it.

Port wine cellars: learning and tasting

In Gaia the star activity is to visit a port wine cellar and , of course, to taste it. Walking through the different areas of a winery with that characteristic smell while learning about the production of the famous port wine, the characteristics that distinguish it, and how to taste it to appreciate all its nuances is something that should not be missing in your visit to the city.

At Randomtrip we have already visited a few wineries and we suggest several depending on how much time you want/can invest in the visit (there are longer tours than others); what kind of tasting you want to do (port wine or also cheese and chocolate); and with whom you are going to visit (for example, there are tastings that do not allow minors).

• Visit and wine tasting at the Calém winery (from 15€/person): a tour of one of the most famous wineries in the city for 30 minutes with a guide in English, followed by entrance to the interactive museum to learn about the history of the winery and subsequent tasting of 2 wines (15€/person); 3 wines (17€/person); or tasting of wines, chocolates and cheeses (35€/person). Children under 6 years old enter for free and from 6 to 17 years old pay 7€ in any of the modalities. Book and choose your tasting here. In addition, the winery Calém offers another activity which is a live fado show at the winery at 18h (which also includes wine tasting). More info and reservations at this link.

• Visit to the Poças winery (from 15€/person): 50-minute tour of the winery with an English-speaking guide. The winery offers different types of tastings , from Standard tasting of 3 wines (15€/person); to tasting of 4 Oenologist wines (18€/person); tasting of 4 Golden Years wines (28€); and tasting of 4 Old Times wines (50€). Children under 11 years old are not admitted (from 11 to 17 years old, 11€/person in any tasting). Choose your tasting and book here.

• Visit to the Burmester winery (from 13€/person): ideal if you do not have much time as it lasts between 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on whether you choose a tour (with English speaking guide) with a tasting of two wines (13€/person); three wines and chocolate tasting (17€/person); or all of the above plus cheese tasting (35€/person). Children under 6 years old enter for free and from 6 to 17 years old pay 6,50€ in any of the modalities. More info and reservations here .

• Visit to Cockburn’s winery (from 15€/person): tour and taste at the 1815 winery for 1h30 with English-speaking guide. The winery offers different types of tastings , from tour with tasting of 3 wines (15€/person); tour and tasting of wines and chocolate (23€/person); tour with tasting of premium wines (35€); and tour with tasting of Vintage wines and cheeses (60€). Children under 18 are not admitted. More info and reservations for this winery here.

• Visit to Graham’s winery (from 35€/person): the visit lasts 1h45 and, in addition to the tour of the winery (in English) and wine tasting, we will enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Porto from the terrace. The winery offers 3 different types of tasting: Classic tasting of 3 Port wines (40€); Tasting with 3 Premium Port wines (50€); and Tasting with pairing including chocolate, cheese and even cream cake (35€). Children under 18 get in for free . More info and reservations at Graham’s winery here.

• Visit to the Real Companhia Velha winery + tourist train ride (14€/person): with this ticket you can visit some of the most emblematic points of the city aboard the tourist train and also enter the Real Companhia Velha winery, get to know it and taste its wine. We think it is a good option if you come with children over 4 years old (7€ the ticket; children under 4 years old are not admitted ) as it will be almost 2 hours of fun. More info and reservations here .

The WOW: World of Wine is a recently opened complex of museums, restaurants and bars in Gaia with incredible views of Porto. Entering the shopping area is free but to access any of the 7 museums, you have to buy a ticket . The 7 museums are the following: The Wine Experience (an immersive experience in the world of wine with tasting included); Porto Region Across the Ages (about Porto’s historical and cultural heritage); Planet Cork (about the cork industry in Portugal, the largest cork producer on the planet); The Chocolate Story (tells the story of chocolate with tasting included); Pink Palace (a space dedicated to rosé wine); and finally The Bridge Collection ; and Porto Fashion & Fabric . You can enter one or two of these museums in the combined ticket that we recommend here or, if you have the Porto Card, you will get a 10% discount on the pack 2 museums, single or family ticket .

You can book your ticket to one or, if you prefer, two of the WOW museums at this link .

Did you know that Port wine is not technically from Porto? Most of the wine is grown further inland, in the Douro Valley region (an area we highly recommend you visit, we will soon publish a guide about it). In that area, there are many wineries, with very good “normal” wines with “Douro” designation of origin.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, England and Portugal had special trade agreements that led many English people to settle in Portugal and to dedicate themselves to the cultivation and export of wine (initially further north, in Viana do Castelo, and later in the Douro Valley looking for more corky wines). The fastest way to transport the wine was by the Douro River (in the iconic Rabelo boat), hence the port of Porto became the ideal place to export the wines, and the wine acquired the name “Vinho do Porto”/”Port wine”.

To better preserve the wine during the sea voyage, a little brandy was sometimes added to it, fortifying it and preventing it from spoiling. Although this process is not the one followed today, it was the precursor of what today defines Port Wine (previously it was added for transport, now it is added during the fermentation process).

To add more spice to the story, and as you can see, the wineries are actually not even in Porto: they are on the other side of the river, in Gaia (which does not belong to Porto), where the wine ages, in theory, due to climate reasons.

In short: if you are interested in learning more about Port Wine, we strongly recommend you visit the beautiful Douro Valley region for a few days. If you don’t have much time, you also have the option of taking a day tour from Porto .

On a corner of Rua Guilherme Gomes Fernandes we came across this giant rabbit (Half Rabbit ), a work by the famous Portuguese artist Bordalo II , from his series Big Trash Animals . The artist creates these giant animals with garbage (according to Bordalo II himself, the same material that kills them) in an attempt to make us reflect on consumerist habits and their environmental impact.

If you get hungry, you can stop by for a stroll at the Beira-Rio Market , a traditional market refurbished in 2017 to adapt it to tourism by including plenty of stalls where you can eat or drink something.

The Gaia Cable Car connects the lower part (next to the river) with the upper part (where the Jardim do Morro and the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar are located). The one-way trip costs 6€ per person (3€ for children between 5 and 12 years old) and lasts only 6 minutes.

In our case, we made the trip to go back up to Jardim do Morro after walking along the Ribeira de Gaia, and although the views are nice (as you can see the Ribeira do Porto, the Dom Luis I bridge and the rooftops of the Gaia wineries), we found it quite expensive.

If you have the Porto Card you will get a 10% discount on the Gaia cable car .

Afurada is a fishing village in Gaia, where life is simpler and quieter, with colorful and cheerful streets. From the dock of Afurada you can enjoy an incredible view of the Douro, the Arrábida bridge and the Foz do Douro area at any time of the day. From here the view is different and the place is much more typical, familiar, and with good fish restaurants. Take the opportunity to walk up Rua de São Pedro, where you can see this fishing area from a different perspective. Afurada is an excellent place if you want to taste good grilled fish.

It is also from Afurada, specifically from its marina , where the sailing trips depart on the Douro river. You can book your 2-hour sailing trip (glass of wine included) at this link (40€/person) or, if you prefer, the same sailing trip but at sunset (55€/person).

Area 4: Western area and Boavista

The Casa da Música , besides being Porto’s main concert venue, is also a work of contemporary architecture in the city. The building was designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, with the aim of being inaugurated in 2001, the year in which Porto was the European Capital of Culture, but the project was delayed and the Casa da Música was only inaugurated in 2005.

If you want to attend a concert at Casa da Música, on the website you can find the schedule and if you have the Porto Card the concert and the guided visit to Casa da Música have a 50% discount . If you just want to visit it, the guided tour is 10€ ( 25% discount with the Porto Card ). The value of the guided tour is discounted if you buy tickets for a concert.

The Agramonte cemetery , built in 1855 to house numerous people who died due to a cholera outbreak, is the second public cemetery built in Porto. Although initially, it was not a place seen with good eyes (public cemeteries were where people of lower classes ended up, more so in this case due to the cholera outbreak) the cemetery today houses different personalities, has a memorial to the victims of the Baquet Theater fire and a chapel worth visiting.

Housed in Casa Andresen, in the Botanical Garden of Porto, the Biodiversity Gallery is considered one of the best museums for children in the city, so if you are traveling with kids it is a must-see. Here art intersects with biology and natural history, stimulating a variety of sensory experiences for visitors (young and old), deliberately and carefully conceived to celebrate the diversity of life.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00h to 13:00h and from 14:00h to 18:00h (last entrance at 17:30h). The entrance fee is 5€ but you have 50% discount with the Porto Card . If you are under 18 years old and over 65 years old you will also have a 50% discount. Free admission for children under 4 years old.

If you want to visit and stroll through the botanical garden , it is open every day from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm from November to March and from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm from April to October and admission is free.

The Serralves Foundation is considered one of the cultural institutions of reference in Portugal and one of the most (if not the most) relevant in the north of the country. It is particularly our favorite museum in Porto.

Here you can see several exhibitions at the “ Museo de Arte Contemporâneo “ , a space designed by the architect Álvaro Siza Vieira (Pritzker Prize) that hosts both exhibitions of important national and international artists as well as dance, music, and performance shows. Also designed by Siza Vieira is the “Casa do Cinema” (House of Cinema) which will familiarize you with the work of one of the most important Portuguese filmmakers, Manoel de Oliveira, a native of Porto.

In addition to the museum and the cinema house, Serralves also has a beautiful park, the “Serralves Park” designed by Jacques Gréber: 18 hectares dotted with several works of art.

Inside the park, there are two other attractions of the foundation. One of them is the “Casa Serralves “, a unique example of art deco architecture that took us back to a Wes Anderson movie (if you’re a fan, you’ll know what we mean when you see the pictures):

In the park, you will also find the “Treetop Walk” , a wooden walk through the trees, or rather, through the treetops that will allow you to experience all the biodiversity of the park up close.

The general ticket for the Serralves Foundation will allow you to enter the five spaces (museum, park, treetop walk, Serralves house, and cinema house) and costs 20€. If, as in Randomtrip, you don’t have time to enjoy everything you would like, you can buy a partial ticket for the Museum of Contemporary Art and Park (without treetop walk) which costs 12€ (10€ for residents in Portugal). With the Porto Card you have 20% discount on the entrance fee .

Children under 17 years old, over 65 years old and students have a 50% discount and if you have traveled by train (with CP, Comboios de Portugal) to get to Porto, you have a 25% discount on the entrance ticket! Just present your Alfa or Intercidades ticket (not valid for 1st class tickets) and when you prove that you have arrived a couple of days ago in the city (they are flexible) you get the discount ticket at the Foundation. More info here.

Combined tickets are also available with other Porto attractions such as the Torre dos Clérigos, Palácio da Bolsa and even with the Museu do Côa and Museu do Douro in the Portuguese Douro Valley.

As previously mentioned, Fundação Serralves would be, along with the Soares dos Reis National Museum, the museum we would choose to visit if we only had time to visit one museum in the city. It is up to you to decide if you want to visit the oldest museum in the country and travel back to the 19th century (Soares dos Reis) or reflect on current issues stimulated through more contemporary works by national and international artists (Serralves).

Still off most tourist routes, the quiet viewpoint of Santa Catarina offers a nice panoramic view of the Foz do Douro (the mouth of the Douro River into the Atlantic Ocean). It is a good place to enjoy a sunset if the weather is good.

Foz do Douro , an area known simply as Foz by the locals, is the meeting point of the Douro River with the Atlantic Ocean, and a recommended visit to include in your Porto itinerary. Don’t miss its fortress (Forte de São João Batista ), its beaches (such as Praia do Carneiro ), its lighthouses (such as Farolim de Felgueiras ), the Castelo do Queijo and the Parque da Cidade (the largest urban park in Portugal).

Matosinhos is the beach area par excellence, if you feel like a dip or a drink at sunset by the sea , this is the place for you. It is located half an hour by metro from the center of Porto and is also an excellent place to eat fresh fish . Matosinhos also has some architectural gems by Siza Vieira (Casa de Chá da Boa Nova , the Piscina das Marés , the Leça da Palmeira Promenade and Souto de Moura (Matosinhos Promenade), both Pritzker Prize winners, which make the visit worthwhile.

Besides being ideal for a dip in the beach in the summer months, Matosinhos is a year-round surfing area, so if you practice surfing you know where to go. If you don’t surf and would like to learn, book your 1h30 surf lesson in Matosinhos here (there are lessons for adults and children) . If you dive, you should know that the coast of Matosinhos is home to several shipwrecks, the most surprising being a German submarine from the Second World War, so if you dare, contact the Submania dive center.

If you come to Matosinhos to enjoy fish or other local gastronomic delights, we recommend the restaurants O Valentim , Ó Mar , O Gaveto , and Lage Senhor do Padrão . If you prefer something lighter or original, Companhia das Conservas offers creative proposals with preserves from Matosinhos.

If you want more options and to know everything you can see in Matosinhos, we will soon publish a guide about the city.

Book your surf lesson in Matosinhos here and take advantage of this trip to try something new.

Area 5: Eastern area

Jardim Marques de Oliveira , more commonly known as Jardim de São Lázaro, is Porto’s oldest municipal garden, dating back to 1834. It is one of the most frequented gardens in the city, thanks to the large shadows generated by its leafy trees, and has a small lake in the center.

RandomTip : Precisely next to this garden is the mythical Casa Guedes Tradicional and its famous “sandes de pernil” (freshly baked roast pork sandwich) so if you get hungry it’s an excellent option to have a snack: Casa Guedes Traditional

Every Sunday Rodrigues de Freitas avenue closes to traffic and opens to people. There you can find improvised badminton courts in the middle of the street, dance classes, kids on bikes, or a skateboarding contest. All this accompanied by music, either brought by DJs who bring their equipment or families with the loudspeaker from home.

Bairro Herculano is a small “neighborhood” with a central street and several perpendicular ones. It was built in the 19th century (1886), in the midst of the industrialization of the city of Porto, which brought many people from the surrounding areas to work in the city. This increase in population generated the need to create accommodation for all these people, and they began to create ilhas (islands), groups of equal or similar houses that shared some services (such as bathrooms), and were usually connected to the “main house” of the family that hired these people to work.

The Bairro Herculano is one of the few remaining ones with this typology, in the center of Porto but hidden among other buildings, with low houses and narrow streets, full of flowers and hanging clothes, where the neighborhood knows each other. It looks like a village within the city. It is worth a visit.

If you want more information about Bairro Herculano, we recommend this article and this one (both in Portuguese).

The neighborhood of Fontainhas is another of those ilhas where people who came to work in the city used to live, explained in the previous point, in this case with incredible views of the Douro river. The hillside area was badly damaged during the rains a few years ago, and during the lockdown, some of the people who live there began to cultivate the land giving rise to some community gardens .

In addition to learning about this part of Porto’s history, we can enjoy the views from the viewpoint , where we will also find a statue paying homage to the carquejeiras , women who did a very hard job carrying the carqueja (a plant used to burn and heat the bread ovens and some houses in the city) on their backs from the river to up here.

From this viewpoint, you can see the Freixo Bridge, located at the eastern end of Porto. From this bridge also depart cruises of the six bridges: this 2-hour cruise with lunch on board (25€/person) and this 2-hour cruise with dinner on board (35€/person).

If you are a soccer fan, you might want to add to your visit to the city the stadium of the official team of Porto (FC Porto), known as Estadio do Dragão (in reference to the dragon that appears on the club’s crest) and inaugurated in 2003. The entrance fee is 15€/person (10€/children between 5 and 12 years old) and includes a visit to the museum and the stadium .

Where to sleep in Porto

The general recommendation if you are going to visit the city is to try to stay in the area delimited by areas 1 (Historic Center, in brown) and 2 (Baixa do Porto, in green) included in our map , to be able to walk to most of the touristic places without losing too much time:

Within that area (quite large), if you want to rest at night you should avoid noisy streets, such as large avenues with several lanes or streets with many restaurants and bars (such as Rua Galeria de Paris), since in good weather people stay outside drinking with the consequent noise.

Here are some suggestions for sub-areas and accommodations:

Ribeira is the most touristy area of Porto, with its photogenic colorful little houses by the river. Because of this, it has a multitude of accommodation options (as well as restaurants and stores) but also a lot more crowds and noise. Also, to get from here to Baixa you will have to climb a hill or two. It is one of the best areas to stay in Porto .

Here is a selection of accommodations. You can see more options in Ribeira here

• Guest H4U – Porto River View (from 55€ night): apartment for two people (4 with sofa bed) and city view.
• Ribeira do Porto Hotel (from €80/night): double rooms with river view
• Oporto Home – River View (from 90€/night): modern apartment for 2 people (4 with sofa bed) with a river view

• Liiiving in Porto | Ribeira Boutique Apartment (from 90€/night): apartment for 2 people (4 with sofa bed) overlooking the river, the Ferreira Borges market, and the Palácio da Bolsa.
• Porto River (from 150€/night): apartments and studios, some with river views
• Exmo Hotel by Olivia (from 175€/night): excellent 4-star hotel with double rooms, city views (the most expensive rooms have river views), and breakfast included.

• Pestana Vintage Porto Hotel (from 165€/night): 5-star hotel in the heart of Ribeira, the most expensive rooms with river view and even a balcony, and breakfast included.

The other excellent option to stay in an area with a lot to offer and close to everything is the Baixa of Porto, which is the area above Ribeira where some of the main tourist spots are located (Aliados, Bolhão, the Cathedral…). It is also an area with some busy and noisy streets, so try to avoid places with many bars/restaurants nearby if you want to have a good rest at night.

Here we leave you some options, and you can see more accommodations in Baixa here .

• Sweet Swell (from €45/night): double rooms with private bathroom, relatively close to Bolhão
• Oporto Local Studios (from 50€/night): modern studios for two people with a view of the city, next to Avenida dos Aliados
• Sé Boutique Apartment (from 60€/night): self-catering apartment for two people (4 with sofa bed) and views of the city, located next to the cathedral.
• SIZE flats (from 70€/night): 2-bedroom apartment (4 persons) with kitchen, very close to Torre dos Clérigos
• Almada Wine House (from 75€/night): self-catering studio for two people, between Avenida dos Aliados and Torre dos Cléricos
• BO – Fernandes Tomás (from 90€/night): self-catering apartment for 2 people, in Bolhão area
• Oporto Street das Aldas – River View – Adults Only (from 100€/night): small studio for 2 people with river view and kitchen, next to the cathedral.

• Infante Sagres – Luxury Historic Hotel (from 120€/night): double rooms with city views. Next to Avenida dos Aliados
• Intercontinental Porto (from 200€/night): 5-star hotel with unbeatable location

• Monumental Palace (from 250€/night): impressive 5-star hotel with an indoor pool and spa, right in the middle of Avenida dos Aliados

Cedofeita is the area to the left of Baixa, where you will find the “hipster street” Miguel Bombarda (with art galleries and small alternative stores). It is a good area to stay if you don’t want to be in the center but very close to everything, in a “trendy” area.

Here are some options, and you can see more accommodations in Cedofeita here .

• Bombarda Palace Studio (from 55€/night): small studio for 2 people with a kitchen and balcony
• Sunny Home (from 60€/night): studio with balcony, city view, and kitchen for two people.
• Downtown Porto Flat (from 80€/night): studio with balcony and kitchen for two people.
• Porto Insight Apartment Cedofeita- Balcony & Parking (from 90€/night): apartment with terrace and kitchen, for 2 persons

• Rosario’s Boutique Apartments (from 90€/night): self-catering apartments for two people.
• Rosario Luxury Suites (from 100€/night): suites with balcony and garden views
• Canto de Luz (from 140€/night): modern design rooms with views of the city, breakfast included, 5 minutes from Porto’s city hall

Another excellent option for your trip to Porto is to stay in Gaia, on the other side of the river, where the Port wine cellars are located. This area has the disadvantage that you will have to cross the river every day (although it does not take long and there are several public transport options) to see the main attractions of Porto, plus it is a very touristy area and therefore very busy.

Here we leave you some options, and you can see more accommodations in Gaia here

• CHARM by YoursPorto (from 55€/night): double rooms with balcony and city view.
• Meet in Porto (from 60€/night): small self-catering apartments, one of them with terrace and river view.

• Douro River Apartments (from 75€/night): small studio for two people with kitchen and excellent views of the river and the Ribeira de Porto.
• Porto View by Patio 25 (from 80€/night): small studio next to the D. Luis bridge, with terrace and excellent views of the river and the Ribeira de Porto.
• Vincci Ponte de Ferro (from 95€/night): you will notice this accommodation when you cross the D. Luis bridge above, as it is right next to it and from the bridge, you will see its swimming pool and restaurant. Double rooms with excellent views

• The House of Sandeman (from 100€/night): accommodation inside the famous Sandeman winery, double rooms overlooking the river and the Ribeira de Porto.

Where to eat in Porto

A mandatory gastronomic experience in Porto is to try a francesinha (short for French , in Portuguese) which consists of a slice of bread (homemade) on top, another slice of bread on the bottom, and various types of meat and sausages (cooked ham, mortadella, beef, pork, …) inside. This hot sandwich is covered on the outside with slices of cheese, a delicious sauce (most of the time, spicy) made of tomato and beer, and, usually, a fried egg on top. To make it even “lighter”, the francesinha is usually accompanied by homemade french fries as a garnish.

Randomtip : Accompany the francesinha with a fino (beer cane in Porto), sparkling water or coke, as fizzy drinks help digestion. If you can, it is almost better to try it at lunch time than at dinner time, although at Randomtrip we have already had a francesinha for dinner and we can tell you that we slept great…

Apparently, its name comes from, you guessed it, France! The francesinha is a variation of the famous French croque-monsieur . It is taken very seriously in Porto and it is common for people from Porto to debate about which one is their favorite although there is never a consensus! At Randomtrip we’ve tried a few and here are our favorites.

• Café Santiago : one of the most legendary places in the city to eat francesinha and, for this reason, it is always full. It is at the top of the ones we have tried, they are very tasty. Francesinha with egg and fries 10,50€.
• Bufete Fase : considered the best francesinha by many people we know in Porto. Of all the francesinhas we have tried, we think this is the one with the tastiest sauce, spicy as we like it. The place is only open during the week at lunchtime (Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00) and the fries are not homemade, which in Portugal is sacrilege.
• Café Velasquez : Our friend Joana’s favorite francesinha and we can attest: it is spectacular. If it wasn’t for being so far away, I think we would have repeated it.
• Francesinha Café : When locals are debating about the best francesinha in town, this name tends to come up a lot. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try it, next time.
• Lado B Café : Vegetarian people, don’t skimp, there are francesinhas for all tastes and palates. A few steps from Café Santiago (also on Rua Passos Manuel) you will find Lado B Café, famous for its vegetarian francesinhas .

If you need more recommendations, here is a list created by an authentic portuense , Sara, whose blog Portoalities we recommend . Keep in mind that there are plenty of restaurants with francesinhas in Porto (we met a cab driver who had tried more than 70! and his favorite was Bufete Fase) so on a short trip, you will have to choose well which ones to try.

• Casa Guedes : the famous restaurant of sandes de pernil (freshly baked roast pork sandwich) with or without Serra da Estrela cheese. It is ideal for a quick and light meal if you are sightseeing. There are two restaurants: the Casa Guedes Tradicional next to Jardim Marques de Oliveira; and the newer Casa Guedes Progresso next to the Church of Carmo.

• Gazela : a mythical place for its original hot dogs called cachorrinhos (no, it has nothing to do with a fairground hot dog, come in, try it and you’ll see).

• Taberna Santo António : restaurant of traditional food made by the nice D. Hermínia. Well known for its pernil (knuckle) and favas com chouriço . Reservations are a must or you will have to wait in line and, if you have a sweet tooth, order their chocolate cake for dessert (Chris’s face says it all). It’s next to the Parque das Virtudes and the Musa das Virtudes so it might be a good idea if you watch the sunset from there.

• O Buraco : a restaurant frequented by locals with homemade food with dishes between 7€ and 10€. Ideally, let yourself be recommended by the dishes of the day, everything is delicious.
• O Rápido : as the name suggests, this restaurant serves you very fast but with friendliness and tasty food. Famous for the filetes de polvo con arroz do mesmo (octopus fritters with octopus rice) and we loved it. It is very close to São Bento Station.

• Tapabento : Original and creative proposals with quality products. It is for a special event, between 40€-50€/person. Reservations are a must, giant queue. We were left with the desire.
• Adega do Carregal : traditional dishes and very close to the nightlife if you want to dine nearby for a drink afterward.
• Casa d’Oro : delicious pizzas with unbeatable views as it is located right on top of the Douro River.
• daTerra vegetarian restaurant: there are several and they are all delicious. At Randomtrip we tried daTerra Baixa and we loved it.

• Café Viriato : on the way to the Museu Soares dos Reis we found this place ideal for brunch or a snack. It has a patio with a garden.
• Miradouro Ignez : ideal for lunch or tapas overlooking the Douro (also near the Soares dos Reis Museum).
• Casa Lopes : Among the many bad and tourist-trapping restaurants in Ribeira, this is a good option. Good Bacalhau à Braga (onion) with homemade fries.
• Ora viva : Chris went to this restaurant in 2013 and liked it very much. We didn’t go back this time but it continues to get good reviews.
• Bacalhau : probably the best restaurant in Ribeira (or one of the best). Terrace overlooking the Douro river and exquisite dishes between 15€ and 20€.

• Vinhas d’Alho : next to the previous one, Bacalhau. It has a wide variety of tapas and less dishes, about 20€/person.

• Beira-Rio Market (Gaia): a market with several stalls of restaurants that exist in Porto and Gaia, such as the vegetarian Daterra.

• Casa de Chá da Boa Nova (Matosinhos): the ideal place for a special dinner. The chef Rui Paula has 2 Michelin stars and the restaurant is located in one of the creations of Alvaro Siza Vieira, architect with the Pritzker Prize. Tasting menu in an incredible space for the symbiosis of the restaurant with its surroundings, the local molds to the rocks in the Atlantic.
• Bar Ponte Pensil (Ribeira) on the banks of the Douro and under the bridge S. Luiz. We had 2 coffees and 1 sparkling water to enjoy the view: 2€/coffee and 2€ sparkling water (the coffee was cheaper than in Café Majestic).

• Wine Quay (Ribeira): a wine bar in Ribeira with tapas and an incredible terrace. Ideal to have a wine and share a cheese board.

• Musa das Virtudes : ideal to end the day. Good music (there is usually a DJ outside) and a terrace right in front of the Mirador das Virtudes. It also has tasty snacks in case you get hungry.

• Terraplana : in addition to good cocktails, good pizzas if you get hungry.
• Capela Incomum : its name says it all, this uncommon chapel offers good wine, drinks, and some tapas. Amen.

• Mirajazz : among the colorful houses of Miragaia you will find this amazing terrace with a jazz soundtrack

• Maus Hábitos : always a good option regardless of the time you arrive. If you arrive for dinner, you will love their dishes (the pizzas are delicious). If you arrive after, you will love their cocktails. And if you arrive after 2 a.m. on weekends, be prepared to give it your all.
• Plano B : one of our favorite places to go out in the nightlife area par excellence.
• Embaixada : ideal both for a coffee to clear your head and for a glass of wine, great soundtrack. It is next to Igreja do Carmo.

• Espaço Porto Cruz (Gaia). Terrace overlooking Porto and the Dom Luis bridge where we enjoyed two Porto Tonics. The space also has an exhibition hall and wine tastings.

Porto Travel Itineraries

As you have seen in our guide to Porto, there are many things to see and do, so it takes several days to get to know the city thoroughly.

As we do not always have so much time, we leave you in this section some suggestions for itineraries depending on the number of days you have available for your visit to Porto .

It is impossible to see and know all of Porto in one day, but if that is all the time you have here is an express itinerary to get to know some of the most important sites in Porto in 24 hours (without stopping too much in each one).

• Bolhão Market, Rua Santa Catarina, Capela das Almas, Café Majestic
• Av Aliados, Igreja do Carmo, Livraria Lello, Torre dos Clérigos
• Quick lunch stop at Casa Guedes
• Rua das Flores, Estação São Bento, Praça da Batalha
• Sé do Porto, strolling to Ribeira
• Crossing Ponte D. Luis to Gaia, watching the sunset at Jardim do Morro
• Cross the bridge again and dine at one of the recommendations in the guidebook.

A weekend is the ideal time to get a general idea of the different areas of Porto. Here is an itinerary to see Porto in 3 days . Note, this is an itinerary to try to fit as many places as possible in 3 days and see everything, which means getting up early, making the most of the time and walking around; if you want to take it easy, make a smaller selection of the places that really interest you:

• Day 1 : Bolhão Market, Rua Santa Catarina, Capela das Almas, Café Majestic, Av Aliados, Igreja do Carmo, Livraria Lello, Torre dos Clérigos, Jardim Cordoaria, Igreja do Carmo, Rua Miguel Bombarda, Jardim Palácio de Cristal, Museu Soares dos Reis, Armazem, Parque das Virtudes (sunset)
• Day 2 : Praça da Batalha, Igreja Santo Ildefonso, Jardim Marques de Oliveira, Bairro Herculano, Bairro das Fontainhas, Estação São Bento, Igreja Santo Antônio dos Congregados, Rua das Flores, Miradouro e escadas da Vitória, Mercado Ferreira Borges, Palácio da Bolsa, Igreja São Francisco, sunset at Mirajazz
• Day 3 : Sé do Porto, stroll to Ribeira (Rua Pena Ventosa, Rua Dom Hugo, Miradouro Rua das Aldas, Igreja São Lourenço, Rua Sant’Ana, Rua Senhora das Verdades, Escadas do Codeçal, Muralha Fernandina), Cais da Ribeira (street-walking), cross the bridge to Gaia, visit a winery in Gaia, see Half Rabbit (street art with rabbit by Bordalo II), Mosteiro Serra do Pilar, Jardim do Morro (sunset)

Here you can also see an official Porto Tourism brochure with a 3-day itinerary proposal .

You can also see this post of a proposed weekend getaway I made to Porto with my friend Ana .

In our opinion, 5 days is the ideal amount of time to get to know Porto without running around and stopping to enjoy its nooks and crannies, wandering the streets, and even visiting some of the places in the surroundings. Here is our suggested itinerary to get to know Porto in 5 days.

• Day 4 : Casa da Música, Agramonte Cemetery, Fundaçao Serralves (visit Museum of Contemporary Art and gardens), Miradouro Santa Catarina and visit Matosinhos and/or Foz do Douro (see sunset there).
• Day 5 : Visit Afurada (you can go walking or cycling along the river) and visit places that are missing in Porto that have not given time in the previous days, or repeat some plan.

As in the 3-day itinerary, this one (except for day 5) includes a lot of plans per day, which means taking advantage of the time, walking a lot and “running from one place to another”. If you have more days, they will be great for you to spread the places over more days and take it easy. If not, you can also make a selection of the places that really interest you.

Transportation: how to get around Porto

If you are going to move mainly walking around the city (all the old town is very well done on foot) you might want to buy just the Andante rechargeable card for the route you need . The card costs 0.60€ and you can charge it with trips or day passes for several areas. To give you an idea, for example, the price of the trip from Bolhão to Matosinhos is 2€.

If you are going to move around the city a lot and you are going to enter many of its museums and monuments , you can buy the Porto Card (1, 2, 3 or 4 days, you choose) because you will have free access and discounts in many of the most emblematic places of the city and, in addition, if you buy the Porto Card + Transport you will have unlimited access to the entire public transport network, without worrying more. You can see what’s included and buy your Porto Card at this link.

Buy your Porto Card , save on tickets, get discounts and access to the entire public transport network of the city, without worries. You can see everything included in the card at this link (discounts, unlimited access to public transport) and buy your Porto Card here .

If you are only going to explore the city of Porto, go to the next section, but if you have several days and want to explore the region (for example, the beautiful Douro Valley) renting a car is an excellent option. At Randomtrip when we want to rent a car we usually compare prices of the different companies in comparators like DiscoverCars , always checking the rental conditions of each company (excess, what the insurance covers, fuel policy, reviews…) and not only the price.

Some tips for renting a car in Portugal :

• Fuel is more expensive than in Spain, take this into account when calculating your travel budget.
• Hire the Via Verde device (so that you do not pass without stopping and the rental company then charges it to your card). There are car rental companies that offer it, although you have to pay per day and it is not always worth it.
• Do not hire the Via Verde section: in this case you will have to go through the manual lines and pay . The problem is that there is a type of toll in Portugal that does not have a manual payment option (they are arches that have cameras and Via Verde detectors). If you do not hire the device and go through one of them, you will have to pay afterwards. You can do it in person at the CTT (Correos) offices in Portugal or online .
• Insurance : check if the base rental price includes insurance with excess. If not, you can pay extra to lower or eliminate the excess. Check well which option you choose.
• Driving in Portugal is, in our opinion, more reckless than in Spain, especially on secondary roads. Drive cautiously and if someone is behind you in a hurry, let them pass.

Making a budget is complex as it depends greatly on your type of trip: how many plans you want to include in your trip, if you are going to go to restaurants or cook to save money, the type of accommodation you are going to use… In any case, so you can get an idea, we leave below the average prices and what we consider as the average price per day (we reiterate that these are ESTIMATED prices and may vary at any time):

• Flights : with low-cost companies, you can find flights from 40€ round trip per person from several airports in Spain and Europe, although it depends on the season and days of the week. Use flight comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi to find the best price.
• Transportation : Porto is a city that you can and we recommend walking around for free, but you can also use public transportation (trips from 1,25€) and Uber (trips from 2,50€).
• Accommodation : from 45€/night for a room with private bathroom or small apartment with a kitchen. Find accommodation of all types and prices on Booking, with up to 15% discount .
• Restaurants: many options between 10€ and 30€ per person, for all tastes.
• Tickets : some places require an entrance fee (Torre dos Clérigos: 6€, Palácio da Bolsa: 10€, Cathedral: 3€, Livraria Lello: 5€, Fundação Serralves: 12€…). You can save something with the Porto Card depending on how many of them you go to and on how many days.
• Tours : visiting a winery (from 13€/person) and taking a boat trip on the Douro (from 15€/person) are highly recommended plans in Porto.

In total, a weekend trip (2 nights) to Porto can cost you between 50€ and 75€ per person per day , with the cheapest accommodation options, eating out in cheap restaurants and visiting some of the paying places.

Here are some applications that may be useful for your trip to Porto:

• Windy (Android / iOS / Web ): essential app for our trips. It allows you to see forecasts of rain, clouds, wind, etc. to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously, the forecasts are not 100% reliable. It also shows the available webcams.
• Google Maps (Android / iOS ): is the one we use to save/classify all the places we want to go/ have gone and as a GPS both to orient ourselves in the city and if we rent a car. It also includes public transport information to see the best route and prices when moving around Porto. You can see other people’s opinions of the places, photos, restaurant menus, phone numbers of the places to contact them, etc. You can also open our map with all the places included in this guide .
• Maps.me (Android / iOS ): an application similar to Google Maps but works offline (although Google Maps can also work offline, it works better) and in many cases has information that Google Maps does not have.
• Uber / Bolt / FREE NOW : apps to order taxi/VTC in Porto. In our experience, it’s a good idea to have all 3 because there are not always cars nearby and you can compare times and prices.

• Don’t be an accomplice to animal abuse : Don’t go to Sea Life Porto or any other attraction where animals are in captivity and/or used for human entertainment.
• Am I really interested in this “must-see”? Ask yourself this question every morning before you head out to explore. If we all asked ourselves this question on every trip, probably the endless queues would be a little less. If you don’t go into the Torre dos Clérigos or Sé de Porto this time, it’s okay, you’ve probably taken the opportunity to do something you like much more. Instead of asking yourself “What do I have to see in Porto?”, ask yourself “What do I like?” and look for something according to your tastes.
• More than 10 is a crowd : If you participate in a guided tour of the city in which more than 10 people participate, apart from the fact that you won’t know everything the guide tells you, can you imagine arriving late to work because you have to dodge a horde of 20 tourists blindly following a guide every morning? Well, that’s just it. Find out beforehand how many people you are going to be and avoid participating in tours with more than 10 people.
• Tuk Tuk in Porto? Come on! It doesn’t fit in the city at all, it is a real nuisance for cars and people traffic and, besides, the city center is very easy to walk or take the subway.
• Respect other people : don’t play your music loud in the Jardim do Morro if you are going to enjoy the sunset; if you take a beer to the Mirador das Virtudes, pick up your trash; don’t throw cigarette butts, etc. Leave the city better than you found it.
• Always travel with travel insurance : medical expenses, theft, or problems with your plane on a trip can cost you a lot of money, so the ideal thing to do is to take out travel insurance. We always use IATI and we recommend it. If you purchase your insurance through this link you have a 5% discount .

Here is a list of must-haves you can’t forget to take with you on your trip to Porto:

• A bottle like one of these to always carry water with you. You’ll avoid using single-use plastic.
• Camera to record adventures around the city. At Randomtrip we carry a Sony A5100 and a GoPro (for underwater images).
• Power bank : with so many photos you will spend a lot of battery, so it always comes in handy to carry a good power bank. At Randomtrip we travel with these 2 (Xiaomi and Anker ), which allow us to charge both smartphones and cameras.
• First aid kit : in our first aid kit there is always medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, antidiarrheals (and some probiotics to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics and, of course, travel insurance. If you purchase your insurance through this link you get a 5% discount .

After reading the guide it is clear that Porto is one of those ideal destinations for a short getaway or, together with its surroundings, for a great vacation of several days or even weeks. Do you already have a date to visit this amazing city?

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Get the Scoop on the 8 Best Ice Cream Shops in Porto

Where to eat the best bifanas in porto, here’s the scoop on the 10 best ice cream shops in lisbon, beyond the pastel de nata: 9 best portuguese foods that are still under the radar, portugal’s best food festivals in august, 5 best street artists in portugal, the history of calçada portuguesa, celebrating august 15th in portugal, portuguese citizens and residents can now visit museums for free for 52 days a year, celtic portugal.

When people think about visiting Portugal, their first thought is to go to Lisbon , the capital. Porto might be the second-largest city in the country after Lisbon, but it is not the second best! 280 km north of Lisbon, the beautiful city of Porto lies along the Douro river. Home to Port wine, street art, and “francesinhas” , Porto is one of the world’s top 100 cities with the most international visitors. Over 1 million tourists visit Porto every year, as well as thousands of digital nomads and remote workers looking to make the city a temporary home.

One of the oldest in Europe, Porto’s old town in the city center is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996! It is no surprise that Porto is a city with a rich history and culture.

Porto has been inhabited by different groups throughout the ages, making it a melting point of heritage and history. The city was first inhabited by Celtic people. Then, during the Roman occupation of the Iberian Peninsula in the fourth century, the city was transformed into a commercial port. They renamed the city “Portus Cale”, meaning “Port of Cale” (Cale is the original name for Celtic). Fun fact: this has been referred to as the origin of the name Portugal. The Visigoths then took possession of the city in the sixth century but lost it to Moors in the eighth century. Christian forces won back the city in 997 when Porto became the capital of Portucalense (northern Portugal). The Moors won it back again for a few years but in 1092 it went back into Christian rule.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the city center increased dramatically in population size and became an industrial center. It went on to become a major city in the struggle for the end of the monarchy. Writers and poets with progressive views lived in the city during the nineteenth century. In 1820, a liberal revolution started in Porto demanding the end of the monarchy. After Miguel of Portugal became king, Porto rebelled against the ruler and an eighteen-month siege by the King’s army occurred in 1832. Porto won and the King abdicated! Republicans revolted again in Porto in 1891 and many say these events led to the creation of the Portuguese Republic in 1910.

Since then, Porto has undergone many changes and improvements, like the construction of the Arrábida bridge over the Douro river in the 70s. Porto was elected Best European Destination in 2010 and 2014 and has seen a boom in tourism ever since, giving other European countries a run for their money. Our Porto city guide has all the Porto travel tips for your next vacation!

What to do in Porto, Portugal: Porto Travel Guide to Tourist Attractions, Activities, and Day Trips

Porto is one of the top cities to visit in Portugal, as well as all of Europe right now. The city offers many tourist attractions and activities that are affordable and will make visiting the city a trip to remember. From traditional Portuguese activities like a Port wine tour to historical attractions, as well as activities to do with children, the city has a lot to offer. Ready to explore Porto?

Book Tours & Activities in Porto

What are some traditional things to do in Porto, Portugal?

Wine tasting in porto.

A traditional thing to do in Porto is definitely a Port wine tasting, even if you are not necessarily a wine lover. Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley. This wine is a sweet red wine that often pairs perfectly with dessert. On a wine tour, you can also taste other Portuguese wines including white and red wine. The best wine tastings are in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the Dom Luis Bridge from Porto, over the Douro river.

Caves Ferreira in Vila Nova de Gaia is one of the best places for a port tasting. Founded by a family of winemakers in 1751, Caves Ferreira is the only wine company from Porto that has always remained Portuguese throughout its history. They offer port tastings at different prices but a great option is a Classic visit for €15 per person.

You can also visit Ramos Pinto, an incredible vineyard established in 1880 by Adriano Ramos Pinto. They have over 80 hectares of vineyards across four Quintas (farms). You can enjoy a tour of their port wine cellars (Ramos Pinto Cellars) and a visit to their museum (Adriano Ramos Pinto Museum) that teaches you about the history of the brand for €12. You can do all this and have a port tasting of 5 wines at the end for around €25 in their tasting room.

While you’re in Vila Nova de Gaia, make sure to ride the Gaia cable car at sunset to get a view of the Douro river and Porto.

Book Port Wine Tastings & Tours in Porto

Fado houses in Porto

While many associate fado houses with Lisbon, Porto has many traditional taverns where you can listen to the iconic Portuguese music of fado. However, prices in Lisbon are often more expensive (€50+). In Porto, you can get the full experience of a large set menu and a live music show for a more affordable price, as well as a glass of Port wine.

A great place to go is Casa das Mariquinhas. Established in 1968 and close to S. Bento, all the great names of national fado have passed through its doors, singing fado most authentically, without microphones. You can enjoy a show and a large meal here for under €38.

Most fado houses do not allow you to just sit with a wine glass and enjoy the show. Usually, you need to book a table for a full meal. However, Galeria de Paris allows you to listen to a live fado show for only €15, which includes a glass of Port wine. Located in the old town, they also offer lunch menus for under €6.

Book Fado Live Show Ticket 

What are some famous tourist attractions and monuments in porto, portugal.

One of the oldest cities in Europe, Porto has several famous historical attractions and monuments you cannot miss. Better yet – most of them are within walking distance of each other and located in the historic center, proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here are our top 6 historical attractions and monuments to visit in Porto.

1. Clérigos Tower

Want to see the city of Porto at 75 meters high? Located in the city center of Porto, the Clérigos Tower, or the Tower of the Clerics was built in 1763 by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni. You can climb the 225 steps to reach the top of the tower, where you can enjoy a 360 perspective of the city. This is particularly beautiful at night and the tower is open until 11 PM, making it one of the best places to watch the sunset. The tower is built on a Roman Catholic Baroque church that is decorated with motifs, a style of architecture from the seventeenth century. The monument also offers a museum on the history of the building.

You can get a guided tour of the museum, church, and tower for €6.50 during the day. You can also visit the tower at night for €5.

Book Torre dos Clerigos Ticket  

2. Livraria Lello

Livraria Lello is located in the city center of Porto and is one of the oldest bookstores in the country. It’s known for being one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. Founded in 1906, Livraria Lello has been a highlight of cultural life in the city, with many literary figures visiting the place. If you google the place, many argue that JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter wrote the books at Livraria Lello. Sorry to burst your bubble if you are a Harry Potter fanatic, but this isn’t true – JK Rowling has denied these claims and has never visited Livraria Lello.

Entrance to Livraria Lello used to be free, but they were getting 4,000 visits a day with long lines and less than 5% would buy a book. Now the tickets cost €5. Kids under 3 years old have free entrance.

Book Guided Walking Tours and Lello Bookshop

3. Carmo Church

Also known as Igreja do Carmo, this church is a combination of two buildings, one built in the 1600s and one in the 1700s. This monument is therefore one of the oldest in the old town of Porto. The church is built in baroque style, the same as the Clérigos Tower. A part of the church is decorated with Portuguese blue azulejos (tiles) made locally in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the Douro river from Porto. The exterior has two religious statues of the prophets Elijah and Elisha made in Italy.

You can enter the church for free! However, to visit the museum, catacombs, and Casa Escondida there is a fee of €3.50.

4 . Bolsa Palace

Palacio da Bolsa’s construction began in 1842 by the Porto Commercial Association on the ruins of the Saint Francis Convent. The name Palácio da Bolsa translates into “Stock Exchange Palace”. It no longer functions as a stock exchange but is still the headquarters of the association and is used for important events like the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. The Stock Exchange Palace was built in neoclassical style and displays furniture by Portuguese architect José Marques da Silva and sculptures by the famous sculptor Teixeira Lopes. The most famous room is the “Arab Room” built between 1862 and 1880 and decorated in the Moorish Revival style. Today, this room is used as a hall for prestigious visitors to Porto like heads of state.

You can visit the palace for €10 or €6.50 for children, students, and seniors. Children under 12 years old can visit the palace for free.

Book Palacio da Bolsa Guided Tour

5. porto cathedral.

Mostly known as Sé do Porto, this Roman Catholic cathedral is a national monument and the most important religious building in all of Porto. The Porto Cathedral still holds a mass every day at 11 am that you can attend for free. The construction of the cathedral began in the twelfth century and was finally fully built in 1737. It was renovated in many architectural styles throughout the centuries including Gothic and Baroque. Today, it has a beautiful mixture of many styles.

The entrance to the Porto Cathedral is free, but if you want to access the fourteenth-century cloister you pay €3 ticket.

6. Majestic Cafe

Established in 1921, this café is known as one of the most beautiful in Europe and is located in the heart of the city center. This café was first called Elite as it was catered to the finest in society and intellectuals. The name was changed to Majestic Cafe, as Elite alluded to the monarchy and that did not sit well with the republican intellectuals that visited the place. The building was declared a “Public Interest Building” in 1983 and won multiple awards including the Municipal Merit Medal – Grade – Gold” (2011). This is a must-see in Porto but the prices are quite high. The café offers many baked delicacies such as “Pastel de Nata”, meals, and an afternoon tea for €25 per person. An expresso costs €5 here, while in other cafés it should not cost you more than €1. But for the experience, it is well worth it.

Best Things to do in Porto

Day trips from porto, portugal.

Porto has a lot to offer, but so do the surrounding areas. If you visit Porto, it would be a waste to not take a day trip. Here are our top 3 favorite day trips from Porto you cannot miss. If you are visiting for at least a week, taking all 3 would make it the perfect trip.

1. Douro Valley

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Douro Valley should be on the top of your list for a day trip. The Douro Valley is a cultural landscape of vineyards where Douro wines are grown and produced at traditional wine cellars. Departing from Porto, the Douro river flows in the middle of these green hills with vineyards. Beware, visiting the Douro Valley is quite expensive for Portuguese standards, but a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The best way to visit the Douro Valley is by hiring a private car transfer or renting a car as public transportation is scarce in the area, especially if you want to visit multiple vineyards for wine tastings. Alternatively, you can also book a stunning Douro river cruise that stops at vineyards.

The 3 best vineyards to visit in Douro are the following: Quinta da Roêda (Pinhão), Quinta do Crasto (Sabrosa), and Quinta do Seixo (Valença do Douro).

Quinta da Roêda does not just offer Port wine tastings, but also, visits to the vineyards, picnics, workshops, and more. You can explore the gorgeous vineyard with a travel guide and have a tasting of three wines for only €12 per person. Their packages go up to €44 per person for a larger number and variety of wines. For a luxurious and romantic lunch out with wine, you can reserve their picnic package on the shaded terrace, overlooking the vineyards and Douro river. Prices for this range from €30 to €48 per person depending on the basket selected.

Quinta do Crasto is included in the Top 20 of the World’s Best Vineyards, winning 16th place in 2021. The wine tasting here lasts around 90 minutes where you get to taste 5 of their wines, visit the port wine cellars, and more for €29 per person.

Quinta do Seixo has over 100 hectares and is one of the most traditional wine-producing estates in the region. The vines are over one hundred years old! The Quinta also has very advanced winemaking technology that is perfectly integrated with the landscape. They have a variety of packages for wine-loving visitors. Their cheapest visit is €15 for a 40-minute tour of the winery and tasting of 2 port wines. Their most luxurious option is a 3-hour picnic in the vineyard where you can taste their wines and enjoy Douro cuisine for €40 per person (only available from March to October).

Alternatively, if you want to enjoy the views of the Douro river rather than spending the day vineyard “hopping”, you could travel by bus, train, and boat for the full experience. You can book a day river cruise in the Douro river from Porto and come back by bus or train. This 12-hour day cruise from Porto includes a return ticket so you can travel back to the city through public transportation. It also includes breakfast, lunch, and a wine tasting at the end in Pinhão where you can catch the bus or train back to Porto. The cruise costs €86 per person.

Book Douro Valley Tours

2. Peneda-Gerês National Park

A one-hour drive from Porto, Gerês is the oldest protected area in the country and the only national park in Portugal. The park covers an area of 695.93 km 2 and occasionally gets some snow in the winter. This is the perfect day trip for adventure-seeking travelers! There are many hiking trails and “miradouros” (viewpoints) where you can get wonderful views. There are also many lagoons and rivers where you can take a dip in the summer months, perfect for after a hike. You can also spend the day exploring medieval villages that are uninhabited. Make sure to pack some food and a water bottle as some areas are far away from infrastructures.

How do you get to Gerês from Porto? The best way is to book a car rental to drive the 100 kilometers. Public transportation to Gerês is almost nonexistent. The only way to get there is to get a one-hour train to Braga (€5) and then take a 43m taxi (€30) or a 1h30 bus (€2) to the park. This will take up half of your day, considering that the bus and taxis will also probably be late.

However, you can always book a tour, this is a great option for a whole day. This amazing tour picks you up from your accommodation in Porto (round-trip) and takes you to the best hiking and swimming spots in Gerês. You can also venture off the track as you’ll be in a 4×4 and so can explore secret places! This 10-hour tour also includes local food and wine at a typical restaurant. The tour costs €85 per person.

Book Peneda-Geres National Park Tours

3. Matosinhos

Last but not least, if you are looking for a sunny day at the beach close to Porto , head to Matosinhos. This fishing town is a 20-minute drive or a 40-minute bus ride from Porto. Matosinhos is famous for its beach, Praia de Matosinhos, the largest beach close to Porto. The beach is perfect for a relaxing day away from the city during the summer. The beach has a lot to offer: beach sports like surfing in the wavey Atlantic ocean, lifeguards supervising the area, as well as plenty of cafes and beach bars.

The best time to go is between June and August during the week. Avoid the weekends as Matosinhos beach will be overly crowded during this time.

You can also book a surfing experience here for €40 which is perfect for a family with kids. This surf experience includes a transfer from Porto to Matosinhos. Don’t know how to surf? Don’t worry! The instructions in this experience will teach you.

You can also choose to visit other beaches, like Praia de Leca da Palmeira which also has saltwater swimming pools that are much warmer than the sea.

You can also visit the Castelo do Queijo (Cheese Castle), a fort constructed in the seventeenth century after Portugal gained independence from Spain. The fort has a small museum that costs €0.50 to enter.

The town is also known for its seafood, allowing you to discover the best of Portuguese culture. The morning fish market sells fresh fish every day at the port and you can also taste the finest fish dishes at many restaurants. Some amazing seafood restaurants overlooking the Atlantic ocean in Matosinhos are TITO 2 (around €40 for two people), A Marisqueira de Matosinhos (around €50 for two people), and Marisqueria A Antiga (around €70 for two people).

Book Matosinhos Beach Activities

Travel Guide to Porto & Northern Portugal

What are some activities for kids in Porto, Portugal?

Porto has plenty of stuff to do with the kids, catering to locals and tourists alike. A great thing to do in Porto is visiting Sea Life, an experience the whole family will enjoy. Sea Life has over 30 displays and 3,000 sea creatures. This place has an underwater tunnel you can walk through and observe the sea life. Tickets cost €14 and entrance is free for kids under 3. If you want a surreal experience, book the VIP Turtle Feeding where you can go backstage and feed Mariza, the green turtle for €24.

Book Sea Life Ticket

Another thing to do with kids in Porto is to visit the World of Discoveries in the center, an interactive museum and theme park that teaches you about Portuguese navigators. Kids younger than 3 years old have free access, kids from 4 to 12 years old pay €9, and adults pay €15. However, bear in mind that some parents feel like this place glorifies the era of Portuguese “discoveries” and silences the victims of colonialism.

Book World of Discoveries Ticket

Lastly, if you don’t mind getting away from the city, Zoo Santo Inácio in Vila Nova da Gaia is a 15-minute drive from Porto. They have over 600 animals and 200 species living in the zoo. From a 40-meter glass tunnel where you can see a lion’s habitat to a reptile area with the largest snake in the world, the reticulated python at 11 meters long, this zoo is an incredible experience. Kids under 3 do not pay, while kids under 13 pay €10. Adults pay €15.

What are some free things to do in Porto, Portugal?

Due to its beautiful views and public historical buildings, Porto has a lot for those on a budget . Exploring this magical city comes at zero cost – think of it as a free walking tour!

The riverfront district of Ribeira is the perfect place for a walk as it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can take photos of Dom Luis bridge and enjoy a panoramic view of the city. There are pedestrian walking lanes along the bridge so you can actually cross it.

The gardens of the Palacio de Cristal are only a 15-minute walk from the center. The landscaped gardens were designed in the nineteenth century and offer views of the Douro river, as well as walking paths and fountains. Perfect for a picnic!

You should also visit a Casa Da Musica (House of Music), an iconic concert hall in the center of the city, built in 2005. Designed by architect Rem Koolhaas. Although a tour of the inside costs €10, the best part of this place is the exterior. Perfect to take photos!

If you love photography, visit the Centro Português de Fotografia. This museum showcases works from Portuguese and international photographers and has free exhibitions. The building once served as a prison which you will notice by the iron gates and cells inside the museum.

Finally, the São Bento railway station is not just perfect for traveling. This station has an atrium covered in 22,000 azulejos (tiles), created by artist Jorge Colaço. The azulejos feature iconic episodes of Portuguese history. São Bento railway station is often described as one of the most beautiful train stations in the world!

Where to eat in Porto, Portugal?

This Porto travel guide would be meaningless without the most important part of Portuguese culture – food. Porto offers an incredible culinary experience at a much more affordable price than Lisbon. From “francesinhas” to seafood and wine, Porto is the perfect place for a foodie. The options are limitless, so we have selected our favorite restaurants for your needs. Porto has meals for everyone’s taste: traditional food, vegan meals, as well as luxury dining for those looking for an experience.

Porto Food Tours & Tastings

Portuguese food: where to eat traditional portuguese food in porto, portugal.

Porto is home to many restaurants serving Northern cuisine that will make you feel like a local. But first, let’s go through the typical Portuense (and Portuguese) foods you need to try in Porto. These are all definitely must-tries!

• “Francesinha”: A trip to Porto needs a francesinha. This meal includes ham, sausage, and steak sandwich with loads of melted cheese and a fried egg on top, and spiced tomato and beer sauce. It’s served with french fries.
• “Tripas à moda do Porto”: This is a heavy meat-based dish, with beans, carrots, steak, veal, and pork stomach. People have been eating this in Porto for hundreds of years.
• “Sandes de pernil”: a roast pork butt sandwich with “queijo da serra” (a mountain cheese).
• “Bacalhau: codfish. There are 365 ways to serve codfish in Portugal, our favorite is “bacalhau à brás”, a dish made from shreds of codfish, onions, chopped potatoes, and scrambled eggs. Usually topped with black olives and parsley.
• Caldo verde: a green vegetable soup with Portuguese sausage.
• “Alheira”: a Portuguese alheira sausage made from chicken, turkey, duck, or pheasant. Usually eaten with fries and a fried egg.
• “Broa de Avintes: a famous bread from Porto that is dark brown.
• “Tarde de Amendoa”: an almond tart that is typical of Douro as this region cultivates most of the countries almonds. The tart has almonds, sugar, butter, and milk.
• “Sardinhas assadas”: sardines that are usually plated on top of bread and paired with potatoes, peppers, and salad.

Now that you know how to navigate a menu, here are our top 3 places to eat traditional food in Porto.

1. Taberna Santo António, Rua Virtudes

Located in the city center, a classic Porto “tasca” (Portuguese tavern), you’ll be treated like a local here. You can try various traditional Portuguese dishes for a very cheap price. On Sundays, they have “cozido  à Portuguesa”, a traditional meat stew with pork, sausages, rice, and vegetables for 7€. They also have “bifanas”, a steak sandwich for under €2. The roast pork is also amazing! You can get a full meal here for under €10.

2. Casa Guedes, Praça dos Poveiros & Rua Actor João Guedes

This place is known for having the best “sandes de pernil” in Porto, a roast pork butt sandwich with mountain cheese. It was initially established in 1987 by the Correia brothers as a snack bar, but since then, they have opened two new spaces. You can try any of these, they are all amazing:

• Casa Guedes Tradicional (1987): Praça dos Poveiros 130
• Casa Guedes Rooftop (2019): Praça dos Poveiros 76
• Casa Guedes Progresso (2020): Rua Actor João Guedes 5

Their “sandes de pernil” only costs €3.90. They also have other sandwiches: Portuguese ham, cured pork, cured black pork, and softer sheep cheese sandwich (all under €4.50). This is also a great place to try the “caldo verde” (green soup) for €1.70 and the iconic “francesinha” with melted cheese. You can have a whole meal here for €6.

3. Tasquinha Ze Povinho , Rua Clemente Meneres

One of the best “tascas” in Porto, this family-run restaurant offers traditional dishes that make you feel at home. The owner of this restaurant prides herself on creating dishes that reflect her Portuguese roots, rather than catering to tourists. The restaurant offers authentic dishes that everyone must try like “francesinhas” and “tripas à moda do Porto”.You can get a meal here for under €7.

For the plant-based: where to eat vegan food in Porto, Portugal?

If you are a vegan planning your trip to Porto, look no further. The vegan scene in Porto has been booming recently. A few years ago, there were few options for plant-based food, but now there are hundreds of options for vegans. It has truly become a vegan-friendly city! Here are our top three vegan places in Porto.

1. Arvore do Mundo, Rua do Duque de Lole

Arvore do Mundo is not just a vegan restaurant, but also a gallery where you can check out local art. They have a garden and terrace where you can have a vegan meal and relax, as well as toys and books for kids.

This vegan restaurant has lunch menus for €10 per person and the average cost for dinner is around €12 per person.

2. Kind Kitchen , Rua do Bonjardim

Located in Baixa, the interior of the restaurant is modern and clean and you can watch the food being prepared in their open-style kitchen. kind Kitchen has a wide range of dishes including Buddha bowls, burgers, and cakes. They even have the famous beyond burger that tastes like real meat! This vegan restaurant also has a vegan version of the iconic Porto dish “francesinha” with plant-based melted cheese.

The lunch menus are under €10 per person and the average cost for dinner is around €12 per person.

3. My Green Pastry , Praça da República

Missing out on the amazing desserts in Porto? Don’t worry, my Green Pastry is a vegan pastry shop that will satisfy your sweet tooth. This place focuses on local and seasonal ingredients and is also plastic-free. My Green Pastry also has savory snacks that are completely plant-based and organic. They also offer a large brunch on Saturdays for €18.

Luxury dining: what are the best Michelin star restaurants in Porto, Portugal?

Looking for a luxurious night out? Prepare to splurge! Porto has 5 Michelin-starred restaurants that will provide you with a once in a lifetime experience. We have chosen our two favorite Michelin star restaurants in Porto.

1. Pedro Lemos, Rua do Padre Luís Cabral

A 20-minute car ride from the center of Porto, Pedro Lemos is a renowned restaurant in a restored stone house. Opened in 2009 by Chef Pedro Lemos, it was the first restaurant in Porto to be awarded a Michelin star. Pedro Lemos is located in Foz, a historical neighborhood in Porto. The restaurant has contemporary decor and a rooftop terrace where you can enjoy a beautiful view. It also has a wine cellar where group dinners can take place. Pedro Lemos has excellent fish dishes that are Portuguese, as well as international cuisine. The foie gras is to die for!

Menus start at €120 per person where you can taste 8 dishes. The menu for wine starts at €65 and these are carefully selected to pair with your meal.

2. Antiqvvm , Rua de Entre Quintas

Located close to Museo Romántico, this restaurant is situated in a park in the center of Porto. You get a gorgeous view of the Douro River. Chef Vitor Matos uses seasonal and local ingredients to produce unbelievable dishes. This Michelin 1-star restaurant has Portuguese wines from every region, selected by the sommelier António Lopes. Try the red mullet with cauliflower and sea urchin sauce.

You can choose from a set menu or opt for the à la carte menu where vegetarian options are available. A set menu here will cost you at least €135 and the wine menu €65.

Guide to Porto Restaurants 2022

Getting around: how does public transportation work in porto, portugal.

Getting around in Porto is fairly easy. You can walk most places, but you also have access to efficient public transportation, including train, tram, and bus routes. Transportation costs are also incredibly affordable, with travel cards available. The best way to get from Porto airport to the city center is by renting a car or booking a 20-minute taxi.

What travel card to buy for public transportation in Porto, Portugal?

You have travel card options to go around Porto: the Porto Card + travel card or the Andante Card.

The Porto card + travel card is perfect if you are going to visit museums. You get free bus and metro transport, free entry to 6 museums (including a contemporary art museum), and 50% off in 14 monuments. You also get a free train ride to the beach. You can buy this card from official tourist offices, some railway stations, and Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport. You cannot purchase it at a metro station. Here are the prices for the Porto Card + travel card:

• 2-days: €20
• 3-days: €25
• 4-days: €33

Book the Porto Travel Card

There are two types of Andante cards, the Andante 24 card, and the Andante Tour card. You can purchase these in Andante shops in metro stations and the airport, as well as tourist offices. The Andante 24 card gives you 24-hour unlimited access to the metro, buses, and some trains. The price of the card depends on the zone you purchase it for. If you are just getting around central Porto, purchase a zone 2 Andante 24 card that costs €4.15. You can also get an Adante Tour card for tourists that allows you to travel to all the zones. An Andante Tour 1 for 24 hours costs €7 and an Andante Tour 3 for 72 hours costs €15.

The metro in Porto, Portugal

The metro is one of the fastest public transportation options, as well as the most sustainable (after walking). 12,000 cars stopped circulating because of the Porto metro.

The metro has 6 lines and 81 stations and goes through the city’s main districts, as well as outskirts. The metro works from 6 am to 1 am. A single ticket costs €1.70. Make sure to watch out for pickpocketers and stay safe!

The tram in Porto, Portugal

Like in Lisbon, the trams are a cultural and historical experience. They are a great way to get to know the city, but they are much slower than other means of public transportation. The locals use to rely on the tram before the bus and metro lines were established, but now this mode of transport is best for tourists and those wanting a unique experience.

A single fare will cost you €3.

The bus in Porto, Portugal

The bus is the cheapest mode of transportation in all of Porto. It can take you places where the metro line does not reach and can take you to Vila Nova de Gaia, as well as Matosinhos for the beach.

Don’t forget to reach out your arm when the bus driver passes by so that they stop to let you get on!

A single fare ticket bought with the driver costs €1.80.

The train in Porto, Portugal

The trains are great for getting out of Porto, to cities nearby. Don’t travel within Porto by train. You can take the train from São Bento Station to Braga (€15), and other cities.

A single fare can cost you between €1.50 and can go up to €30 depending on where you go.

Guide to Bars in Porto

Porto guide: final thoughts.

For you’re next trip to Portugal, you must visit Porto. In fact, put it at the top of your list. From incredible food to its World Site Heritage historic center and views along the Douro river, the city has something to offer for everyone. Whether you are a solo traveler or backpacking, Porto is an affordable city to visit that can still make it a trip to remember. This city fits everyone’s budget from cheap options for backpackers to luxurious hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants. Hopefully, this extensive Porto travel guide has taught you everything you need to travel to the Portuguese city. It’s time to find yourself some cheap flights to Porto airport!

Take a look at our ultimate guides to Lisbon ,  Albufeira , and more with all the information you need for your next trip to Portugal.

Finally, if you’re in need of travel insurance for your trip to Lisbon, we recommend SafetyWing as an option. The minimum coverage time is for five days. Simply choose the length of time that you wish to be covered or pay for a month of coverage for a set price.

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These are the best things to do in Porto

Discover the best things to do in Porto on this article. It includes all my tips and tricks to avoid…

Discover the best things to do in Porto on this article. It includes all my tips and tricks to avoid the excruciating queues to these amazing places – I hope you enjoy it, but if, by the end of the article, you feel like taking your trip to the next level, make sure to check my Porto bucket list .

No time to read a long article? Here’s a quick summary

• Go for wine tasting at a Port wine lodge (BY FAR the best one is Graham’s . I also love Cockburn’s ).
• Watch a Fado show at Ideal Clube de Fado (a traditional Fado house) or at Calém’s port wine cellar.
• Watch a multimedia show at the Clérigos church – it is SO cool 🙂
• Take the 6 bridges cruise or, even better, take a Private river cruise in Porto with Wine and Tapas !
• Visit the Serralves contemporary art museum – it is truly one of the most stunning museums in Europe.
• Visit the Lello bookstore and the Stock Exchange Palace – they are the most beautiful buildings in the city.

These are the best things to do in Porto:

Taste wine at one of the best port wine cellars.

Best Port wine lodges in a snapshot

• The most structured wine guided visit: take a guided tour and wine tasting at Graham’s
• The most beautiful cellar: book a guided tour and wine tasting at Cockburn’s
• A Fado show at a wine cellar: get the online ticket to Calém’s port wine cellar + Fado concert
• Visit a small scale producer: visit the Poças wine cellar
• Enjoy wine with a STUNNING view of Porto: take a guided tour and wine tasting at Graham’s

How to avoid the queues to the Port wine cellars

The best way is definitely to book your visit in advance, as mentioned before. Currently, there are three Port wine cellars selling online tickets that you can buy in advance: Graham’s (my favourite), Calém and Poças (the smallest one).

Watch a Fado show

How to save money on a Fado show in Porto

Usually a Fado shows runs during dinner, and I’ve already written about the best Fado houses in Porto . Therefore, it ends up being an expensive activity (about 40 / 50€ / person). However, if you are only interested in listening to Fado, I recommend that you to buy the online ticket for the Fado show at Ideal Clube de Fado because those guys are BRILLIANT. I know the owner personally, and how seriously he takes his mission to show the real fado to his clients. Another great option is to buy a combo ticket for a Fado show at a Port wine cellar . It allows you not only to visit one of the best Port wine cellars in Porto but also to enjoy a wine tasting while listening to fado. This is a good deal because a visit and wine tasting at a Port wine cellar costs around 15 / 18€, and if you go to a traditional Fado show (in a restaurant) you will never pay less than 30€. Therefore, by getting combo ticket you are saving a lot of money since it only costs 25€.

Visit the Clérigos tower

Torre dos Clérigos is the beautiful 76m tower of Porto was, for many years, the “best seller” of the things to do in Porto, due to its unusual shape. But I reckon that visiting the Clérigos tower is a test to your patience! You need to wait in line to buy the ticket (around 15 minutes), then you have the queue to the tower itself (around the same waiting time). When you’re finally inside, the queue moves slowly because there are people going up and down on the same narrow stairs. You shouldn’t give up though – when you reach the top and see the superb 360º view of Porto, you’ll feel it was totally worth the waiting! Expert tip: You should also take the opportunity to visit the Clérigos church (it is free of charge) and watch a live concert of pipe organ at noon.

Prices & Tickets of the Clérigos tower (2024)

• Clérigos tower ticket : 8€
• Clérigos church: free of charge.

How to avoid the queue to Torre dos Clérigos

The best way is to buy the online ticket to the Clérigos tower . I recommend you to get this ticket as it ensures your entrance to one of the most popular monuments in Porto. Another option is to buy Porto Card, a card that gives you free access to public transports AND discounts on the tickets to most monuments in Porto, you’ll get a 50% discount on the price of the Clérigos tower, so you’ll be saving 4€ on this specific activity.

You can buy a Porto Card for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days: – with transport (bus + subway + train) . It’s a good deal if you’re planning to use public transports a lot. – without transport – it’s much cheaper and ideal for those of you who don’t mind walking.

Get amazed at the Lello bookstore

How to avoid the queue to Lello bookshop

You can get the priority ticket to the Lello bookstore (it currently costs 15,90€), but honestly I don’t think it is worth it. These days, when you buy the online ticket to the Lello bookstore , you have to select a time slot for your visit (for example, [9h00 – 9h30]). This means that the excruciantingly long queues for the Lello bookstore are a thing of the past.

Prices & Tickets to the Lello bookshop (2024)

• Regular ticket: 10€
• Skip the line ticket (they call it “gold”): 15,90€

Take the 6 bridges cruise

One of the best things to do in Porto is to take the famous 6 bridges cruise, a leisurely 1h boat ride in Douro river. It allows you not only to see Ribeira, the Unesco’s protected neighborhood , but also to check the magnificent bridges of Porto . It is perfect if you need to relax, if you are traveling with kids or if you have some time to kill in between other activities.

How to avoid the queue to the 6 bridges cruise in Porto

It is easy – just get the online ticket to the 6 bridges cruise ! You can also buy the combo ticket to the Hop On Hop off bus tour + 6 bridges cruise + Port wine cellar. If you make the math it’s a pretty good deal, because if you buy the tickets for the three activities separately you’ll spend around 50€. You can also get the combo ticket to the city train tour + 6 bridges cruise + Port wine cellar which is quite similar. It is a great combo if you want to get the most of a single day and it’s very cheap – only 29€.

Another option is to simply skip the 6 bridges cruise and simply do a private river cruise – make sure to check my article about the best river cruises in Porto to discover the best options for you!

Prices & Tickets to the 6 bridges cruise (2024)

• Just the 6 bridges cruise : 15€
• Hop On Hop off bus tour + 6 bridges cruise + Port wine cellar : 35€
• City train tour + 6 bridges cruise + Port wine cellar : 29€

Visit the Stock Exchange Palace (Palácio da Bolsa)

How to avoid the queues to the Stock Exchange Palace

Finally – FINALLY! – nowadays you can buy the online ticket to the Stock Exchange Palace of Porto 🙂

Prices & Tickets to the Stock Exchange Palace (2024)

• Seniors > 65 yo: 7,50€
• Students: 7,50€
• Children < 11 yo: free of charge

Discover your type of wine at WoW – The World of Wine Museum

There is a new fantastic wine museum in town called WoW – Wine Museum . I was a little bit sceptic at first – I mean, there are already so many Port wine lodges in town, most of them with guided visits, so what could possibly a new Wine Museum add up? But the truth is that WoW – Wine Museum is a fantastic place for those of you that really want to learn not only about general wine production processes but also the different Portuguese wine regions.

Moreover, WoW – Wine Museum is a very interactive museum, where you’ll be able to take a few tests to discover what is your style of wine, what is the grape variety that best suits you, etc. It’s SO COOL.

At the end, a wine tasting that includes a red, a white and a 2018 LBV Port wine.

Ticket to the WoW – Wine Museum (2024)

• Adults: the ticket to the WoW – Wine Museum costs 20€.
• Children [4-12] yo: the ticket to the WoW – Wine Museum costs 9€.

How to get there: the subway station General Torres is a 15 minutes walking distance, and so is the train station with the same name.

Visit the St Francis church

How to avoid the queues to St Francis church in Porto

Actually, there is no need to avoid any queue since I have never seen one there 😛 However, if you have the Porto Card you get a 25% discount on the ticket.

Prices of St Francis church in Porto (2024)

• Adult ticket with Porto card : 7€
• Student: 6,50€
• Children [6-12] yo: 2,50€
• Children <5 yo: free of charge

Have a coffee at Café Majestic

How to avoid the queues at Café Majestic

I am afraid it is not possible to avoid this queue! There is always a lot of people waiting to enter the Cafe Majestic, even on rainy days. However, I have a secret to share with you: just head to Café Guarany, which belongs to the same owners, and have coffee there. This café dates from the 30s and has an exquisite decoration without having the absurd prices of Café Majestic and its disturbing amount of people.

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Go for a walk at Serralves contemporary art museum

How to avoid the queue to Serralves’ contemporary museum

1 – You can buy the online ticket to Serralves for 22€, which gives you access to the museum, the treetop walk (it’s sop cool!) and to the park. It’s convenient – you don’t need to print the voucher, just show it on your mobile. However, when you arrive in Serralves you need to go to the ticket office and exchange your mobile ticket to a paper one. It is a bit of a ridiculous process but at least you don’t need to wait in line – you can head straight to the staff at the ticket office and tell them that you have an online ticket. All in all, and to be perfectly honest, I am not sure it is worth to do it. 2 – If you buy the Porto Card with transportation you’ll get a 20% discount . This doesn’t avoid the queue but it saves you money. 3 – If you’re a patient person, you can visit Serralves for free on the first Sunday morning of each month. Keep in mind that the museum will be packed (especially with families with young kids), so I advise you to go at the opening hour (10h).

Prices and Tickets to the Serralves Foundation (2024)

• Adult: 22€ (it gives you access to ALL the spaces of the Serralves Foundation)
• Just the museum: 15€
• Just the gardens: 15€

Casa da Música

People tend to neglect Casa da Música because it is not in the city centre, even though it is one of the few examples of contemporary architecture in Porto . It was designed by Rem Koolhaas and it is well worth the visit. The guided tours are simply phenomenal and they go into detail to explain you the acoustics of the building. Otherwise, you can simply enjoy the building by attending a concert as it is one of the best things to do in Porto.

How to avoid the queues at Casa da Música

There is never a queue for the tours at Casa da Música, don’t worry 🙂 However, if you want to watch a concert there I recommend you to buy the tickets online, as they run out fast.

Prices and Tickets to Casa da Música (2024)

• Teenagers [13-18] yo – 5€
• Kid < 12 yo: free of charge
• Concert: it depends on the concert – make sure to check Casa da Música’s agenda 🙂

Especially for families with kids: World of Discoveries

I already told you about the World of Discoveries, an interactive museum dedicated to the Portuguese Discoveries, on my guide of fun activities in Porto for families with kids . This museum is one of the few in Porto dedicated to kids, hence the long queues (and we all know how frustrating it can be when our little ones start to get bored…).

How to save money on the World of Discoveries

These are the current prices for the World of Discoveries: Adults: 16€ Children [4-8] yo: 10€ Adult > 65 yo: 13€ In order to save money, you can buy the online ticket to the World of Discoveries , as it costs less 1€ per person, regardless of your age.

Walk on the Crystal Palace gardens

I rarely mention the Crystal Palace gardens because I genuinely prefer the Serralves Foundation’s, but indeed walking at the Crystal Palace gardens are also one of the best things to do in Porto because a) they are in the city centre b) they are free of charge c) they are full of peacocks =´) and d) it is where one of my favourite events of the year, the book fair of Porto, takes place. They are indeed, worth being visited particularly by couples on a romantic trip in Porto or by families with kids .

Walk on the upper deck of Luiz I bridge

I saved this activity for last because I have mixed feelings about it. Indeed, the view from the upper deck of the Luiz I bridge in Porto is STUNNING – there is no way around it. However, these days Porto is such a popular destination that unfortunately the bridge is always packed with people, which is very annoying for introverts like me 😛

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The best hotels in Porto

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While Lisbon remains a favourite weekend break destination, hot on its heels is Porto ; a city home to some of Portugal’s best hotels , with culture aplenty, arguably the most beautiful train station in the world and port tastings available at every wine bar on every corner. The Douro Valley, Portugal ’s most famous wine region, is just a two-hour scenic train ride away, while the city itself is home to the vertigo-inducing Luís Bridge (yes, you can climb it), stunning street art and a gluttonous local dish, the francesinha sandwich.

Whether you’re looking for a quirky boutique hotel, or somewhere to relax with views of the Douro river, this is our selection of the best hotels in Porto.

How we choose the best hotels in Porto

Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider both luxury properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We’re always looking for beautiful design, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new hotels open and existing ones evolve.

Best hotel in Porto for: discovering local culture

Enter a discreet bottle-green door on Largo de São Domingos, and you’ll be welcomed from the hubbub of Porto’s Old Town into the soothing calm of The Largo’s lounge - marked by the creamy palette, caress of cool air and careful stonework that defines this elevated 18-room residence. Luxury isn’t attempted through an office-like reception or florid details. It’s felt in seamlessly personalised touches, such as the curated selection in the wine fridge of my bright and ample suite, or tailored cultural experiences - in our case a history and festival-themed city tour. A mission to champion Porto’s creative community extends from the choice of local materials and decorative artwork to the ‘Porto Unknown’ series of events inviting guests to celebrate Porto’s community-centred festivals. Perhaps the most impressive metaphor for the symbiotic relationship between The Largo and its surroundings is the wall of exposed original rock in the lounge, with interactive light paintings of the city that change with the seasons. With Nuno Mendes at the helm, the excellent food and drink offering is no surprise. Downstairs at Cozinha das Flores, one of the best restaurants in Porto , I succumb to a gloriously decadent caviar-topped turnip pastel de nata. Breakfast at the private terrace restaurant goes beyond typical continental options. Scrambled eggs enriched with blue cheese and lobster, pork rillettes, thick cuts of roasted hams and local cheeses, and glistening oven-fresh pastries are served alongside sweeping views across the River Douro and surrounding cityscape. Complete with its own wine cellar stocking the best labels from smaller Portuguese producers, few destinations are this artistically and gastronomically exciting whilst still feeling like home. Toyo Odetunde

Address: Largo de São Domingos, 60, 4050-545 Porto, Portugal Price: Suites from EUR 1100

Gran Cruz House

Best hotel in Porto for: riverside dining

Overlooking the Douro River on the corner of one of the city’s oldest squares, this small design hotel is right in the thick of it. Inside, cooling ice-cream colours welcome guests from the flurry outside – think pistachio-hued walls, mango-toned cushions and a berry-red 17th-century facade. Seven boutique bedrooms are set across four floors, each inspired by a different Port Wine – the Pink room, for example, evokes hazy summer days, where bright colours and fun patterns give way to giant windows and a balcony looking out over the square. The restaurant, however, is this hotel’s crowning jewel. Inspired by Porto ’s history and landscape, Casario is an ode to the city’s gastronomy and viniculture. Under the helm of Miguel Castro Silva, one of Portugal’s most famous chefs, the menu is uniquely split into cold dishes and hot dishes. Highlights include flaked bites of deep-fried skate with a hazelnut and celeriac puree and sea bass, pan-seared for extra crispy skin, served on a bed of creamy saffron rice – both of which I could have eaten endless servings of. Olivia Morelli

Address : Praça da Ribeira - Viela do Buraco 19, Porto, 4050-132 Portugal Price : rooms from £140 per night

Casa da Companhia, Vignette Collection

Best hotel in Porto for: modern elegance In the middle of Rua das Flores, one of Porto’s most iconic pedestrianised shopping streets, entering this hotel feels like you’ve stepped straight into the city’s ancient history. Built in the 16th century as a family home by Brás Brandão, a merchant nobleman, before becoming the headquarters of the Port company Real Companhia Velha. As a nod to the building’s past, staff host a bi-weekly tradition of ‘fire opening’ a bottle of Port for guests to learn more about the building’s history and the city’s port culture. The hotel’s design is a perfect blend of modern touches and traditional architecture; gold-panelled windows and mirrors feature in all of the rooms, paired with elegant minimalist furnishings and large marble bathrooms. Cathedral or garden rooms have the best views – depending on whether you prefer something tranquil or a lookout over the city. Stop by the spa for a slice of tranquillity, laze by the outdoor swimming pool with views of the cathedral, and be sure to drop into the hotel’s restaurant during your stay, where terracotta walls, backlit shelves of wine and fresh, local food welcome you. Olivia Morelli

Address: Casa da Companhia, Vignette Collection, R. das Flores 69, 4050-416 Porto Price : Doubles from about £124 per night

Best hotel in Porto for: design-lovers

Breakfast here isn’t just breakfast; it’s proof of how brilliant Portuguese design is right now. Elegantly tapered knives and forks, jade-green ceramics holding quince jelly, a chalky-white espresso cup indented with abstract patterns – all handcrafted by family-run ateliers. The rest of the hotel takes a similar outlook. In the plant-lined entrance, clay faces grimace and grin down at guests – gods on one side, earthly mortals on the other – the work of sculptor João Pedro Rodrigues, alluding to Portugal’s Age of Discovery. Paying impressionistic homage to that era, three floors of high-windowed bedrooms riff on Africa , the Americas and Asia with tactile compositions of raffia, cane, silk, leafy greens and Atlantic blues, a roar of tiger print. All about are heavily textured paintings by Jorge Curval – a black-and-white portrait of a gentleman in moustache and bicorne hat; a thick-daubed woman smoking a paint brush. Climb to the top banister, peer down at the patterned tiles, and it feels like watching a Portuguese Downton Abbey . When it comes to the country’s post-millennium boom, Lisbon gets most of the column inches but Porto is just as exciting, and this is an apt poster child for the city’s revival. By Rick Jordan

Address: R. de Mouzinho da Silveira N 228, 4050-417 Porto, Portugal Price : Doubles from about £135 per night

Torel Avantgarde

Best hotel in Porto for: views of the Douro

If location is key, you’ll struggle to find better than Torel Avantgarde ; a 49-room boutique hotel within walking distance of São Bento train station, Luís Bridge and other local attractions, with arguably the best view of the Douro River in Porto. With an uninterrupted look out from the hotel’s outdoor pool, it feels like a slice of serenity even during a busy 72-hour city break .

Each room at the hotel is themed differently around an artist, from Francis Bacon to Frida Kahlo, and as a result, you’re guaranteed a unique stay, even if you return. Our insider tip: if you can, book the Charlie Chaplin, Frida Kahlo or Diego Rivera room for the biggest bathtub you’ve ever seen, with a stunning view out over the balcony. Read our full review of Torel Avantgarde .

Address: Torel Avantgarde, Rua da Restauraçāo, 336, Porto, 4050-501 Price : Doubles from about £125 per night

Rosa et al Townhouse

Best hotel in Porto for: creative types

A boutique hotel, spa, restaurant, deli… for a small property, Rosa et al has a lot of substance. Everything is aesthetic, from the claw-foot bathtubs in the rooms to hand-crocheted throws on the beds, while the courtyard garden is a peaceful place to take five.

Known locally as a cultural hub, residents come for the much-loved brunch and stay for the spa. There are just six rooms available, each designed differently but with a focus on aesthetics. Top tip: the Garden Pavillion is particularly beautiful.

Address: Rosa et al Townhouse, Rua do Rosário, 233, Porto, 4050-524 Price: Doubles from about £100 per night

Torel Palace Porto

Best hotel in Porto for: history buffs

There are three Torel properties in total in Porto, and the Palace is a beautifully-located slice of history in the city centre. Dating back to 1886, the original palace was restored and reopened in 2020 with a focus on its original elegance – from the library in the entrance hall to the winding staircase and stunning skylight. There’s a feeling of grandeur throughout the hotel, with enough modern touches to suit everyone; particularly in rooms, which house giant mirrored-covered bathrooms.

The hotel’s restaurant, Blind, is a particular highlight. A tribute to Portuguese writer José Saramago´s novel Blindness , the ‘Emotions’ menu consists of eight or 10 courses, each inspired by childhood memories of chef Vítor Matos.

Address : Torel Palace Porto, Rua de Entreparedes N. 42, Porto, 4000-197 Price : Doubles from about £130 per night

PortoBay Flores

Best hotel in Porto for: Location

Set in a 16th-century palace, the hotel has recently undergone a renovation but aims to retain much of its original detailing; from the wrought-iron balconies to original granite flooring in the entrance and tiles throughout. There are 66 rooms in total – 55 in the new building and 11 in the old mansion – and top floor rooms offer a beautiful view of the city’s terracotta roofs.

Those who are new to Porto are likely to be impressed by the hotel’s location, with almost all of the main sights within walking distance.

Address: PortoBay Flores, Rua das Flores, 27, 4050-416, Porto Price : Doubles from about £121 per night

Best hotel in Porto for: Quirky touches

Porto’s pretty townhouses sit along the river, bringing classic Portuguese colours to the landscape. Among them is Exmo hotel, a stand-out building with a bright ochre exterior, home to 16 rooms over four floors – and while the building itself is traditional, the interior is anything but. Rooms feature unusual design details, from brightly-coloured velvet armchairs resting against original stone walls to huge walk-in showers. Artworks and sculptures by local artists are on display throughout the hotel, and the bar pays homage to the building’s warehouse roots – the metal beams and industrial feel in the bar would be at home in a downtown New York location.

Address: Exmo Hotel, Rua do Infante D. Henrique, 55-61, 4050-297 Porto Price: Doubles from about £118 per night

The Yeatman

Best hotel in Porto for: Wine lovers

The Yeatman’s star attraction is, undoubtedly, the decanter shaped pool and terrace that allows you to enjoy the view of Porto’s winding streets from the other side of the river. The hotel has six storeys, but domineering tower block it is not; each floor is arranged on the banks of the Douro, giving guests a lookout no matter which room they stay in.

Those who visit Porto with a plan to enjoy as many wines as possible will love this property, which is heavily focused on the local tipple; images of vineyards decorate the walls, while there’s a cellar available to tour between 4pm and 6pm. Be sure to check into the Michelin-starred restaurant while you’re there to enjoy the traditional flavours of Portugal.

Address: The Yeatman, Rua do Choupelo, 4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia Price: Doubles from about £222 per night

Best hotel in Porto for: Creatives

Unsurprisingly, art is the focus at this hotel, which focuses on its art college heritage as the theme. Around 150 artworks are on display throughout, and nosier guests will enjoy looking closer at student grades from as far back as the 1960s. Rooms are simple but spacious, but it’s the restaurant, A Escola’s, degustation menu that’s the real star of the show, thanks to the creative dishes on offer. Choose between five or seven dishes, all beautifully presented in keeping with the hotel’s theme of art.

Address : The Artist, R. da Firmeza 49, 4000-228 Porto Price : Doubles from about £140 per night

Best hotel in Porto for: music-lovers

Opened in April 2022, this hotel is something new for Porto: a music-focused property with a 180-seated or 300-standing concert hall, a music library featuring 600 vinyls for guest use and even a music therapy room. But while there's a focus on music, the final result feels cool rather than gimmicky – think 1970s-inspired decor courtesy of exposed walls and vintage wooden furniture, with leather and rattan furniture (and the odd plant). By request, a complimentary record player, guitar and keyboard can all be hired from reception to be used in the bedrooms, should you wish to flex your musical muscles during your stay.  Facilities at the hotel include a small pool, which becomes particularly busy in the warmer months – during high season, you'll struggle to secure a lounger. There's a bar serving lunch and drinks (cocktails are particularly good; the blueberry Mojito comes highly recommended) while breakfast and supper are served in the hotel's restaurant. Guests are varied, with couples, families and, of course, musicians taking advantage of the affordable room rates.  The motto here is Stay. Listen. Play, but should you wish to explore there's plenty on your doorstep. Found in the up-and-coming cool neighbourhood of Bonfim, this property isn't as central as many Porto hotels – but it's worth bearing in mind that the city is very small (it's a pleasant 20-minute walk to São Bento station, for example), so it's actually a great way to see a new side of Porto, particularly if it's not your first time in the city.

Address : R. de Frei Heitor Pinto 65, 4300-252 Porto Price : Rooms from £65

Tipografia Do Conto

You'll find one of Europe's nicest affordable stays in a 19th century former workshop and warehouse in Porto. Originally used as a printing press, the history of the building is referenced throughout: in the bar, hundreds of independent titles are displayed; the ceilings are engraved with phrases by different artists; and the wooden façade in the courtyard resembles the drawers used for storing fonts. There are only 10 rooms, some face the courtyard, while others overlook the city. There’s no restaurant – breakfast is served in the green-tiled bar – but plenty of hot tables are nearby in the emerging Cedofeita area; try Namban and Early Cedofeita. One of the best things about it, however, is the secret garden with its swimming pool and a hammock strung at one end. It’s perfect for hanging out with a glass of Port or Vinho Verde, surrounded only by the sound of birds and a rare moment of stillness in this otherwise happening neighbourhood.

Pestana Palicio do Freixo

Best hotel in Porto for: tranquillity

Those who have been to Porto before might not be quite so concerned about seeing the main tourist attractions; in which case the Pestana Palicio, located further down the river, is ideal. Classified in 1910 as a national monument, the restored Baroque-style palace and surrounding gardens are welcoming, with soaring indoor dining areas and spectacular open views of the river.

The hotel has 87 rooms in total, with superior rooms offering a river view. If you stay in summer, it’s a great time to make use of the outdoor pool or to grab a sundowner from the poolside bar.

Address: Pestana Palicio do Freixo, Estrada Nacional 108, 4300-316 Campanhã , Porto Price : Doubles from about £189 per night

A weekend in Porto: travel guide, attractions and things to do

Everything you need to know for a break in Portugal’s enchanting second city

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1. Why you should visit Porto

2. top attractions: things to see and do, 3. hotels and accommodation: where to stay, 4. transport: flights and cruises, 5. eating and drinking: restaurants, bars, wine and port, 6. what the locals say….

The home of port wine, Portugal’s enchanting second city also offers a winning blend of austere architecture and cutting-edge design, plus buzzy bars and beaches, just up the Douro river.

World of Wine Porto review: a journey from root to vine to palate Portugal travel guide: best hotels and experiences

Many tourists going to Portugal will choose between visiting the capital Lisbon or Porto, said the Abroad with Ash travel blog, “I would say Porto should be your first pick”. Porto “packs a lot into a small city”, it’s 100% walkable, the entrance to the stunning Douro Valley wine region, has “better restaurants and hotels (in my opinion)”, feels safer, and offers a lot more “old-world charm”. Lisbon is cool but Porto is “more unique and memorable”.

Porto is undergoing a “magical moment of rejuvenation” and helping drive the transformation is a “resurgent cultural scene”, said destination expert Oliver Balch in The Telegraph . But the city is not about to “tart itself up and pimp itself out” for the tourists just yet, Portuenses “love their old world ways too much to give them up”. In short, what’s on offer is “the best of both worlds”.

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Buildings and museums

Porto is bursting with beautiful structures: blue-tiled churches here, Eiffel-designed bridges there. Be sure to gasp at twin-towered Sé do Porto cathedral – and climb to its mesmerising miradouro (lookout) – and nearby Sao Bento station’s blue-and-white azulejo tiles. Then, for more modern kicks, admire Casa da Musica , a concert hall hewn from stark white concrete, and the Serralves , Portugal’s finest contemporary art museum. The Clérigos Tower, a 75-metre bell tower, which “watches lovingly over the city”, is arguably Porto’s most iconic silhouette, said Time Out . “Given its prominent position, you can get some amazing 360° views of the city from the top, but you’ll have to climb 225 steps to get there.”

World of Wine

Five years in the making, the World of Wine is, as the name suggests, a homage to all of the elements that go into producing your favourite tipple. The 55,000sqm site sits just below the famous Yeatman Hotel, with an expansive square at its heart and spectacular views down to the Douro river and the Dom Luís I Bridge. There’s museums, restaurants, shops and experiences to enjoy in Porto’s wine district.

Port experiences

On the Douro river’s southern shore, a 15-minute drive from Porto’s centre, is Vila Nova de Gaia (aka Gaia) and the original old port lodges of companies like Cockburn’s and Croft. Take in a tasting or a walking tour.

Potter in Porto

Livraria Lello is one of the world’s oldest bookstores and frequently ranked as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, said Harrison Jacobs on Business Insider . Many say that it was the “direct inspiration” for J.K. Rowling and her Harry Potter books – the author lived in Porto from 1991 to 1993. Every day thousands of Potter fans flock to Livraria Lello and this “can make the cramped bookstore feel like a tourist trap”. Despite the crowds, “I still enjoyed my visit”.

A glut of design-focused, multipurpose spaces have materialised in recent years, most hawking desirable handmade products. Lobo Taste and Scar.ID are two such, while Armazém is an old wine warehouse turned cafe, gallery and shops, selling everything from vintage clocks to chic handbags.

Porto’s chicest residents clink pink port and tonics at The Yeatman's suntrap rooftop. Set on the calmer side of Porto away from the bustle at the heart of the city, The Yeatman lies on the south bank of the mouth of the Douro river nestled amongst the old port wine warehouses. Its vantage point means it’s blessed with magnificent views across the waters, taking in the spectacular Luís I Bridge and the city itself.

The Yeatman Porto review: a luxury hotel for wine lovers Vila Foz Hotel & Spa review: a luxurious palace in Porto

Take a 15-minute drive from Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, Porto’s main travel hub, and you reach the striking Vila Foz Hotel & Spa ; it takes its name from the locale in which it sits, one of Porto’s swankier districts.

The Yeatman got a 9/10 expert rating in The Telegraph ’s list of Porto’s best hotels. Other properties to get that mark include Torel Palace, “one of the finest examples of Porto’s period of romantic architecture”, and the InterContinental Porto, a five-star “gem” in the city’s accommodation crown.

The main international airport, Francisco Sá Carneiro , is located around 12km north of Porto’s city centre. Visitors from the UK can fly into Porto direct from a number of airports, including Birmingham (Ryanair), Bristol (easyJet), Edinburgh (Ryanair), Liverpool (Ryanair and Transavia), London Gatwick (British Airways, easyJet, TAP), London Luton (easyJet and Wizz Air), London Stansted (Ryanair), and Manchester (easyJet and Ryanair).

Porto is also a popular cruise destination – its main terminal is located at the Port of Leixões , less than 5km away from the city. River cruises in Porto and the Douro are also very popular with visitors.

Where to eat

If you want a taste of Porto then head to one of the three restaurants that have been awarded one Michelin star : Restaurant Vila Foz (contemporary cuisine), Antiqvvm (creative) and Pedro Lemos (modern). In Diferente (international) was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Petiscos (Portuguese tapas) are available in most bars and restaurants, but the classic snack is something saltier. “Being so near to the sea, Porto is famous for its fish,” said Margarida Ribeiro, an editor of Porto Tasty . “I suggest Taberna São Pedro: it’s a very traditional seafood restaurant that few tourists know.”

Where to drink

A bookstore focused on art and cinema by day, Café Candelabro transforms into a bar after-dark, although many guests congregate on the pavement just outside. It’s the kind of place that is effortlessly but unpretentiously hip: everyone’s friendly and welcoming. Bottles of Super Bock beer cost only a few euros and DJs play late on weekends.

Wine and port

The most well-known wine region in Portugal is the Douro Valley – the wines produced here have become “legendary”, said Meagan Drillinger in Travel + Leisure . Here, visitors can taste the esteemed port, as well as other Douro wines, Muscat, and sparkling varieties. Of course, it’s possible to sample local ports without leaving the city of Porto. Cross the river into Vila Nova de Gaia, which boasts a majority of the port storehouses and hosts frequent tastings. “We especially love Porto In A Bottle, Touriga Vinhos de Portugal, and Vinologia, for port samplings,” Drillinger said.

In his local’s guide in The Guardian , Oliver Balch suggested that if you’re doing a “whistlestop” visit to Porto then a guided tour is probably a good idea. “Porto’s tourist route is now well-worn, but wonderful nonetheless,” he said. The destination expert also gave an insider’s tip in his guide on The Telegraph . One “city hack” is to make use of Porto’s “fantastic” metro that takes you right to the heart of the city for just €2.60 (£2.20). “Most central destinations are then just a short walk or cab ride from Trinidade station.”

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Guest House Douro

In a restored relic overlooking the Rio Douro, these eight rooms have been blessed with gorgeous wooden floors, plush queen beds and marble baths; the…

ROSA ET AL Townhouse

This gorgeously done-up town house in the thick of Porto's art district has suites with hardwood floors and freestanding claw-foot bathtubs, a lovely…

Torel Avantgarde

High on a hill in Miragaia, this decadent five-star boutique hotel is a winner. Named after prominent avant-garde artists, designers and musicians – from…

Canto de Luz

Aliados & Bolhão

Ah oui, this French-run guesthouse, just a five-minute walk from Trindade metro, is a delight. Rooms are light, spacious and make the leap between classic…

Gallery Hostel

A true travellers' hub, this hostel-gallery has clean and cosy dorms and doubles, a sunny, glass-enclosed back patio, a grassy terrace, a cinema room, a…

Porto River

Down by the Rio Douro and right in the thick of the action, Porto River is a class act. The owners have waved a magic wand over this old stone warehouse…

Bluesock Hostel

It's a winner: bang in the heart of the Ribeira and occupying a beautifully tiled historic townhouse, this hostel fuses plenty of original character with…

The Passenger

A night spent at the station is no longer a miserable prospect since the opening of this cool hostel in São Bento train station. Decorated with vintage…

Casa Carolina

Occupying a prettily tiled 19th-century building on Porto’s shop-lined Rua do Cedofeita, this charming little B&B is surprisingly peaceful and furnished…

Armazém Luxury Housing

Designers have waved a magic wand on this born-again 19th-century iron warehouse in central Ribeira. Rooms are slick and contemporary, with exposed stone,…

Pestana Porto - A Brasileira

The reopening of A Brasileira, the grand turn-of-the-century cafe that first fuelled Porto’s love affair with coffee in the early 1900s, has caused quite…

Flattered to be in Porto

Foz do Douro

Right in the heart of Foz these gorgeous apartments bear the hallmark of architect José Carlos Cruz. Modern Portuguese art brings a splash of colour to…

Maison Nos B&B

Stéphane and Baris go the extra mile to make you feel at home at their sweet, understated, stylish B&B, nuzzled within 14th-century walls in the Vitória…

B The Guest

Opposite Mercado do Bolhão, this boutique-chic guesthouse subtly fuses 19th-century architecture and 21st-century design. Splashes of colour and eye…

Belos Aires Apartments

The combined vision of passionate Argentinian-Portuguese husband-wife team, each of these five stylishly designed, stone-walled apartments has a theme –…

Oporto Loft

Housed in a lovingly converted 19th-century townhouse, this chic little B&B has a boutique feel and is conveniently placed for exploring the Jardins do…

Casa dos Caldeireiros

Wow, what a view! Snuggled down a backstreet and occupying a 17th-century town house, Casa dos Caldeireiros affords lofty vistas over Porto’s historic…

Vintage Guest House

Bemvindo (welcome) to one of Porto’s most adorable digs – a town house lovingly restored to seamlessly unite the vintage (antique furnishings, stucco,…

Flores Village Hotel & Spa

Right in the historic thick of things is this stunning spa hotel, occupying a late 18th-century townhouse. The pick of its plushly understated rooms and…

Porto A.S. 1829

This handsome blue townhouse sits on one of Porto’s liveliest squares, bang in the heart of Ribeira. Dating to 1829 – and in previous lives a stationer's…

This laid-back B&B has a central but tucked-away location. Decorated by local artists, each of the doubles has a theme and some have fine city views. Most…

Hotel Teatro

This design hotel stands in the spot of the 1859 Teatro Baquet, a swanky hideaway done up by interior designer Nini Andrade Silva. The theatre theme…

Rivoli Cinema Hostel

Easygoing staff, spotless dorms and rooms jazzed up with cool movie-themed decor, a chilled lounge with DVDs, a roof terrace and an inflatable pool in…

Castelo Santa Catarina

A whimsical, late 19th-century, pseudo-Gothic castle, this fabulously over-the-top hideaway has palm-shaded, azulejo-smothered gardens complete with its…

InterContinental Porto

In a painstakingly restored former palace on the central Praça da Liberdade, this is a top choice for business and leisure visitors, with classic decor…

Descobertas

Right in the thick of things in Ribeira, this new design-minded boutique hotel is inspired by Portugal's Age of Discoveries. The look combines pared-back…

Cats Hostel

Cats knows precisely what makes backpackers purr – the facilities are superb and the attractive rooms have thoughtful touches, including big lockers, good…

In Porto Gallery

Architects and artists have pitched in to create this guesthouse, dotted with original works. Muted colours, luxuriant fabrics and one-of-a-kind wall…

Pestana Vintage Porto

Right on the Douro and spread across a cluster of historic townhouses, this is one of Porto’s most sophisticated sleeps. Rooms maintain a fine balance…

Yours Guesthouse

Squirrelled away in one of the loveliest streets of old Porto, this guesthouse has bags of originality, with antiques speckling cheerfully decorated rooms…

Pensão Favorita

Pensão Favorita has inviting rooms of ample size with big windows, mid-century furnishings and wide plank floors. The rooms in the red-brick addition out…

Gaia Porto Hostel

Down by the river and just a cork-pop away from the port-wine lodges, this hostel has fabulous views of the Rio Douro and Ribeira, and a secluded garden…

Tiles Apartments

Cátia and David are your affable, clued-up hosts at this super-central apartment duo, glammed up with the namesake blue-and-white azulejos. The apartments…

Pousada da Juventude

In a bright, modern building above the Rio Douro, this hostel offers handsome doubles with balconies and sweeping river views, well-maintained four-person…

Moov Hotel Porto Centro

Set in a restored art deco building (and former cinema) on central Praça da Batalha, this place offers a dash of style at low prices. Rooms are slick and…

Casa das Laranjas

This squat, mint-hued town house resides in the heart of Foz, just a short amble from the sea. Its bright, wood-floored, beautifully refurbished rooms…

Charm Guesthouse Douro

Charming indeed, these Gaia digs have boutiquey flavour, with eye-catching fabrics, design elements and bursts of fuchsia and aquamarine in the stone…

Magnólia Hostel

You'll find a good vibe at this attractive, well-maintained hostel with a range of rooms spread over three floors of a converted town house. There's a…

Hotel Eurostars das Artes

This stylish hotel has a boutique feel with handsomely outfitted rooms featuring contemporary furnishings, spark­ling marble bathrooms and wi-fi. There’s…

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A dive into Portuguese culture and traditions​

The north of Portugal is full of good surprises. But it’s on the banks of the Douro River that Portugal hides one of its greatest jewels: The city of Porto. The city is small in size, but large in tradition and modernity as few others can. It’s smaller than Lisbon , but in terms of leisure and gastronomy offers, it does not fall behind. Not to mention that the Porto region is home to some of the best Portuguese wines, such as the elegant Douro DOC, the fortified Port wine, and the exclusive green wines.

It is no wonder that Porto has won the hearts of tourists, and for years it has been recognized as the ‘best destination in Europe.’ In this Porto travel guide, you will find tips on what to do, where to eat, the best regions to stay, and much more.

How to plan a trip to Porto

Essential information.

Information

Capital of Northern Portugal Language:  Portuguese. Distances:  Lisbon (313km), Coimbra (121km), Faro (551km). The name Porto  comes from the Latin expression Portus Cale , which means “the place where boats dock”. Curiosity:  The city is affectionately called “Invicta”, and the residents are known as “tripeiros”.

Transportation

How to get there

Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport (OPO) is less than 20 minutes from the city center. The transfer from the airport to the central region can be done by  metro ,  bus ,  transfer , or taxi/transport by an app. There are also trains and  bus lines  that run from Lisbon to Porto.

In the city

Getting around

You can get to know the main tourist spots on foot, by subway, or by apps. There are trams, trains, and tourist buses that take you for tours all over Porto. Traffic is intense. It is only worth renting a car if you want to go further and see other cities in the region.

Best time to go

Porto is a year-round destination. July and August are hotter, but prices rise, and the city is packed with tourists. September is grape harvest time being the best time for a tour in the Douro and its wineries. From November to February, it rains and is colder. Places are less busy and cheaper.

Best areas and regions

Baixa do Porto/Sé: Close to Everything

In terms of location, it is the best area to stay. It is right in the heart of the city, close to famous sights and subway stations. The charm is in walking through the streets and getting to know the traditional Porto architecture. There are hotels for all tastes (and all budgets).

Cedofeita: Trendy and Charming

It is the place for those who want to know the more artistic and young side of Porto. It has art galleries and conceptual stores within a reasonable distance of the city’s main monuments. If you want to stay in the hustle and bustle, check out the Rua Galeria de Paris, that’s where the many trendy bars and restaurants are located.

Ribeira: With the Douro River View

Do you know those classic photos that show the Luiz I bridge and the colorful houses of Porto in the background? They are a portrait of Ribeira. The hotels are a little more expensive, but, on the other hand, you have the privilege of waking up with the view of the Douro River.

Foz do Douro: Seaside and Sophisticated

Foz do Douro is known for being one of the noblest regions of Porto, with excellent infrastructure and the advantage of being seaside. The hotels are more expensive, but the location is ideal for those looking to relax a bit further from the tourist center.

Best hotels and accommodation

Where to stay in porto.

Our Selection

Where to stay in Porto: Best regions and accommodations

Things to see, porto in frames.

Porto is a city that stands between the traditional and the modern.  You will notice this when walking through the streets and see fancy buildings sharing space with century-old buildings rich in architectural details. Take a look at the traditional Portuguese tiles on the threshing floors and banks of the street markets. Ah, if you can, take some time at the riverside and watch the boats come and go in the Douro without haste.

Foods and drinks

What to eat in porto.

Portuguese cuisine is wonderful. At every corner, you will find more and more restaurants, emporiums, bars, taverns… The most popular ones are faithful to traditional recipes and take advantage of those homemade seasonings that resemble grandma’s house. Expect to find a simple (but very friendly) service, combined with hearty meals, authentic and entitled to a lot of wine and seafood.

For a few years now, the gastronomic scene in Porto has gained a new face. Hipsters cafes, good vegetarian options, and restaurants by renowned chefs – with Michelin stars. The offer is quite democratic: from small taverns with popular prices to fine dining restaurants with more expensive menus.

5 Must-try Foods & Drinks

Francesinha.

A symbol of Porto,  Francesinha is a sandwich  that takes bread, steak, sausage, ham – all covered with melted cheese and a slightly spicy sauce. If not enough, it comes with potato chips as an accompaniment.

Where to eat? 

Yuko Tavern, Café Santiago, Brasão Cervejaria.

It is on the menu of most restaurants in the city. Get ready to try different versions of cod dishes , from dumplings and stews to hamburgers and pies.

Terra Nova, Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau or Bacalhoeiro in Vila Nova de Gaia.

Tripas à Moda do Porto

Legend has it that the recipe appeared at the time of the Great Navigations. It is still a classic, even today. The stew is made with sausage, tripes, and white beans.

A Cozinha do Manel, or Líder Restaurant.

It is the typical drink of northern Portugal. Compared to regular wines, fortified wine is sweeter and stronger (the alcohol content can reach 22%).

Where to drink? 

Wine Quay Bar, Capela Incomum or at the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia.

A famous ingredient in many Portuguese dishes along the entire coast. In Porto, it is no different. Be sure to try the breaded octopus fillets and the Octopus à Lagareiro’, seasoned with olive oil and garlic.

Puro 4050, Solar Moinho de Vento.

Best places to eat Francesinha in Porto

Places to visit, things to do in porto.

Porto gathers almost everything tourists look for in one place:  historical addresses, good restaurants, viewpoints, rivers, beaches, wineries, museums, art galleries, popular festivals … The truth is that the city of Porto is full of dishes for every type of traveler and offers programs that suit all tastes. If you have enough time, book at least three nights to get to know it.

Tip! Before setting up the itinerary, check if it’s worth purchasing the Porto.CARD . The card guarantees free entry to some museums and discounts up to 50% at various attractions and restaurants. It’s not expensive and can be  purchased online  or at  physical points of sale .

Historic center

The region is best explored on foot, going up and down the slopes and closely watching the century-old architecture. São Bento Station, Torre dos Clérigos,  Palácio da Bolsa  and Capela das Almas are unmissable. The famous  Lello bookshop  is also in the historic center.

Museums and cultural centers

There are more than 20 museums around Porto. A good part of them shares the history of Portugal and its traditions, such as the  Soares dos Reis National Museum  and the  FC Porto museum . Also, be sure to visit the contemporary exhibitions of the  Serralves Foundation  and check the  Casa de Música  (Music Hall) schedule.

Street markets and fairs

No place is better to know the Porto lifestyle than the popular markets and street fairs. The Bolhão Market is the most famous and traditional, but it is undergoing renovation since 2018. For now, it is possible to visit the  Temporary Market of Bolhão . There you will find flowers, fruits, meats, fish, bread… Now, to find antiques and trinkets, the right place is the Vandoma Fair, a flea market that opens every Saturday at Estádio do Dragão.

Boat trips along the Douro

Sailing the Douro River is one of the “mandatory” programs for everyone who goes to Porto. There are several tour options from the Ribeira marinas. The most traditional is the “River Douro 6 Bridges Cruise”, a more compact tour. But there are also options for tours in the Douro that include lunch, visits to wineries, and wine tasting. Read more on our Douro Valley Travel Guide .

Viewpoints (Miradouros)

Porto is even more beautiful when seen from above. There are more than 20 viewpoints spread throughout the city. Knowing this, keep your camera ready to get different angles of this beautiful city. The best views are from the viewpoints of Sé Cathedral, Crystal Palace Gardens (Jardim do Palácio de Cristal) and Passeio das Virtudes.

Port Wine Cellars

The Porto region has so many cellars that it’s difficult to choose which one to visit. Just cross the Luiz I bridge to reach Vila Nova de Gaia, and you’ll understand what the Portuguese mean by “the highest concentration of alcohol per square meter in the world.” It is not an exaggeration: the cellars are positioned almost in sequence. The most famous are  Graham’s ,  Taylor’s ,  Sandeman , and  Real Companhia Velha . At  Espaço Porto Cruz , you can find a bit of everything: the building has interactive exhibitions, a tasting room, a restaurant and a rooftop that serves cocktails based on regional wine – all with a view of the Douro River.

Not everyone knows, but the metro in Porto takes you to the beach. You can reach the coastal city of Matosinhos in less than half an hour from Trindade station. It is very popular with residents and tourists who want to swim and enjoy the seafood, whether at the Matosinhos Municipal Market or one of the many seafood restaurants. Another classic program is to visit the stores and factories of traditional Portuguese canned fish . Conserva Pinhais & Cia offers guided tours that tell about the fishing tradition and show the production processes that the brand has been using for over 100 years.

Itinerary Ideas

What to do in Porto, north of Portugal

Activities and tours, book tours in porto.

Private Tour in the Douro Valley with 2 Wineries

Private Tour in the Douro Valley with 3 Wineries

Green Wine Region Tour with Wine Tastings and Lunch

Douro Valley Wine Tour with 2 Wineries and Lunch

Porto Petiscos and Wine Tour

Douro Valley Wine Tour with 3 Wineries and Lunch

Douro Valley Tour: Wine Tastings, Boat Trip & Lunch

Porto Brunch Petiscos Tour

Explore the region, day trips from porto.

Located in the metropolitan region of Porto, Matosinhos is famous for its beaches. It has several options for walks, such as the Municipal Market and the Church of Bom Jesus. Take the opportunity to eat at seafood restaurants known as Marisqueiras.

The municipality of Guimarães is considered the birthplace of Portugal. A famous tourist spot is the Castle of Guimarães, built in the 10th century to protect the region against attacks by Vikings and Moors.

Braga is considered the oldest city in Portugal with more than 2,000 years old, famous for its gardens, churches, and palaces.

The city of Aveiro is also known as “Portuguese Veneza” for its river channels. Take the opportunity to try the sweet delicacy called ovos moles de Aveiro (soft eggs, made with egg yolk and sugar), a local gem.

Excellent place to spend a sunny day, either on the beach or walking by the sea. In addition to the traditional striped houses, Costa Nova attracts many people who enjoy water sports and good seafood restaurants.

Before your trip

Get inspired.

Porto (2017)

The film’s story revolves around two foreigners who know each other in Porto.

The Book of Disquiet (1982)

One of the best works of the great Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa.

Parts Unknown in Porto

Delicious memories of Anthony Bourdain discovering Porto. Season 9 Episode 8.

additional resources

More portugal.

Best tascas and restaurants to go in Lisbon

Luxury hotels with renowned restaurants in Portugal

Cod fish: Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá

What is Bacalhau: Meet the ‘faithful friend’ of Portuguese cuisine

Where to stay in Lisbon: Best areas and hotels

15 amazing places and cities to visit in Portugal

The 12 Best Boutique Hotels in Porto, Portugal

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Perched on the banks of Rio Douro, Porto is a beautiful coastal city in northwest Portugal . Equal parts attitude and opulence, the magnificent medieval city enchants with its historic architecture, flavor-packed food scene, blissful river walkways, and charming boutique hotels. Whether you want to admire the intricate façade of a centuries-old church or go nightclub hopping until the sun comes up, Porto always delivers!

While most of the world calls this city Porto or Oporto, locals affectionately refer to their home as “Invicta.” In Portuguese, this nickname means “invincible,” referring to the fact that Porto was never conquered during the 19 th -century Portuguese civil war. 

For a taste of Porto’s storied history, you’ll definitely want to stroll the cobblestone streets of the medieval Ribeira district, marvel at all of the Baroque 18th-century churches, or see the city’s most important historic sights on a popular tram tour.  Once you’ve had your fill of Porto’s historical wonders, you can take in views of the Rio Duoro from the Dom Luís I Bridge, sip port at one of Porto’s many famed wine cellars, or go shopping at the bustling Mercado de Bolhao.

It’s no surprise that this historic city is home to all sorts of incredible hotels. Porto offers a huge number of historic renovated palaces, state-of-the-art apartment-hotels, and ultra-luxurious boutique hotels perfect for your next getaway. 

There are so many, in fact, that you may have a hard time choosing the perfect place for your trip. To help make your decision easier, we’ve put together the top 12 best places to stay in Porto. 

Don’t forget to check out our web story: The 12 Best Boutique Hotels in Porto, Portugal

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or booking through one of our links we may earn a small commission (don’t worry, it’s at no extra cost to you).

Where to Stay in Porto

If you’re new to Porto, we suggest you stay in Centre-Baixa. Much of this area is a protected World Heritage Site, brimming with beautifully renovated historic buildings, trendy cocktail lounges, designer outlets, and some of the coolest hotels in Porto. Pretty much everything is within walking distance, but if you want to explore the surrounding areas, you can take advantage of the city’s superb public transport network.

Ribeira is a fantastic choice if you want to spend your days getting lost in charming backstreets before enjoying your evenings wining and dining in some of the city’s best restaurants. Even though it’s one of the oldest parts of Porto, Ribeira is also home to some of the city’s best nightclubs and cocktail bars.

For a more laid-back vacation, consider Miragaia. Here the streets are lined with fascinating antique shops, captivating art galleries, peaceful cafes, and gorgeous historical buildings that many miss out on by restricting themselves to the tourist zones. You’ll also find some of the best boutique hotels in Porto in this neighborhood. 

1. Zero Box Lodge Porto

One of the most unique hotels in Porto, Zero Box Lodge invites you to try a new type of hotel, one made up of individual wooden box rooms housed in a former bank. Staying in a box doesn’t sound like a lot of fun at first, but the concept and design of the hotel are sure to win you over!

Each room is designed to help you relax and enjoy the simple things in life. There’s no TV, minibar, or tub. Instead, your picture-perfect room comes with a private bathroom with complimentary toiletries, a large bed with comfortable bedding, and air conditioning. 

O Carniceiro is the hotel’s onsite restaurant. In the morning, you’ll find a wonderful selection of sweet, savory, healthy, and indulgent dishes up for grabs. As time goes by, more international dishes are added to the menu, each with a pleasantly unexpected twist. 

In the evening, head to the Big Bad Bank Bar for one of their incredible signature cocktails, or have a quick session in the sauna to relax you before bed.

Check Prices on Booking.com

Check Prices on Hotels.com

2. Infante Sagres

A meeting point for the city’s elite for decades, Infante Sagres is a remarkably opulent hotel, highly revered for its stylish surroundings, superior service, and unique blend of elegant and timeless sophistication. As soon as you step through the grand front doors, you’ll think you’ve walked into a castle, not a hotel!

One of the best things about Infante Sagres is its location. Set in the UNESCO World Heritage city center, all of the most important and iconic landmarks are within walking distance. After a long day exploring, head to the rooftop terrace, where you can relax in the Portuguese sunshine or take a dip in the refreshing plunge pool. 

Magnificently decorated with rich red carpets, fancy ironwork, and glittering chandeliers, Infante Sagres goes all out to impress you. Serving up a stylish and contemporary menu in a room with towering ceilings, Vogue Cafe encourages you to leave the ordinary world behind and embrace everything elegant and indulgent.

At the end of a long day, you’ll love unwinding in your luxury room. You can choose from eight different room types. But if you want to go all out, the Royal Suite is well worth it for its lavish living room, spacious bedroom, and beautiful marble bath.

3. Malmerendas Boutique Lodging

Feel close to nature without leaving the city by staying at Malmerendas Boutique Lodging . Set inside a renovated 19 th -century building, this stunning hotel is just steps away from the Bolhao Market, the emblematic São Bento Railway Station, and the Santa Catarina shopping street.

Here you’ll find four luxurious suites and two beautiful studios, each of which has been constructed and decorated according to the style of the original building. No two accommodation options are alike, and each includes distinct details and features which combine the hotel’s colorful past with its progressive present.

A wonderful place to relax and reflect on your day, Malmerendas Boutique Lodge offers a peaceful private garden where you can enjoy breakfast each morning under the shade of tall, thick trees. Return to the secret garden in the afternoon or evening for the chance to treat yourself to an exclusive tasting made up of locally produced port wines.

4. Porto A.S. 1829 Hotel

A one-of-a-kind hotel in the perfect location, Porto A.S. 1829 Hotel is tucked away in between Avenida dos Aliados and Ribeira in the heart of Old Town Porto. Only a short walk away from must-visit sites – such as the Douro River, Palácio da Bolsa, and Palácio da Bolsa – this hotel is ideally positioned for exploring Porto on foot.

Almost two centuries ago, the hotel was a quaint bookstore, but today the charming 41 guest rooms have breathed new life into the building while still displaying many original items that were once featured in the store. Beautifully decorated in tranquil shades of gray and green, the rooms all have huge windows that allow plenty of light inside. Depending on which room you choose, you’ll love the thoughtful touches, from beautifully-tiled baths with freestanding soaking tubs to beautiful writers’ desks with vintage typewriters.

A former art gallery where local artists showcased their work, the hotel’s Galeria Do Largo restaurant is the perfect place to try seasonal Portuguese cuisine. If you visit on a Friday, you’ll be able to try their tapas menu and savor 10 of the chef’s carefully selected dishes. 

5. Torel 1884

Without a doubt one of the best boutique hotels in Porto, Torel 1884 is set inside a former palace located in the center of the city. Boasting many of its original features, including a winding staircase, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a glamorous crowning skylight, this hotel will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

Inspired by the visiting Portuguese travelers who stayed there before venturing to all parts of the world, each room at Torel 1884 is decorated in a different style. Named after the spices, silk, coffee, tea, porcelain, and tapestries that were discovered around the globe, the rooms feature separate living and sleeping spaces, wonderfully tall vaulted ceilings, and soft robes and slippers. If you want some extra space, the hotel also has 11 roomy apartments just 200 meters away along Porto’s trendiest street.

One of the best spaces inside Torel 1884 is Bartolomeu. The 32-seat wine bar and restaurant dishes up tapas-style small plates alongside an excellent wine menu with local and international bottles.

6. The Yeatman

Boasting the finest views of Porto and the Douro River, the Yeatman is something of a landmark attraction itself. A member of the distinguished Relais & Châteaux collection of hotels and renowned for its two-Michelin-star restaurant, the hotel is an excellent choice if you want to feel like a true VIP.

The Yeatman is set within 7 acres of land on the side of a hill, which overlooks Porto. While many parts of the hotel offer incredible views, you’ll find some of the best from the rooftop terrace. Here you can lounge on a comfy bed or swim up to the edge of the infinity pool and take in your surroundings.

The Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa is a great place to unwind with a bespoke treatment using natural ingredients sourced from the brand’s vineyard. If you prefer to drink your wine, you’ll fall in love with the wine cellar, where you can indulge in tailor-made wine flights. You can also purchase your favorite bottles at Yeatman Wine Shop.

Rooms are all individually decorated and boast subtle themes and décor paying homage to a well-known Portuguese wine producer. If you’re in town for a special occasion, the two-bedroom Luxury Suite has a private pool and garden, a king-size bed set inside a giant restored port barrel, and a luxurious bath with a copper soaking tub.

Check Price & Availability on Booking.com

7. PortoBay Flores

A five-star hotel that combines modern convenience with historic elegance, PortoBay Flores is set inside a grandiose 16 th -century palace with a brand new wing built from scratch. By contrasting genuine elements that date back hundreds of years with state-of-the-art tech, this hotel creates a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else.

A mature reading room with a stained glass ceiling, stone-clad lounges with roaring fireplaces, and an 18 th -century chapel are just some of the most compelling parts of the hotel. The modern Mandalay Spa Flores is just as tempting and offers a serene oasis in the middle of Porto Old Town.

We definitely recommend you make a reservation at Bistro Flores. Offering a new concept of “Bistronomy,” the dining room is set in what used to be old noble halls and is where you can indulge in authentic Portuguese dishes tastefully executed and accompanied by a wonderful selection of local wines by the glass. 

After dinner, you’ll love resting up in the chic rooms, which all boast plush beds with luxury linens, 55-inch smart TVs, and luxe baths with Rituals bath products.

8. InterContinental Porto

Housed in the extravagant 18 th -century Palacio das Cardosas in the center of Porto, InterContinental Port is within easy reach of the city’s major tourist attractions, making it an excellent base for exploring. But its unbeatable location isn’t the only reason this is one of the best hotels in Porto!

This outstanding hotel pairs age-old charm with state-of-the-art design to create its unique atmosphere. Sparkling chandeliers, velvet sofas, and marble columns blend harmoniously with amenities like the in-room Nespresso machines, cutting-edge gym equipment, and the restaurant’s innovative dishes.

Set aside some time for the incredible Astoria Brunch. Only available on weekends, this gourmet event is so delicious it’ll be a highlight of your trip!

The accommodation options come in the form of standard rooms, executive rooms, and suites. No matter which you choose, you’ll enjoy captivating city views, a plush bed, free WiFi access, and a huge marble bathroom with complimentary toiletries. 

If you like your space, we suggest making a reservation for a duplex suite. Spread out over two floors, these large rooms include two bathrooms and a separate living space.

9. Le Monumental Palace

Le Monumental Palace is just a few minutes’ walk away from Rue des Galeries de Paris, where you’ll find some of the city’s coolest cafes, bars, restaurants, and shops. This boutique hotel is an excellent choice if you want to immerse yourself in Porto’s dynamic culture. If you’re not in the mood to go out, you can order yourself a coffee at Cafe Monumental, the hotel’s highly-acclaimed café, which has been running since 1930.

Here you’ll find a fantastic choice of accommodation in the form of 63 guest rooms and 13 suites. Whichever option you go for, you’ll be rewarded with unique fabrics designed exclusively for the hotel, beautiful color palettes that inspire relaxation, and a Nespresso coffee machine. 

If you’re celebrating a special occasion, we recommend you stay in the Suite Monumentale. An apartment-style suite decorated like an old bourgeoisie home, this suite comes with a gigantic living space, huge windows, and a gorgeous marble bathroom with a freestanding tub.

Breakfast is an epicurean affair here! If you’re in no rush, you can treat yourself to the a la carte breakfast, which is served in your room or the dining room. Alternately, pick up a picnic breakfast and enjoy it in one of Porto’s lush parks.

10. M Maison Particulière

With all the luxury of a leading five-star hotel packed into a small regal property, M Maison Particulière is a cleverly redesigned 16 th -century house tucked away on one of Porto’s most beautiful streets. Framed by quaint cafes, intriguing boutiques, and delightful restaurants, this hotel is a fantastic place to stay if you want to experience a more local side of the city.

The elegant reception area is overseen by a dramatic chandelier and provides a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of the outdoors. The rough stone walls, original mosaic artwork, hidden marble busts, and dark wood furniture makes it feel like you’re staying in a real castle!

You won’t find any standard rooms here. Instead, each accommodation choice is distinctly different. The 10 suites on offer all feature a unique layout and design. From a magnificent wood-carved ceiling and private patio with city views to original artwork and period furniture, no two rooms are alike!

11. Exmo. Hotel

Exmo. Hotel is a cozy, welcoming hotel that encourages you to feel at home and integrate yourself into Porto’s inviting culture. Plus, the hotel enjoys a fantastic location, with Ribeira Square, Douro River, and Palacio da Bolsa practically on its doorstep.

Most of the rooms here are minimalist, with neutral color palettes, huge bathrooms, ultra-comfy beds, and great views. Some of the rooms do have their own touch of character in the form of exposed brick walls or quaint balconies. 

If you want something special, we recommend the Terrace Suite. Found on one of the highest floors of the hotel, this deluxe suite has unbeatable city views and a luxury bathroom with a double sink and designer toiletries.

Exmo. Bar is a great place to visit any time of day. In the morning, you can dig into a leisurely brunch featuring fresh, locally sourced products. As the day progresses, the menu transforms, offering a delightful choice of light meals that change according to the season. To help you relax, you’ll also find a selection of creative cocktails, craft beers, and hot beverages. 

12. Torel Palace Porto

An exquisite palace in the heart of Porto, Torel Palace Porto is a breathtaking mansion that’s been transformed into a remarkable five-star hotel. The building dates back to 1861 and has been delicately renovated, keeping as many original features as possible.

Torel Palace Porto is home to BLIND, one of the most incredible restaurants in Porto. Unlike anything else you’ve ever experienced, this restaurant offers secret 8- and 10-course menus accompanied by selected wines. You don’t know what you’ll get until it arrives, and when you do, you’re encouraged to eat and drink with your eyes closed to engage your other senses!

Other highlights of the hotel include the Calla Wellness & Spa, where you can pamper yourself with a comprehensive treatment menu complemented by Phyt’s organic and ecologically certified skincare line. Alternately, relax in the hotel’s outdoor swimming pool, which is hidden away from the rest of the world by thick vines and lush greenery.

The boutique hotel boasts 24 luxurious rooms and suites named after a Portuguese writer or poet. No matter which one you choose, you’ll love the blend of mid-century and classic furniture, funky artwork, and marble-clad bathrooms.

That completes our list of the 12 best boutique Porto hotels! Did we miss any cool boutique hotels in Porto? Comment below so we can add them to the list!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Boasting the finest views of Porto and the Douro River, the Yeatman is something of a landmark attraction itself. If you prefer to drink your wine, you’ll fall in love with the wine cellar, where you can indulge in tailor-made wine flights. You can also purchase your favorite bottles at Yeatman Wine Shop.

Torel Palace Porto is home to BLIND, one of the most incredible restaurants in Porto. Unlike anything else you’ve ever experienced, this restaurant offers secret 8 and 10-course menus accompanied by selected wines. You don’t know what you’ll get until it arrives, and when you do, you’re encouraged to eat and drink with your eyes closed to engage your other senses!

Housed in the extravagant 18th-century Palacio das Cardosas in the center of Porto, InterContinental Port is within easy reach of the city’s major tourist attractions, making it an excellent base for exploring. But its unbeatable location isn’t the only reason this is one of the best hotels in Porto!

Nicola is a freelance writer with an insatiable hunger for travel. She swapped her home in the UK for the sunny Canary Islands when she was just 11 and she has been based there ever since. From crawling on her hands and knees inside pyramids in Egypt to swimming with baby sharks in Bali and searching (fruitlessly!) for the Northern Lights in Iceland, Nicola takes every chance she gets to explore new places. The incredible experiences she has around the world fuels her writing and inspires her to plan even more adventures for the future.

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HELPING YOU PLAN YOUR PERFECT TRIP TO PORTUGAL

Guided walking tour: highlights of porto.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure policy  for further information.

By Mike Homer

I always feel that one of the best ways to get a feel for a city is to find a walking tour that covers the “must see” highlights, led by an enthusiastic local with plenty of insider knowledge.

That’s exactly what I got on this 3-hour small group walking tour of Porto (it’s also available as a private tour if you prefer).

After refilling my water bottle in preparation, I and four other enthusiastic travellers met our guide for the afternoon, Lia, a vibrant native of Porto with a welcoming smile.

A quick introduction to each other and we were soon on our journey to discover the foremost Porto sights .

The first stop was just a short distance downhill where we could see along the Douro River and take in a few of the many bridges. Lia gave us quite a detailed history of Portugal and how the capital city changed location throughout the ages.

She mentioned that when Lisbon became the country’s capital, no official papers were registered, so the title of capital city actually reverts to the previously registered one, i.e. Coimbra! (I’m not sure what Lisboetas would make of this!)

Porto Cathedral

After stopping at the stately horseback statue of Vimara Peres and taking in the views, Lia told us about the history of Porto’s Romanesque Cathedral. Constructed in the 12th century, it apparently houses more azulejos (tiles) than anywhere else in Portugal. You can see some of these in the open-sided passageway to the left of the main entrance.

Although we didn’t go inside the cathedral, Lia did invite us to take a close look at the wall by the entrance. There are two lines gouged into the stone work (see photo), used to measure a length of cloth sold in the market in front of the building. The lower mark is supposedly the length of a forearm, a measurement previously used when buying textiles. 

After being invited to place our own arms on the mark, it was evident that it was much longer than it should be; about 6 inches, in fact. The story goes that the locals felt they were being undersold by the merchants so, every night, someone would creep in the dark and scratch a little more stone out. Thus, the measurement got longer and longer!

Down to Ribeira

If you’re walking in Porto it’s difficult to avoid hills and steps. As we headed downhill towards the Douro River, we passed through the ‘Arch of Truth’ (where wives were not allowed to lie to their husbands) and chatted about the old houses with their small doors. These low doorways are not for short Portuguese people but for their animals, who used to be kept on the ground floor beneath the living quarters, for warmth.

As we strolled along Ribeira we saw various teenagers precariously perched on the outside of the Dom Luís I bridge. In warmer months, it’s quite common to find small groups of boys encouraging passers-by to part with a little money to see their colleague leap into the river. Apparently, this can be quite a lucrative pastime! 

Boats and festivals

Whilst at the riverside, Lia explained about the rabelo boats that were used to transport barrels of port wine from the vineyards much further upstream in the Douro Valley .

On June 24th, which is the São João festival in Porto, you can see many of these boats race along the Douro , each manned by one of the major port wine houses. However, the night before is a huge party where people go around bopping each other on the head with plastic hammers. Sounds fun!

As the afternoon wore on we wandered past the Igreja de São Francisco and Palácio da Bolsa and headed up Rua das Flores towards Porto’s most beautiful train station. 

São Bento train station

A convent until 1834, the building was first used as a train station in 1916. What happened to it in the intervening 82 years? Well, the abolition of Portuguese monasteries came into effect from 1834, all of the nuns who had been living there were allowed to stay there for life. However, a 14-year-old girl had just joined the sisterhood and lived to a ripe old age, meaning that the state had to wait a long time to take over the property.

The beautiful tile panels show significant moments from Portuguese history as well as insights into bygone lifestyles.

Lello bookstore

Any Porto walking tour needs a break, especially on a hot August afternoon. After a welcome café stop for refreshments, we were now approaching the Clérigos area and the final stages of our tour.

We didn’t join the long, snake-like queue to go into the famous Lello bookshop (you need to purchase tickets in advance if you want to go inside). Instead, Lia explained the many Harry Potter connections in the area, from the grand staircase found within the bookshop, to students’ attire and even the griffin fountain just around the corner.

We couldn’t walk through Jardim da Cordoaria due to roadworks but we did spot the unusually bulbous sycamore trees  lining the pathways. Legend has it that all of the badness and disease from the nearby hospital was absorbed into these trees. Actually, it was a nasty fungus.

Clérigos Tower

An informative stroll past the courthouse and the former prison led us to our final stop, the Torre dos Clérigos, with its 75-metre tall bell tower, which can be seen from various points of the city and is one of Porto’s most characteristic symbols. 

The verdict and tips

Overall, this was a very pleasurable Porto walking tour, with lots of interesting information and a relaxed pace. If you do decide this is the tour for you, remember to take plenty of water and be prepared for quite a few steps and the notorious hills of Porto.

Another nice touch was that shortly after the tour had finished, we were sent lots of recommendations for restaurants, museums, etc.

For further information, click on the questions below:

No, but information is given regarding prices and the best time to visit.

It is a 3 hour walking tour and Porto is very hilly. I have a dodgy knee and I must admit it became quite painful later on. One alternative option would be Julie’s Flexible Self-Guided Walking Tour , where you can do everything at your own pace.

Yes. Just choose the private option when you book.

Alternatives

If you’d prefer to walk without a guide, try Julie’s Flexible Self-Guided Walking Tour of Porto , which you can do in 1 day or split over two if you have more time.

If you’re looking for more Porto ‘must sees’ check out this 40 Of The Most amazing Things To Do In Porto post .

Over to you. Please share your thoughts in a comment. Cancel reply

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Portugal Is Booming — but in This Tiny Seaside Town, Life Moves as Slowly as Ever

One writer finds her own private Portugal in Porto Côvo, a fishing village in the Alentejo.

The Alentejo region is Portugal 's largest, covering much of the southern third of the country, and its least densely populated. The terrain varies wildly — from vineyards and rolling farmland dotted with cattle to sprawling, shadowy groves of cork trees — and the culture is rooted deeply in land and sea. Nearly everyone in Portugal has a place in the Alentejo to reminisce about — a personal Eden. For me, that place is Porto Côvo, a seaside town about two hours south of Lisbon .

Porto Côvo gained prominence as a trading post for the Carthaginians. And while much history, and many populations, have shaped the coast over the years, this whitewashed fishing village retains the languid pace common to tiny, ancient places.

An increase in overseas tourism (and newfound affluence in Lisbon) has recently brought an influx of weekenders to the Alentejo, but Porto Côvo remains sleepy. No crowds throng the praças, the cobblestoned village squares. It's easy to find yourself alone on a secluded fine-sand beach, staring out at the wild swells — where you'll often see the growing community of surfers who have fallen in love with Porto Côvo, thanks in part to Alentejo native André Teixeira and his pioneering surf school, Costazul Surf . You can wander out of shouting distance from other humans as you walk a portion of the Rota Vicentina , 280 miles of peaceful trails running along the coast and into the interior. The path incorporates a historic pilgrimage route, with devoted travelers traversing the entire length to Cabo de São Vicente — where a lighthouse now stands on the ruins of a Franciscan monastery. Pousadas have sprung up along the way to accommodate them.

My husband and I first visited Porto Côvo when I was four months pregnant with our twins. Everything was about to change for us, so we were happy to submit to the region's slowness with long strolls and lazy lunches. I often clambered down one of the steep staircases to the beach, where Atlantic surf pounded the yellow sand, to take a good nap under the rocky cliffs. When I imagine these beaches' rugged, seafaring past, it stirs in me that distinctive Portuguese feeling of delicious longing: saudade .

Climbing back to the village, I would head to one of Porto Côvo's tiny restaurants. Most are simple spaces hardly decorated save for colorful tile behind the bar. No matter which one I chose, a basket of soft bread with fresh butter would come out first, accompanied by local goat cheese and sardine pâté, its richness cut with briny olives. I would pause between bites to order a carafe of the local white wine. (The ancient Phoenicians and Greeks brought viticulture to the Alentejo, and the wine, reflecting its terroir, is redolent with stone and salt.) My order became routine: presunto de pata negra, the well-marbled ham of the black pig; a bowl of clams cooked in white wine; and a platter of the morning's catch. At Taska do Xico , that means choco frito (fried cuttlefish), which you can eat with your fingers and a generous squeeze of lemon. At Zé Inácio , the specialty is grilled octopus curled atop boiled carrots, potatoes, and cabbage.

We later returned to Porto Côvo with our 18-month-old twins in tow. The Portuguese adore children, who are welcome everywhere — including at our favorite inn , Cabeça da Cabra , a few miles outside town. Owner Maria Santos grew up nearby. After many years of working long hours in Lisbon, she bought an old schoolhouse, sight unseen, and slowly converted it into a small hotel. Over the years, she herself has also transformed. A former engineer, she now spends her days preparing breakfasts with fruit from her garden, tending to her olive trees, and hanging the wash while donkeys bray in the fields.

It was through Santos that we discovered our favorite restaurant in Portugal: O Amândio , lovingly nicknamed "Julinha" in honor of the matriarch who still works the massive wood-fired grill. Whenever we go, which is now often, we order whatever Julinha has on special, whether it's morcela, the local blood sausage, or whole grilled robalo. After rubbing elbows with locals at the communal table, we often go for a leisurely drive up the coast.

On our most recent Porto Côvo visit, looking for a bit of space to spread out, we found a villa called Casão . Its name translates, literally, to "big house." This whitewashed former coal silo on the outskirts of town has a terrace that catches the sea breeze and looks out on the open ocean and Pessegueiro Island. Our children rushed to throw open the French doors, delighted at the nearness of the wild Atlantic. My husband and I poured glasses of wine and ate local cheese on the sandy stairs overlooking the rocks. We watched the twins pointing excitedly at the gulls diving for their supper. This is my Porto Côvo: fleeting saudade and sweet nothingness, golden sunlight and the smell of the sea.

A version of this story first appeared in the November 2019 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline My Own Private Portugal.

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