Portugal’s second city, sometimes referred to as Lisbon’s little sister is an absolute delight.
It’s hilly, colourful, charming, authentic and steeped in history and has everything you need for the perfect city break. Whether you’re in town for the weekend or midweek, you’ll be able to tick off everything off on this Porto list in two days and still have some time to spare. Be sure to add this gem to your travel bucket list!
Take a Free Walking Tour
A free walking tour is a great way to orientate yourself with and to see the beautiful city of Porto. There are a number of outfits offering free walking tours, we throughly enjoyed ours with Take Free Tours.
Our guide shared with us the history of the city, her local knowledge, and lots of tips on things to eat, see and do. The tour includes many of the must see sites including the Sao Bento train station (famous for it’s 20,000 blue and white tiles picturing Porto’s history.)
The tour lasts for about 2.5 hours and is a great way to see the city if you’re short on time and/or it’s your first visit. Although the walking tour is ‘free,’ you guide still needs to make a living wage so be sure to carry some cash so that you can ‘tip’ them for their time at the end of the tour.
Stroll Across Ponte de Dom Luis I
This double deck bridge spans the river Douro and is as iconic as it is eye-catching. It connects Porto to the wine houses of Nova de Gaia and you can walk or catch a metro across the top level of the bridge – the views are simply stunning. The lower deck also has pedestrian access but the road is reserved for cars and bikes.
See the City From the Furnicular dos Guindais
Although not quite as impressive as the cable car across the river in Nova de Gaia, the furnicular offers an alternative way to navigate the city with a side of some amazing views.
The single track railway climbs the steep hill from the Ribeira neighbourhood to the Batalha area. It’s a great way to see the city and at the same time, save your legs. The fare for the three minute ride is €3.50 for a one way ticket and €6 for a return.
We’d heard that queues can be lengthy but we didn’t have to wait at all for our ride down the hill. Try and be the first on board to score a window seat so you can fully appreciate the views of the Ponte de Dom Luis I, the medieval walls and the waterfront wine cellars and port houses.
Get a Bird’s Eye View of the Douro on the Gaia Cable Car
Once you’ve crossed the Dom Luis I bridge to Nova de Gaia, take a ride high above the banks of the Douro River on the Teleferico de Gaia.
During the high flying ride you can enjoy fantastic views of the Ribeira district in Porto and the red roofs of the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Even if like me, you’re not a fan of heights do consider riding the cable car because the views are sensational and it’s far easier than walking up and down to the top level of the bridge!
The ride takes about 5 minutes, costs €7 one way/€10 return and each car can accommodate up to 8 people- if you’re lucky you’ll get one to yourself.
Sail Away and See The Six Bridges
We love a good boat trip and this one does not disappoint! Sit back and relax on this cruise on a Rabelo boat along the River Douro and see all six bridges that connect Porto and Novo de Gaia.
You can take the boat from the Riberia waterfront or from Nova de Gaia Quay. We chose the latter and bought the ticket just before boarding. We sailed away with Douro Azul but there are a number of operators along the riverfront with the same offering.
A return trip takes about 50 minutes and costs approximately 15 euros. Boats run every hour from 9.30am to 6.30pm in summer (March to October) and from 10.30am to 4.30pm in winter (November to February.)
When in Porto, Taste Port
Porto is famous for it’s port even though almost all the port lodges are found across the river in the city of Nova de Gaia. The reason for this dates back to the thirteenth century when Porto was ruled by the bishop who decided to tax all the boats moored in the city. King Alfonso wanted to dodge the taxes so established a second port across the river in Nova de Gaia.
Nova de Gaia became the epicentre for transporting grapes from the upper Douro and in the eighteenth century it became law that all port must be aged in Nova de Gaia.
The Port houses offer a choice of organised port cellar tours and tasting sessions in Nova de Gaia but if you prefer to fly by the seat of your pants and be a little more independent, you can turn up at one of the riverside port houses and taste at your own pace.
We opted for a port flight at Quinta Do Noval where we enjoyed great service, exceptional ports and optimal people watching. The shops at the Port houses are really a sight to behold but the port sold there is often a little on the expensive side. You’ll get more bang for your buck visiting the wine shops in Porto or even the supermarkets.
Eat, Drink and Shop at Mercado Del Bolhao
This two storey covered market selling fresh produce, meat and flowers (and everything else in between) is a must visit when you’re in Porto.
The market originally opened in 1914 but underwent an extreme makeover, reopening in 2022. The modern day market is sleek, clean and bright.
The market is known for it’s produce, the quality of which is next level. Some of the stalls seem to be more geared to tourists selling local specialities but even if you’re not in the market to purchase (excuse the pun) it’s a window shopping delight!
It’s open six days a week, closed on Sundays and open until 7pm on Monday to Friday and until 6pm on Saturday.
On the upper level of the market there are sit down restaurants and eateries. Downstairs, there is a great choice of reasonably priced food and drink options making the market a great destination for a light, brunch, lunch or dinner.
There are a number of wine merchants in the market, so you can sip while you stroll around the market. There are also a number of tables where you can perch with your edible delights, personally I can’t go past a cheese cone!
TIP! Next to the market you’ll find Manteigaria Fabrica de Pastels de Nata – famous for their pastel de nata AKA Portugese Custard Tarts which brings me neatly on to my next point…
Try the Porto-Gese Specialities
Although technically pastel de nata originated in Lisbon, let’s not split hairs. Portugal is world famous for these little custard tarts with crisp, flaky pastry shells filled with a delicious creamy egg custard filling – don’t leave town without trying one! We made it our business to try tarts from a variety of places and they were all impossibly good but our favourite was definitely Castro.
While Portugal’s most famous baked goods originated in Lisbon, Portugal’s most famous sandwich, the Francesinha originated in Porto. The Francesinha is made with layers of toasted bread stuffed with meats, cheese and swimming in a delicious tomato and beer sauce called molho de francesinha. It’s not healthy but it is all kind of delicious. Legend has it that Lado B has some of the best francesinha in town and we can vouch that it certainly passed the taste test.
Which of these activities tickles your fancy? And if you’ve ever been to Porto, what would you add to the list?
All these food, drinks and experiences were thoroughly enjoyed and independently paid for. All opinions are my own.
Linking up with Min for Wednesday Words and Whimsy
