Portugal’s vibrant second city lies on Portugal’s Atlantic coast on the steep banks of the Douro River, whose verdant valleys further inland are world famous for their wines. In our Porto guide, we will take a closer look at our ten favourite things to do in Porto.
A vibrant and fascinating city, Porto is packed with visually impressive sights, such as the various blue and white tiled buildings with murals and patterns depicted on their tiles (azulejos), or the different coloured facades of the terraced buildings along the riverfront of the buzzing Cais da Ribeira district.
The multitude of restaurants in Porto offer a tantalising array of local dining options, and a proud history of producing Porto Wine (which we more typically call Port in the UK). Porto is also relatively affordable for a European city break.
We hope our recommendations below will inspire you to visit this colourful city, and give you plenty of ideas to add to your Porto itinerary.
Disclosure : this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase or booking via links in the article, I may receive a small commission which can help the blog to grow. I only recommend hotels that we have personally stayed in and enjoyed.
1. Muralha Fernandina
A section of the original defensive city walls of Porto. You can see the fortifications and the original watchtowers of Muralha Fernandina, which are very well preserved.
This is perhaps one of the things to do in Porto which is somewhat under appreciated. You can access the battlements at Largo 1. de Dezembro, and enjoy some impressive vistas of the Douro River from here.
From here, it is a steep descent downwards to the riverbank, and there is a funicular railway that can save your legs on the way back up!
We recommend that you walk downwards from here to the riverbank through any of the steep winding stairways that you will see. It is quite easy as you are literally following gravity down towards the river.
As you descend through the twisting alleys and passageways you may be lucky enough to be greeted by the smells of sardines being grilled by locals on their barbecues, as you meander downwards to the buzzing waterfront area.
2. Soak up the atmosphere in the riverside Cais da Ribeira district
The Cais de Ribeira district of Porto is where multi-coloured terraced houses meet the riverbank. You will no doubt have seen photos of these houses taken from the other side of the riverbank with the traditional boats and the Ponte de Dom Luís I bridge in the foreground.
On this side of the river there is a lively buzz of energy day and night. Take your time here, watch buskers and breakdance crews, visit the craft stalls, and perhaps duck into one of the many bars or cafes for refreshments.
3. Walk across the Ponte de Dom Luís I bridge
Once you’ve had your fill of the energetic scene in Cais de Ribeira, take a stroll across the city’s iconic two-tiered metal arched bridge towards the Vila Nova de Gaia district on the other side.
You can cross on foot on either level. From the bottom level the bridge makes an easy access route between the two districts of Vila Nova de Gaia and Cais da Ribeira . Crossing the upper level will reward you with spectacular views over the city and the Duoro River.
4. Port tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia
Having crossed the bridge you will now find yourself in the district called Vila Nova de Gaia. Over here, there is also a great atmosphere, with numerous riverfront cafes, bars, and restaurants. The style of the buildings in this area is totally different, and in general Vila Nova de Gaia has quite an upmarket feel.
Several of the world’s major Port producers are here in Vila Nova de Gaia, many of which have English names (Taylor’s, Cockburn’s etc.). Most of these offer Port tours and tasting packages, which you can pre-book at Get Your Guide.
We enjoyed a fascinating tour and tasting at Fonseca, which included a fado show (traditional Portuguese music). We relaxed and sampled their offerings while we enjoyed the wonderful music. A port tasting is one of the essential things to do in Porto!
SEARCH AND BOOK PORT TASTING AND OTHER PORTO ACTIVITIES HERE
Another recommendation while you are in Vila Nova de Gaia is to visit World of Wine. This is a cultural district with various craft stores and restaurants. While we were there, a Christmas market was taking place inside, and we picked up some lovely gifts.
We also came back the following night and ate at WOW Restaurants | T&C, about which we were a little apprehensive as it has some quite indifferent Google reviews. However the service here was great, the interior absolutely stunning, and the food was very good. We were seated inside a huge old port barrel for our meal (see photo)!
5. Tackle a Francesinha
As you walk around Porto, you will no doubt see signs saying ‘Francesinha’ everywhere! Of course you will know that Portugal is famous for sardines and Pastel de Nata (small custard tarts), but a francesinha is the local delicacy, and trying one is absolutely something that you must do in Porto!
The dish is made with a holy trinity of meats, usually ham, sausage, and steak sandwiched between slices of white bread. Cheese is placed on top of this, which is then melted by pouring a hot spicy tomato sauce over the top. Sometimes it may be garnished with a fried egg! Fries are generally served on the side.
The Francesinha is by no means a life-giving health food, but you certainly should sample one while you’re in Porto. Maybe you can counteract it with a light salad the next day!
6. Admire the blue tiles (azulejos) at São Bento train station
Seeking out the intricate patterns or mural scenes depicted on ornate tiles (azulejos) is certainly one of the highlights of Porto.
One of the sites of interest in Porto which is a major draw is the main train station, São Bento. Inside the grand entrance hall of the station are huge blue and white tiled murals, which are indeed some of the finest in Porto.
Definitely worth a visit to take in the art works on the interior walls here and grab a few photos!
7. Experience the indoor Mercado do Bolhão
The Mercado do Bolhão is not a building that looks particularly inspiring from the outside, however once inside the large building you will find a bustling indoor market.
The market is absolutely worth a visit as a very authentic Porto experience to savour the bustling atmosphere. It is teeming with vendors selling beautiful fresh fruit and vegetables, charcuterie, pastries, wine, and gifts. Most notable of all were the stalls selling huge chunks of bacalhau (salt cod), which is another renowned Portuguese delicacy.
Come with a thirst and and empty stomach!
8. Capelo das Almas de Santa (Chapel of Souls) and other churches.
Porto has a number of unique churches which you can track down (or will likely stumble across on your travels). Most have the trademark blue and white tiled murals on the walls, and you can also enter either for free or for a very reasonable contribution.
One such example is Capelo das Almas de Santa (Chapel of Souls), which has the classic azulejos on the exterior and is a highly photographable spot.
The Church of São Francisco is notable for its incredible interior, and if you’re feeling energetic you could visit the Clérigos Church and ascend its 76 metre tower (225 steps!) for some sweeping views over the city.
9. Porto Cathedral
Worth mentioning separately is Porto Cathedral. Although not blessed with such a magnificent interior as other cathedrals that we have visited, it is well worth visiting for the views from the courtyard over the terracotta rooftops and to the Douro river beyond.
There is also quite an atmosphere here, with people coming to admire the views from the courtyard before descending the stairs to the Cais da Ribeira district. A busker was singing some covers in the courtyard during our visit, and inside the cathedral a service was in session.
Outside the cathedral, I took this photo of a pigeon who seemed to be contemplating the run down terraced buildings across the road.
10. Livraria Lello
Finally, this is one of the Porto attractions on our list which (along with the art nouveau style Café Majestic) most has the whiff of being a tourist trap about it. Nonetheless, it remains one of the essential things to see in Porto.
Said to have provided J.K. Rowling with some Harry Potter inspiration, this is one reason that this bookstore has become popular. The other reason for its popularity is that its interior is just so darn magnificent with its bright red curvaceous central staircase and the intricately carved wood panels. It is frequently seen on Instagram and Pinterest feeds.
Although an active bookshop, the Livraria Lello is so popular that you will need to buy an entrance ticket with a timeslot for your visit. You can book your tickets here. The ticket cost is redeemable if you make a book purchase.
We noted that several of the visitors had come here solely to take photos, and some had put on their best outfits for “influencer” shoots!
Getting there
We flew from London Luton to Porto with EasyJet, however there are a number of airlines offering flights from the UK direct into Porto airport.
SEARCH FOR FLIGHTS TO PORTO HERE
Read here how we upgraded our EasyJet flight to Porto to “business class”!
We stayed in Porto for three nights in early December. We found the weather to be milder than we expected, but jackets are advisable, as when darkness falls you do know that its winter. It was great to be here in December as there were Christmas markets and special events.
If we were to come again, we would perhaps consider visiting in early Spring for some pleasant but not overly hot weather.
We stayed at the wonderful Hotel Santa Catarina which was an attraction in itself, a small boutique hotel covered with artistic depictions on its blue tiled exterior walls, and possessing a grand interior.
Read our Hotel Santa Catarina review here
BOOK YOUR STAY AT HOTEL SANTA CATARINA HERE
Final thoughts
A long weekend in Porto makes for a perfect escape to enjoy some of the best food and drink in Europe, a wealth of historic and beautiful buildings and architecture, reasonable prices, and a generally buzzy and lively atmosphere.
Our list above can be split in two to make a perfect unhurried two day Porto itinerary, doing items 1-5 on day one).
We hope it inspires you to visit Portugal’s wonderful second city.
