Traveleriences
The Ribeira waterfront in Porto seen from the Dom Luís I bridge

Porto, Portugal

Ideal: 2–4 daysBest: May–OctPrice: Moderate
OverviewSeeEatHidden gemsDrinkAreasStayPracticalHistoryNearby

In 60 seconds

Porto in 60 seconds

Porto climbs steeply from the Douro in tiers of tiled façades, and it is best understood on foot and on the river: the Ribeira at the bottom, the Baixa's cafés and churches at the top, and the port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia across the double-decker bridge. Cross the bridge's upper deck at sunset for the view, and book the lodge tastings in Gaia ahead. Eat a francesinha once, then grilled fish in Matosinhos, the seaside suburb at the end of a Metro line. The city is steep, so wear proper shoes. It is less polished and better value than Lisbon. Two or three days covers the city; add one for the Douro Valley upstream.

History

Best for

  • Food
  • Architecture
  • Weekend
  • Budget

Known for

  • Port wine
  • Azulejo tiles
  • The Douro

Skip if

Hills are a problem. Almost everything worth seeing is up or down a steep street or a long flight of steps.

Your match

Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Porto fits them. Choose interests

See

Must experience

The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.

Ribeira & the Dom Luís I bridge

Riverfront · Double-decker bridge

Walk the upper deck of the bridge at sunset, then down to the waterfront for dinner.

RibeiraFreeSunset

Eat

Where to eat

A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?

Local

Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.

Café Santiago

Inexpensive

Francesinha · Since 1959

The francesinha — meat, cheese and beer sauce — at the address that set the standard for it.

BaixaClassicQueue

Taberna dos Mercadores

Moderate

Tiny Portuguese tavern

A dozen seats on Rua dos Mercadores, serving fish and northern Portuguese dishes. Arrive before opening.

RibeiraFishSmall

Cufra

Moderate

Beer hall · Francesinha · Since 1974

A wood-panelled Porto institution for francesinhas and seafood, loud on match nights.

BoavistaBusyFrancesinha

Casual

No booking, no ceremony, reliably good.

Conga

Inexpensive

Bifanas · Since 1976

Spicy pork bifanas in their secret sauce, at a family counter on Rua do Bonjardim.

BaixaQuickSpicy

Mercado do Bolhão

Inexpensive

19th-century market hall

The iron-and-stone market reopened in 2022 after restoration: produce, fish, flowers and a ring of small restaurants.

BaixaLunchMarket

Special occasion

Worth planning the evening around.

Coffee & fika

Mornings, and the slow hour between things.

Majestic Café

Moderate

Belle Époque café · 1921

Mirrors, carved wood and marble on Rua de Santa Catarina. A coffee here is a visit, not a pause.

BaixaClassic

Café Guarany

Moderate

Art Deco café · Since 1933

The 'musicians' café' on Avenida dos Aliados, with marble reliefs from 1933.

AliadosClassicMusic

Beyond the obvious

Hidden gems

Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.

Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Hilltop gardens over the Douro

Terraced gardens with peacocks and the best free river view in the city.

MassarelosFreeView

Foz do Douro

Where the river meets the Atlantic

The river mouth, the lighthouse pier and a seafront promenade. Take the old tram 1 along the river to get there.

FozSeaSunset

Bonfim

Residential quarter east of the centre

A quieter, residential part of the city with its own cafés and roasters, a short walk from Batalha.

BonfimCafésLocal

After dark

Bars & nightlife

Prova

Moderate

Portuguese wine bar

Portuguese wine explained by people who know it, in Porto's first telephone exchange.

RibeiraWine

Capela Incomum

Moderate

Wine bar in a 19th-century chapel

Portuguese wines, mostly from the Douro and Minho, poured beneath the altar of a restored chapel.

CedofeitaUnusualWine

BASE

Inexpensive

Garden bar under the Clérigos

Deckchairs among olive trees on the lawn of the Passeio dos Clérigos, looking up at the tower.

BaixaOutdoorSunset

Orientation

Neighbourhoods

How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.

Baixa

Cafés, churches, São Bento station

The tiled station hall, the Bolhão market and the café life of the upper town.

Vila Nova de Gaia

Port lodges across the river

Technically another city. The riverbank lodges are why you cross.

Cedofeita & Miguel Bombarda

Galleries, independent shops

The gallery street of Miguel Bombarda and the shops of Cedofeita, west of the centre.

Stay

Where to stay

Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.

Baixa

Moderate

Upper town · Central

Flat by Porto standards, walkable to everything and near the metro.

CentralMetro

Ribeira

Expensive

On the river

The view from the window is the reason. The climb home each evening is the price.

HillsView

Vila Nova de Gaia

Expensive

Across the Douro

The port lodges' side of the river, with the view of the Ribeira opposite.

Port lodgesView

Practical

Know before you go

Getting in
The metro runs from the airport into the city. Campanhã is the main station; São Bento is in the centre.
Getting around
Walk, and use the metro and the Guindais funicular to save your legs on the steepest climbs.
Money
Euro. Cards are widely accepted; small tascas may prefer cash.
Port lodges
Most lodges in Gaia require booking for tours and tastings.

Plan this trip — useful links

Visit Porto — official tourism site (opens in a new tab)Metro do Porto (opens in a new tab)Comboios de Portugal — national rail (opens in a new tab)

Context

History in 5 minutes

Enough to make what you are looking at legible.

  1. 1386

    John I of Portugal marries Philippa of Lancaster in Porto's cathedral, sealing the Anglo-Portuguese alliance.

  2. 1756

    The Douro becomes one of the world's first demarcated wine regions, to protect port.

  3. 1996

    The historic centre is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Further out

Nearby escapes

Worth a day if you have one to spare.

The Douro Valley

Terraced port vineyards

The Douro line follows the river for the last stretch. Take it to Pinhão and visit a quinta.

About 2 h 20 by train to PinhãoFull dayWine

Guimarães

Medieval old town · Castle

The birthplace of Portugal: a castle, a ducal palace and a well-kept medieval centre.

By regional trainHistoryUNESCO

Braga

Churches and the Bom Jesus stairway

Portugal's religious capital, with the Baroque zigzag stairway of Bom Jesus on the hill above.

By trainEasyHistory

Go further

Routes through Porto

Multi-city trips that stop here, with the transport between them.