We got to spend one month living in Porto and had a beautiful time. Such a romantic waterfront city with great desserts, stunning architecture and so much history. Full of young people and plenty of food and music, the city really transforms at night. We picked Porto over Lisbon to have a less crowded, more laid-back experience and it was the perfect place to lounge around, soak in the good weather and of course… port wine.
WHAT TO DO
* = must do
*Walk by the Douro River along the waterfront Bairro da Ribeira neighborhood for vendors, street performers, music and the quintessential Porto experience. This is the more touristy part of town, but also a must do. Grab a drink or some food on the water and soak in the lively atmosphere. Daytime riverfront and nighttime riverfront have totally different vibes and you should experience both!
*You can also walk across the river to Gaia (the city mirroring Porto across the river) on the Luís I Bridge where you will see some brave local boys make leaps into the River Douro. Pleasant walk with stunning views of Porto.
*Stroll through the São Bento Train Station, considered to be one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. Completed in 1903, the front of São Bento is decorated with over 20,000 detailed azulejo (blue hand painted) tiles depicting historic battle scenes. Stop by inside for some photos and historic feels.
*Take a day trip to Douro Valley about 1.5 hours away from Porto to deep dive into a true wine country experience. Many tour groups offer half day and full day experiences from Porto. Our tour included two tastings on both a small and large vineyard, lunch and some boat time on the water. The valley is beautiful, full of lush green hills covered in grapes. $$$
Climb the Clérigos Tower for great 360 degree views of the city during sunset (or anytime). Small fee to enter. $
Check out Mercado do Bolhão, a great historic market for fresh produce, fish and other specialty foods. Buy from grandmother’s who have been running this market forever. Due to the pandemic, the market has temporarily moved around the corner inside Decathalon Porto Santa Catarina. Upon entering, you will see a hanging tribute to all of the families that have been supplying this market for generations and generations.
*Parque das Virtudes is a great park in the middle of the city which feels like a maze of secret terraces. This park has multiple levels all with great views and lots of green space. Great place to bring a picnic, blanket and a good book.
*We don’t usually check out cemeteries on our trips, but Cemitério de Agramonte was beautiful. Very old mausoleums with majestic tombs. Nice to walk through, but careful not to get lost in the maze of headstones.
Avenida dos Aliados is a grand boulevard full of interesting architecture, statues, and a large plaza. Many movements and demonstrations have occurred here. Walk through on your way to São Bento and admire the architecture. Browse through the high-end designer stores too if that’s your thing.
Walk by Igreja do Carmo, a gorgeous baroque church covered in blue-tiled paintings from 1912. One of the prettiest churches in Porto.
Walk through Jardim de João Chagas, a nice covered park with greenery and some historic statues.
Climb the stairs to the top of Porto Cathedral for amazing views of Porto. You can pay 3€ to enter the main altar if you would like to see the inside (we just came for the views).
Rua Santa Catarina is the main shopping street in Porto. Nice architecture throughout with a nice overhead installation. Here you will also find street artists and musicians sharing their works. While you’re there, grab a bite at Majestic Cafe, a historic Porto Cafe. Try their french toast, trust me!
Livraria Lello is allegedly the library which inspired JK Rowling’s Harry Potter. Cute library but a little overrated in my opinion. If you want to go, buy a ticket ahead of time and show up 20 minutes before opening to avoid super long lines. Even if you have a ticket, you still have to wait in a ridiculously long line by the way. Priority ticket to skip the line may be worth it. Beautiful interior with painted glass ceilings and ornamental decor, but kind of small and has become overrun with tourists. I love libraries, but once inside there are not even that many books. If you don’t want to wait in line, walk by the shop after closing hours and peer through the glass to get a nice view without hoards of people. A little overrated in my opinion. $
Mercado Bom Sucesso is another food-court/market further west. Not too much else out here so I wouldn’t go out of the way to visit unless you already happen to be in this area and want some food. $$
WHERE TO DRINK
Porto is full of restaurants, bars and nightlife but if you are looking for wine cellars, you will have to cross over the Luís I Bridge to Gaia. Gaia is where all of the wineries are located and you can learn more about it in our guide here.
Aduela was our favorite bar in Porto. Always full of locals, this place has outdoor seating, lovely crowds, tasty snacks, and 2€ drinks. Aduela has a great location near many of the hippest restaurants. Our go-to bar when we lived in Porto. $
RUA Tapas & Music Bar is a little on the pricier side, but has live music and a fun atmosphere at night. We caught a Brazilian band that was full of energy and drinks were decent. $$
THE ROYAL COCKTAIL CLUB is a very swanky, trendy bar with cool cocktails. Try the Blossom, a delicious port-wine cocktail. $$$
WHERE TO EAT
*Majestic Cafe– This beautiful historic cafe will be celebrating their 100th birthday next year. Go try their 4€ french toast. Just do it. Show up early as lines can get long. Vegetarian options available $$
Padaria Ribiero– Excellent bakery in the heart of Porto. Try some breakfast biscuits and croissants with your coffee (go ahead, dip it in there). $
Confeitaria Petúlia – Try the bolo rei AKA “King’s cake”, a traditional Portuguese cake made with candied fruits and nuts. $
A Sandeira do Porto – Good sandwiches and soup with a 6.5€ lunch menu before 3pm which gets you soup, a sandwich or salad, plus a drink. We loved the Clerigos sandwich. Good vegetarian options. $
*Traça – Nice lunch special. We had a DELICIOUS mushroom risotto. Menu do dia is seasonal. Vegetarian options available $$
Kind Kitchen – Vegan restaurant! Delicious burger and burrito which came with a big plate of fries. $$
Da Terra – Vegetarian buffet. Nice deal with lots of healthy options, but food can be a little bland.$
Arcadia Cafe– A popular chocolate shop. Try the quindim (an egg custard sweet). Had a delicious strawberry iced coffee which was more like a strawberry ice cream shake. $$
*Capela Incomum -An old church that was converted into a restaurant and wine bar. Nice collection of wines and daily changing food menu. Vegetarian options. Nice date night spot, but come early to grab a seat. $$
Coupage 51 – Great vegetarian options, chic restaurant with outdoor seating. Another nice date night option. $$
*Obicà – Italian Mozzarella Bar. Highly recommend coming here for the stracciatella pugliese mozzarella. Pizza was delicious too. Another great date night spot with vegetarian options. $$$
Museo d’Avo – Cheap tapas ordered dim-sum style. Sit outside to get the full Porto hipster vibes. Try the bacalhau com natas (baked bacalhau fish with cream), caldo verde (potato soup), and cogumelos salteados con aziete e alho (grilled mushrooms with olive oil and garlic). Some vegetarian options. $
*Manteigaria – We tried a LOT of pastel de natas (famous Portuguese egg custard tart) on this trip. This place is the winner. There is only one item on the menu and you better believe they have mastered the art of the pastel de nata. Others are good but this is the boss. $
WHERE TO STAY
Selina Porto – If you are traveling alone, a digital nomad, or just looking for a cheaper option with lots of opportunities to meet people, Selina Porto is a great option. Selinas are located around the world and are kind of like elevated work-space hostels for adults. You can get private or shared accommodations, rent workspaces to get your work done, set up transportation/tours, and they arrange for plenty of mingling events. The one in Porto has an amazing location right in the coolest part of town surrounded by hip bars and restaurants. $
MORE INFORMATION
For more information on how to get around, health/safety, COVID rules, money/tipping and some Portuguese travel phrases, check out our Portugal General Tips page. Check out our travel guide on Gaia and Lisbon too! Watch our Portugal drone video for more inspiration.
MAP
Check out our free Google Map here with all of the locations above. This map has recommendations for both Porto and Gaia.
