Porto Guide | Your Ultimate Itinerary

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal, but still about half the population of Lisbon. It is a historic gem of the north, and definitely not a city you want to miss! I would describe it as a less touristy major city, filled with heritage and history but a vibrant life. The city is world-famous for its port wine. The historic centre of Porto was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996 (and it’s not hard to see why). The famous tiles (azulejos) can be found all around the city, with a few can’t-miss decorated buildings scattered around. Not only is it a great city, it’s also a fantastic home base for day trips in the north. Read on for a full Porto guide, including what neighbourhood to stay in, what to eat, where to go and more!

Woman wearing a straw hat looking to the, holding the tip of her hat in her right hand. In the background is the coastline of Porto along the Douro River. The buildings all have orange roofs.

Where to Stay in Porto

If you’re visiting for the first time, you will want to stay in the main city, so try Ribeira or Baixa. Ribeira is the area along the bottom of the hill along the Douro River. It’s a very touristy neighbourhood so prices will be more expensive, and I would say it isn’t the most authentic Porto/Portugal experience. However, you won’t lack for things to do or places to eat. Baixa (also known as “Sé”) is located at the top of the hill, and closer to a lot of the other major tourist attractions. It’s generally cheaper accommodations but still centrally located.

What to Eat in Porto

There are a number of dishes you should try while in Portugal. Bacalhau (cod fish) is Portugal’s most famous dish. Pastel de nata (custard tart) is the national dessert and an absolute must try! Sardinhas assadas (grilled sardines) is a huge delicacy in Portugal. Francesinha (“Little Frenchie”) is a must try in Porto: the sandwich originated there!

francesinha is a sandwich smothered in cheese with a tomato and beer sauce on top.

Should you Visit Lisbon or Porto?

A great question: if you can, do both! But, if you’re limited on time here’s some information for both cities. Lisbon is the largest city in, and capital city of, Portugal. It’s full of tourist attractions, restaurants and nightlife, museums, sights and a great home base for day trips like Sintra and Cascais. Porto is a smaller city and very charming. However, there are definitely less options compared to Lisbon. It’s also a great home base for day trips to Duoro Valley and Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês. Lisbon is a lot more touristy than Porto: think hawkers and long lines. If you want a large European city with a lot of major attractions, Lisbon is right for you. If you want a smaller, charming city, Porto is the one!

Woman wearing a black dress and a straw hat looking out over Gaia towards Porto. The Douro Valley splits the image in the middle.

How Long to Stay in Porto

Porto is a very walkable city. If you stay within the historic centre, you’ll be centrally located for a lot of attractions. If you want to do as much as possible in the shortest amount of time, 2 days is sufficient. However, if you want to explore at a more leisurely pace, 3-4 days is more ideal. The good thing is Porto is less touristy and more budget friendly than Lisbon!

Porto Guide: What to Do

There is plenty to do in the capital of the north of Portugal, so pick your top few things to do/see and go from there! Included in this list are a few unique experiences, photo tips and visiting tips to make your visit to Porto amazing.

Porto Cathedral and Cloisters

As the most important religious building in Porto, the Porto Cathedral is a must visit! The exterior is kind of unassuming, but the cloisters, tiles (azulejos) and a tower view over the city are unparalleled. If you head there when it first opens, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to take photos without people. Don’t forget to climb up the north tower for a fantastic 360° view of Porto. From the cloisters, stop at the Casa do Cabildo (the Cathedral Treasure), a collection of it’s most precious possessions. The cathedral is free to visit, but the cloisters and tower have a small fee.

Woman wearing a pink shirt and matching shorts standing in the middle of cloisters. Blue and white tiles are on the wall on the right.

Woman wearing a pink shirt and matching shorts sitting on a concrete bench in front of blue and white tiles in Portugal. The tiles depict scenes that are religious in nature.

Clérigos Church, Museum and Tower

At the Clérigos Church, there is also a museum and a 275 m tall tower. The church is free to visit, or you can purchase a day time or night time pass for the museum and tower. A night pass would be perfect to see the sunset, but the museum is only open during the day. If there is no line, it only takes about 30 minutes for the tower, but the line is usually long (1+ hour). To miss the crowds, arrive first thing in the morning or go late in the afternoon/evening. The Clérigos Tower can be seen in the photo below, from the Porto Cathedral North Tower.
Budget tip: If you are pressed for time, or have a low budget, the Porto Cathedral tower is cheaper and offers similar views to the Clérigos Tower.

View of Porto from above, as seen from the Porto Cathedral Tower.

See the Azulejos (tiles)

Azulejos are painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework and you’ll find them all around Porto! The tiles were introduced to Portugal by King Manuel I in 1503 after his visit to Seville. Since then, some of the most beautiful art in the city are the tiles on the outside of buildings. When you walk around the city, you’ll find plenty of buildings with tiles. Make sure to stop by these places to find these gorgeous murals:

Porto Cathedral: check out the cloisters and the North Tower.
São Bento Station: the front hall covered in 20,000 extraordinary azulejo tiles
Igreja do Carmo: a chapel where the azulejos portray the life of St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Francis of Assisi
Igreja de Santo Ildefonso: the church was never busy when I passed by but is worth a stop
Casa da Música (concert hall): you need to take a guided tour to check out the room
Banco de Materiais (Bank of Materials): the preservation of the tiles is huge in Porto and the Bank of Materials is a walk through the past
Capela das Almas (Chapel of Souls): One of the most beautiful spots in Porto is the Chapel of Souls mural

Woman wearing a yellow dress walking up a flight of stairs towards a church. There is a black wrought iron gate surrounding the church. — Igreja de Santo Ildefonso

Woman wearing a yellow dress walking in front of a wall of blue and white tiles. — Igreja de Santo Ildefonso

National Museum Soares dos Reis

Founded in 1833, the museum obtained works by a celebrated Portuguese sculptor, Soares dos Reis, in 1911 when the museum changed it’s name. It now has collections of Portuguese art of the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum is now in the former-residence of the Moraes e Castro family (the Carrancas). The building is beautiful (pictured below) and it’s a great museum to wander in for an hour.

Pink building with three balconies and a tree to the left of the photo frame. Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis

Livraria Lello

One of the most beautiful bookstores in the world is located in Porto. With more than 4,000 visitors per day who want to see the bookstore, it’s not hard to see why! It’s gorgeous. In early 2010s, it was thought to be inspiration in the Harry Potter series and became a huge tourist attraction. (It was later debunked by J.K. Rowling herself: she never visited the bookstore.) If you book a priority ticket, you can be the first person in the store and get a few photos without people. Otherwise, it’s incredibly busy!

Architectural staircase in a bookstore. The staircase is decorative with both wood adornment and a figure 8 shape. The view is of the staircase from below looking up at the stairs and the stained glass ceiling.

Woman standing on a red staircase in Livraria Lello bookstore in Porto. The woman is standing in the middle of the staircase with books on shelves all around her.

Bank of Materials

Open to the public Mondays through Saturdays, the Bank of Materials is just that: a bank (of sorts)! Tiles can be brought to be deposited, or withdrawn for construction projects. Building owners and construction workers can take tiles, for free, to restore their façade. They also teach restoration techniques so that the azulejos aren’t lost in time. It’s a cool place to visit, and it’s free!

Pastel de Nata Cooking Class

A truly unique experience in Porto, learn how to bake the national dessert! You can book here. Head to a local Portuguese woman’s house and learn about the history of the dessert, how to make the pastel de nata, and then make them! You’ll work with a group of people together, and sit down to enjoy the pastries together. You’ll also be sent the recipe after to try to make them at home!

Woman wearing a "Porto Cooking Class" apron and holding a Pastel de nata and smiling at the camera.

Douro River 6 Bridges Cruise

A wonderful evening on the water, hop on one of the river cruises! You’ll get to see these views along Porto or Gaia, but the cruise is a fun way to experience the river and you’ll learn lots! You can prepurchase your tickets online; however, if you’ve bought the Porto Card you’ll want to head down to one of the kiosks to buy a ticket and get a discount. You can’t use the Porto Card discounts online.

Woman with her ankles crossed showing off a pair of white Vessi sneakers. She is on a boat cruise on the Douro River in Porto with a bridge in the background

View of Douro River with Porto to the left and Gaia to the right. There are boat cruises in the water coming towards the viewer and bridges across the river in the background

Mercado do Bolhão

Mercado, or Market, in the Bolhão neighbourhood, it a must! Centrally located, you’ll find fresh produce, meat, fish and flowers and it’s a great stop for lunch or dinner. If you’ve decided to stay somewhere with a kitchen (hostel or apartment), it’s a great place to load up on fresh food to cook at home. There are also local Portuguese delicacies you can try.

Stock Exchange Palace (Palácio da Bolsa)

An absolutely stunning building in the heart of Porto is the Stock Exchange Palace. No longer used for the stock exchange, the building is used to host various events throughout the year. The cost of admission includes a guided tour.

Empty room with three chandeliers in the middle of three gold decorative circles on the ceiling.

Dom Luis I Bridge

One of the iconic bridges crossing the Douro River from Porto to Gaia is the Dom Luis I Bridge. Gustave Eiffel (the designer and builder of the Eiffel Tower in Paris) originally presented the idea for the bridge in the 1870s. The bridge was fully constructed in the 1880s and has two decks. Both decks allow people to walk/bike across, or drive! It’s also a great vantage point to watch the sunset.

Luís I Bridge crossing the Douro River connecting Porto to Gaia. The bridge has an upper level, with an arch below and a lower level walkway.

Day Trips from Porto

Porto is a fantastic city, but also a great starting point for a few day trips in North Portugal. Here are a few day trips you can take from Porto, if time permits!

Douro Valley

The Douro Valley is the Wine Region of Portugal. There are a few tour companies that offer day trips to Douro Valley from Porto or Gaia. Most of the tours include a wine tasting, or two, a river cruise and wine growing villages. If you’re driving yourself, make sure to stop in some of the villages including Barcos, Favaios, Provesende, Ucanha, Salzedas and Trevões.

The holiday town of Matosinhos

A small coastal village with a beautiful beach! You can get there by metro or bus, so it makes it an easy destination for those without a car.

Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

A national park in North Portugal, it’s a great destination for someone looking for spending time in nature. Try one of the following four hikes:

Miradouro Velho da Pedra Bela: There’s a 2-mile path from the panoramic viewing point of Pedra Bela, overlooking the Caniçada Reservoir, and this takes you to Arado waterfalls—a popular picnic and swim spot.
Trilho da Preguiça Route: This route starts about 2 miles north of Caldes do Gerês and makes its way up through woodland to a viewpoint, then descends into a valley with streams and smaller waterfalls.
Poço Azul: This moderate 5.5-mile (9-kilometer) loop passes a crystal clear pond with a small waterfall.
Miradouro da Pedra e Cascada de Rajada: This easy 1.8-mile (2.9-kilometer) trail is, dog-friendly, great for a light hike, and features another small waterfall.

Aveiro, the Venice of Portugal

Aveiro is a charming city with it’s own amazing culture. It would be a great destination to head for lunch, wander the quaint neighbourhoods, and take a ride on the canals.

Porto.card

The Porto.card is a city pass that offers free admission to 7 museums, and discounts at more than 100+ other places in the city. I wrote a full review of the card, including a budget breakdown to find out if it’s worth it. Spoiler: it is.