There is just something about Porto. The cities narrow streets, the beautiful bridge/riverfront, wine and wonderful food just makes it easy to fall in love with the city. Porto is a special place and wonderful stop on any tour of Portugal. It is filled with interesting things to experience like the blue tilework, Porto Cathedral and a day trip to the Douro Valley. It can be quite busy so with some planning and earlier mornings, you will discover the magic that is Porto. This article will help with the planning of your trip to Porto to help bring the magic. So keep scrolling to find 11 best things to do in Porto, Portugal.
At Pragmatic Travelers, we only recommend what we have actually eaten and experienced. So you know these recommendations are based on experience not a round up of internet research.
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Porto Travel Tips and Tricks
- Safety: Porto is very safe just watch out for pickpockets.
- It was so easy and convenient to grab an Uber/Bolt from the airport. It was about 40 minutes (with some traffic) and cost us under $16.00. (Insane, right!?) Save yourself the hassle.
- If that is too much, the metro is also incredibly easy. Take Metro Line E that terminates at the city center (Trindade).
- Make sure to have cash (Euros) on you. Some of the smaller restaurants and stores don’t accept card. ATMs are everywhere and easy to locate.
- Branch out from the restaurants on the waterfront. I know it is beautiful but oftentimes the food is just mediocre and expensive.
- Porto is hilly but very walkable. I didn’t find it necessary to take public transportation.
- If you need to get to Porto Campanha Train Station, just take the 4 minute train ride from Sao Bento. An Uber or Taxi would take about 12 minutes longer.
- Speaking of trains, make sure to check on the train strikes. Certain lines will be impacted. CP is your best resource for the train alerts. If you are planning on taking the high speed train to Lisbon, buy the tickets on the app it was so easy to use. App is just called CP.
- And if you can afford it, the first class train to Lisbon was really enjoyable. I highly recommend spending the money on it.
- Make sure to buy your ticket to Livraria Lello in advance to avoid the massive queue. Or skip it. I am not a fan of crowds and it was always busy and just didn’t look fun.
- Porto has a lot of tourists. So go early to attractions to avoid crowds and explore different areas to get away from the masses.
- I went mid-April and it was busy. Manageable but busy. If you have travel flexibility, I would visit during April/May or Sept./Oct. Less crowds and the heat won’t be brutal like from June-August.
Best Hotels in Porto
Casa Dos Loios By Shiadu
Casa Dos Loios By Shiadu: This was a fantastic hotel. It is on the lively pedestrian street of Rua das Flores and just steps away from the major attractions like Sao Bento. The room was large and comfortable. The building is older and a fun maze to wander through. The breakfast was absolutely incredible on their adorable small patio. There was a huge range of food from meats/cheeses to fresh cakes to bread. They also served made-to-order eggs (poached, scrambled, soft boiled, etc.). Service was friendly and engaging. The price was so affordable for being in the center of the city. The only negative to this hotel is in the morning it was a bit loud from people working on the street. Not a huge deal just bring some earbuds. I would 100% stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone.
Torel Palace Porto
Torel Palace Porto: I didn’t stay at Torel Palace. My sister stayed a few weeks before I got to Porto. Here is what she said about the hotel, “Very cool vibe with a good location and great service. Rooms were clean and comfy. The only negative was they seemed to value form over function. There wasn’t enough closest space or enough room on the bathroom shelf. I would still recommend this hotel, though.”
Not a fan of either hotel? Check out different hotels in Porto, Portugal.
Porto Map of Restaurants and Attractions
Use this map to help make your Porto research easier!
11 of the Best Things to do in Porto for 2024
Get lost wandering the streets of Porto
Porto is a magical city to get lost in. There is a youthful energy to the city while being surrounded in history. I loved nothing more than wandering the narrow streets and along the waterfront. It is a small hilly city that is very easy to navigate so get lost and really get to know Porto. I really do mean get lost. Just walk out your accommodation door and explore.
Porto Cathedral
The Porto Cathedral was a wonderful surprise. The cathedral is free to enter whereas the cloisters cost 3 Euros. DO NOT SKIP THE CLOISTERS. The walls are covered with the famous blue and white tiles depicting various scenes from the Bible. They are absolutely gorgeous. Go up to the second floor of the cloisters for even more blue and white tiles. Then find a nondescript door with stairs. Climb to the top and you will be rewarded with amazing views of Porto. Between the tiles and the view, this is an absolute must do while in Porto.
Pro Tip: Go when it first opens to enjoy the cloisters to avoid the massive tour groups.
Day Trip to Douro Valley
Douro Valley is a must visit if you enjoy wine and/or beautiful nature sites. The valley is absolutely stunning and the wine is fantastic. My wonderful day trip to the Douro Valley was with BL Heritage Tours. They pick you up in the center of Porto in a comfortable small van. (They only run small groups.) Then drive through the gorgeous valley to two different vineyards. Our main tour guide was friendly, informative and clearly an expert in his area. He had the unique ability to make a group of strangers feel comfortable amongst each other.
The first vineyard gave us snacks and ALOT of wine. The wine was delicious and had a modern twist. The second vineyard gave us a massive and I mean massive traditional lunch. The lunch was fantastic with roasted pork, salad, vegetables, cured meats, dessert, etc. I mean I was so full I could barely finish my wine. The wine at the second location was spectacular, in particular, their white wine. Both vineyards gave us tours of their property and told us about the history of wine making in the Douro Valley.
Not only did we enjoy two wonderful vineyards but then we got to go on an electric boat ride down the river. We learned more about the history of the valley and wine making. The boat was incredibly clean with small touches like blankets in case you get cold. Then they provided more snacks (yummy cheese, meats and sweet treats) and port tonics!
I cannot recommend this tour enough. It was incredibly informative and interesting. They provide so much food and wine that it was definitely worth the money. The whole trip was a great value for what you are getting: a mall group tour, boat ride and an incredible amount of wine and food. Please don’t skip this tour. You will regret it.
Visit Matoshinos
Matoshinos is a small city near Porto that is a quick and cheap Uber/Bolt ride away. This is a must visit while in Porto because of the seafood. The restaurants in this area are known to serve fresh and delicious seafood. It will also be so much more affordable then in the city center of Porto. Plus you can enjoy a walk along the beach afterwards.
Pro Tip: Enjoy lunch at O Robalo. Fresh and local!
Slow down and have a great meal or drink in Porto
The food and drinks in Porto are spectacular. I loved eating my way through the city. So make sure to slow down, skip the fast food and tourist trap restaurants and dig into some great meals. I wrote a separate blog post on my favorite restaurants and bars while I was in Porto. Check out the link below for more details.
Looking for some yummy eats? Check out 10 of the best restaurants in Porto!
Cross the Dom Luís I Bridge
I’m not going to lie to you. I thought crossing that gorgeous bridge was going to be a bit of a tourist trap. It is very touristy but I loved it. The views from the top level are just gorgeous. It was a really enjoyable way to cross the river. I would highly recommend it after visiting the Cathedral as it was a quick walk to the bridge.
Warning: If you have a fear of heights maybe stay away from the top level.
Ride the Gaia Cable Cars
Ok, sooo touristy but again kinda loved it. After you walk over the bridge and explore a bit, ride the cable cars down to the riverfront. It’s cheap, easy on the legs and offers a different viewpoint of the city.
Going to Lisbon as well? Check out our favorite Lisbon Restaurants and our favorite things to do there.
Go Hunting for the famous Blue Tiles (Azulejos)
As you wander through Porto, you will find many areas covered in beautiful blue tiles called Azulejos. The tilework dates back to the 13th century after the Moors invaded Portugal bringing parts of their culture. It wasn’t until the 16th century (when the church and local leaders started commissioning tilework on buildings) did it become a popular fixture in Portugal. Now, you can find these tiles across the country.
I loved wandering around the city finding new places to enjoy these beautiful tiles. My favorite spots include: Porto Cathedral, Sao Bento Train Station, Igreja do Carmo and Saint Ildefonso.
What the Fab (a travel blog) wrote an entire blog post on the tiles and included a very helpful map on where to find everything.
Visit Sao Bento Train Station
Yes, the thing you usually want to avoid I am telling you to visit. The Sao Bento train station is the most beautiful train station I have ever visited. The walls are covered in beautiful murals of over 20,000 blue tiles depicting the country’s history. This is a must visit while in Porto.
Pro tip: If you go early in the morning, there will be less crowds and tour groups.
Admire the beautiful tilework at two different churches
- Igreja dos Carmelitas Descalços and Igreja do Carmo: This looks like one massive church but really it is two different ones. I didn’t go inside so here is some information on Atlas Obscura.
- Church of Saint Ildefonso
Enjoy leisurely walks in the Pedestrian Areas of Porto
There was quite a few pedestrian only zones in Porto. These areas are great for finding food, shopping and exploring. My favorite pedestrian zones include the following:
- Rua Santa Catarina
- Rua de Cedofeita
- Rua das Flores
Portugal Travel Tools
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Your thoughts….
This is a list of the 11 best things to do in Porto, Portugal. (My personal favorites!) What do you think is the best things to do in Porto? What are you excited for? Please share in the comments. I would love to hear your thoughts.
