Situated at the mouth of the Douro River, Porto is the second largest city in Portugal and gateway to the northern regions. Although the city is quite large, it’s so charming that you might feel like you’re in a small town. In recent years it’s grown in popularity, with many young tourists and retirees alike flocking here to pack the city’s famous wine cellars. In Porto’s historic city center (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), you can roam cobblestone streets, marvel at the various buildings with decorative blue tiles known as azulejos and find many hidden gems. Porto was our first stop when visiting Portugal and we must say, it was a perfect introduction to this beautiful country.

Places of Interest

Dom Luiz I Bridge

No picture of Porto is more recognizable than a picture of a rabelo boat that includes this arched, double-deck bridge in the background. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is unique in that the bottom portion of the bridge is for automobiles and pedestrian traffic whereas the very top part of the bridge is reserved for trains and pedestrian traffic. If you happen to walk across the bridge at sunset, make sure to stop for a minute and admire the view, as it is sure to be an unforgettable experience.

Clerigos Church

Located in the historic city center, this church has been a national monument since 1910 and you will notice it by the iconic tower that rises up in the sky. You can actually climb the tower and get a bird’s eye view over the old city, which is a must do. In addition to that, you can visit the museum inside which includes artifacts from the Clerigos Brotherhood. However, we were most impressed with the interior of the church as it includes lifelike Jesus and Mary figures housed under a beautiful gold colored dome and marble altar. Entrance to the church is free but if you want to visit the museum and climb the tower, it will only cost you 6 Euro ($7 USD).

Monastery of Serra do Pilar

This 16th century church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and unique for its circular design. You can visit the church for only 2 Euro ($2.50 USD) but the best part is really the view from the church. Since it is situated on a hilltop, you will have a nice view of the river and city below.

Porto City Park

This is a huge park that includes an aquarium as well as various trails for hiking, biking or walking. Also interesting is that this park extends all the way to the Atlantic ocean and gives access to the city’s beaches. There is no charge for entering the park but the aquarium charges about 14 Euro ($17 USD) to enter.

Bolhão Market

Whenever we travel to a new city we always like to browse local markets and this time was no different. This two story market has been around since 1837 CE and is filled with many vendors selling everything from meats, cheeses, fruits, beer, wine and prepared food. This market actually gave us our first taste of Portuguese cheese called Serra da Estrela, which is made with cow’s milk from the Serra da Estrela mountain range. This is a nice way to spend the day getting acquainted with many local foods at once, rather than restaurant hopping.

São Bento Train Station

Located in the heart of downtown, this was the most beautiful train station that we’ve ever seen. Although it’s quite small, the entire station is decorated with beautiful azulejo tiles depicting various scenes of Portugal’s history. We actually found São Bento by accident and spent an entire evening just marveling and trying to read the stories told through these beautiful blue tiles.

Lello Bookstore

This is no ordinary bookstore. This is said to be the bookstore that JK Rowling used to frequent and is credited with inspiring the famous Harry Potter series. The interior is decorated with beautiful wood paneling and stained-glass windows as well as a grand staircase with a curved walkway.

Things To Do

Port Wine Tasting - Porto is famous for its many wineries which are located along the banks of the Douro river and while strolling about, you’ll see the traditional rabelo boats which are used to ferry port wine from deep inside the Douro Valley (also a UNESCO World Heritage Site). In fact, there are so many wine cellars in the city (we lost count after 12) that you could likely spend an entire week just hopping around the different cellars, sampling the variety of port wines with accompanying appetizers. Some wineries also offer classes teaching you about the various dishes that accompany each wine as well as a bit of history of the particular cellar and the wine making process.
- One place that we highly recommend is a winery called Espaco Porto Cruz. They have a large rooftop area where you can enjoy wine, music and watch a beautiful sunset on the river. This is one of our favorite memories of Porto because the fun ambiance lends itself to serendipitous socializing as you meet other travelers and swap fun stories.
Cable Car - In the city’s wine cellar district (Vila Nova de Gaia) you can catch a cable car that will transport you from the river bank all the way to the very top of the Dom Luiz I Bridge. This is a fun way to get around the city and of course, have another great view. It only costs 6 Euro ($7 USD) for a one-way ticket. For more information see: http://www.gaiacablecar.com/Teleferico_UK.html
Ribeira Neighborhood - The Ribeira neighborhood is located across the river (Porto is divided into two districts separated by the Douro river), from the wine cellar district. The neighborhood really comes alive at night with its bars, restaurants, performers and live music playing amongst the backdrop of Dom Luiz I Bridge, which is lit up at night. You could easily spend a half day just people watching. In fact, one of our favorite memories of Ribeira was watching the students from the local university, wearing their traditional black robes, hanging out and singing songs on the river.
Food - The food scene in Porto (and the entire country for that matter) is excellent and at very affordable prices for most peoples’ budgets. Some local restaurants that we highly recommend trying are:
- Meet & Taste - This is a completely nondescript hole in the wall restaurant located in the wine cellar district. It’s so small that you can easily walk right past it without even noticing but it was the best, most authentic food experience that we had in Porto. Order the house wine (vinho verde) with some bacalhau (cod fish as thick as your fist and as wide as your shoulders) served with lemon, salad and fried potatoes. You’re welcome.
- Pedro dos Frangos - This place was recommended by our AirBnB host (a local resident). They specialize in gilled chicken recipes as well as some local favorites like the francesinha (a sandwich made with bread, cured meats, sausage, steak and melted cheese topped with spiced tomato and beer sauce). Needless to say, the food was excellent and very reasonably priced.
- Taberninha do Manel - This is a quality restaurant located right on the river with an interior that looks like you’re eating inside a cavernous cellar. The food is a bit pricier due to its prime location but no less delicious. This restaurant has many specialties such as the roasted chorizo and sangria, dessert cakes that are served inside of mason jars, and a vast selection of high-quality port wines. Everything on this menu is authentic Portuguese cuisine with a modern chef’s twist.
- Tapa Bento - This was one of our favorite restaurants in Porto and perhaps the most creative. Apart from traditional Portuguese dishes, this restaurant also serves creative fusion recipes and is a must visit for anyone in Porto.