Porto for First Time Visitors: Where to Eat, Stay & Play

In this Porto Travel Guide, we will provide everything you need to know to plan the perfect visit to this enchanting city.

Interesting Facts about Porto

Porto, sometimes also called Oporto, is the second largest city in Portugal. This city is famous for its port wine, one of Portugal’s largest exports.

This city is gorgeous and a true joy to visit. Blue-tiled churches, ornate palaces, and whimsical cafes dot the colorful city streets. Porto is easy to explore on foot, with most of its sites being located in the compact historical center and along the Douro River.

In Porto, six bridges cross the Douro River, giving this city the nickname of “The City of Bridges.” Taking a Six Bridges Cruise on the Douro River and walking across the Luis I Bridge top the list of things to do in Porto.

One of the best things to do in Porto is to sample its array of savory street foods. We’ll get into this more in our What to Eat section of this guide.

Porto

Porto Geography 101

The Porto Metropolitan Area is a small city that is divided into two parts by the Douro River.

On the north side of the Douro River sits Porto. This is the location of the old historic center of the city and where you will find most of the churches, cathedrals, and museums, as well as many of the hotels, restaurants, and the train station. The historic center of Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vila Nova de Gaia, or simply Gaia, sits south of the Douro River. Gaia is home to the wine cellars where the port wine is stored and aged.

On a visit to Porto, plan on visiting both areas. There’s more to do on the Porto side, but if you are visiting Porto with the main reason of sampling the port wine, you will spend most of your time in Gaia.

Best Time to Visit Porto

Porto can be visited all year. Spring and early fall are the best times to visit, when the weather is pleasant but crowds are manageable. Summer is the hottest, busiest time to visit Porto. Our visit was at the end of September. Porto still felt busy, but it was warm and sunny every day we were here.

WINTER: The weather is relatively mild in the winter months. From December through February, the average high is 14°C (58°F) and the average low is 7°C (42°F). Winter is the rainiest time of the year to visit Porto, with December being the wettest month of the year. If you don’t mind chilly temps and the threat of wet weather, you can enjoy Porto with low crowds and potentially cheaper prices for hotels.

SPRING: Porto warms up nicely in the spring and the weather gets drier. In early spring, the average high is 17°C (63°F) and by late spring the average high is 20°C (68°F).

SUMMER: Summer is the hottest, driest time to visit Porto. The average high is 25°C (78°F) but it can get much hotter than this, with high temperatures reaching 40°C (104°F) on the hottest of days. Rainfall is minimal with July being the driest month of the year. During this time, crowds are also at their peak, so make your reservations far in advance and be prepared for higher hotel prices.

FALL: During the fall season, temperatures cool off and each month rain chances increase. September is a beautiful time to visit Porto, with relatively low rain and pleasant temps (an average high of 24°C/75°F). By November, rain fall becomes much more likely and temperatures are cooler.

VERDICT: Late-April through early June and September into early October are fantastic times to visit Porto. The weather is comfortable, rain chances are relatively low, and you get to avoid the high temps and high crowd levels of summer. We really enjoyed our visit to Porto in September.

Niepoort wine barrels

How to Get to Porto

You can get to Porto by plane, train, bus, car, and on a tour. Porto has an international airport, so you can fly here from other locations around the world.

The São Bento Railway Station has a convenient location in the city center. If you are coming from Lisbon or another Portuguese city, getting to Porto by train is fast, budget-friendly, and convenient. Buses are also budget friendly but sometimes have longer travel times, so check timetables when planning your journey.

If you are on a road trip through Portugal, plan on parking your rental car while in Porto. Driving and parking is challenging in Porto, so I don’t recommend driving from place to place (plus, this city is very walkable). When choosing a hotel, it’s best to choose one that offers parking.

How to Get Around Porto

The best way to get around Porto is on foot. It’s a relatively small, compact city and easy to walk between most sites. However, it’s also good to know that Porto is hilly, so you will walk up and down some hills and stairs, especially the closer you get to the Douro River.

There are a few trams and funiculars that connect the riverfront area to the hillier areas of Porto, which can save you a big uphill walk.

In Porto, Funicular dos Guindais has a bottom station on the Douro River next to the Dom Luis I Bridge and ends near the Church of Santa Clara. The Lada Elevator (Elevador da Ribeira), is also located at Cais da Ribeira and will save you part of the uphill walk to the bridge. So, if you are strolling along Cais da Ribeira and then need to walk to the city center or to the Luis I Bridge, you can take this tram or elevator to save yourself the uphill walk, or walk the winding streets and staircases up the level of the Porto Cathedral. There is a small fee for the tram and there could be a line, so in some cases, walking is faster.

In Gaia, the Gaia cable car connects Jardim do Morro and the upper level of the Luis I Bridge to the riverfront area.

There is a metro but there are only a few stations in the city center. You can use the metro to get from Porto (station: São Bento) to Gaia (station: Jardim do Morro).

To connect points that are farther apart, hire a taxi or use Uber or another ride share app. We used Uber to get from our hotel (near Liberty Square) to and from Gaia.

To get around Porto, we walked almost everywhere, using Uber occasionally to get to two places that were far apart (such as our hotel in Porto and the wine cellars in Gaia).

The Gaia riverfront and cable car

Best Things to Do in Porto

Even though Porto is a compact city, its historical center is packed with churches, palaces, historical landmarks, and scenic pedestrian streets. Add in the wine cellars in Gaia and Porto’s must-try street foods, and this to-do list gets to be quite long.

In our Porto Bucket List, we list 30 things to do in Porto. Here is a shorter list with the must-see sights.

Taste port in the wine cellars in Gaia.Touring a wine cellar and tasting port wine is a must-do in Porto. Spend a half or full day in Gaia, depending on your interest in port wine.

Port tasting at Taylor’s

Stroll along the Douro River. In both Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, a wide promenade runs alongside the Douro River. As you stroll along the river, you are treated to some of the best views in this city and can stop at wine cellars and restaurants for coffee, port wine, cocktails, or a bite to eat.

Cais da Ribeira

Visit Livraria Lello. This beautiful bookshop is famous for its whimsical staircase and stained-glass ceiling.

Livraria Lello

Enjoy the view from the Dom Luis I Bridge. For one of the best views of Porto, stroll across the upper level of Dom Luis I Bridge. It’s particularly nice at sunset.

The view from the Dom Luis I Bridge

Visit Porto’s long list of churches and cathedrals. Visit the Porto Cathedral, the largest, grandest church in Porto or the twin churches of Igreja do Carmo & Igreja dos Carmelitas. We really enjoyed visiting the Church of Santa Clara and Igreja de São Lourenço, but the list continues with the Chapel of Souls (an azulejo-adorned church) and the Church of São Francisco.

Inside the Church of Santa Clara

Igreja do Carmo

Try Porto’s street foods. Try a fancesinha, Porto’s most famous street food that is similar to a croque-monsieur. Or try a cachorrinhos, a slightly spicy hot dog, frango assado (roasted chicken) or pork or steak sandwiches with sheep cheese.

Dine at the Majestic Café.This Art Nouveau style café opened in 1921 and was designed to look like a café in Paris. Originally, it catered to elite members of society but now it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Porto.

Majestic Cafe

Enjoy the view from Clérigos Tower. Torre dos Clérigos is a 75-meter tower that is attached to Clérigos Church. Climbing this tower for 360° views is one of the best things to do in Porto.

Cruise the Douro River. In about an hour, you can cruise the Douro River, past six of the city’s famous bridges, including Dom Luis I, Dona Maria Pia Bridge, and Ponte de Infante. It’s a great way to see the riverfronts of both Porto and Gaia.

Visit Bolsa Palace. Tour the amazing interior of Bolsa Palace, with the highlights being the Arab Room and the Hall of Nations.

Visit the World of Wine. This cultural district in Gaia is home to several great museums, wine cellars, shops, and restaurants.

World of Wine

The Porto Card

The Porto Card offers free, unlimited use of public transport (excluding the historic street cars), taking the metro from the airport to the city center, free admission to several museums (which are relatively obscure and not worth it, if you have limited time in Porto), and small discounts on other sites, such as Clérigos Tower and the Porto Cathedral.

The savings is minimal and I don’t think it is worth it, unless you plan to use public transportation frequently (such as taking the metro from the airport to the city center and using the metro or buses to get around the city) or plan to visit a few of the included museums (which are relatively obscure and probably not of interest to most first time visitors).

Learn more here.

How Much Time Do You Need in Porto?

Plan on spending a minimum of two days in Porto. This gives you just enough time to tour the famous landmarks, churches, and cathedrals in the old town plus visit a wine cellar or two in Gaia.

With more time in Porto, there is still plenty that you can do.

If you are a wine aficionado, spending 1 to 2 days in Vila Nova de Gaia visiting the wine cellars is a very memorable experience. There are also many hidden gems in Porto, and having three or more days gives you enough time to go off the beaten track. A third or fourth day in Porto allows you to day trip to the Douro Valley, Braga, and Guimarães. For those with an abundance of time, you could easily spend five or more days in Porto.

We spent four days in Porto, using one of these days to day trip to Braga and Guimarães. From Porto, we traveled to the Douro Valley and spent three days here.

Porto Cathedral

What to Eat in Porto

It seems as if each Portuguese city has its token pastry or signature dish. Porto has several to try, each a savory, calorie-laden sandwich or meat dish.

Here is a list of foods to try and where you can get them.

Francesinha: This is Porto’s most famous street food. A francesinha is Porto’s version of a croque-monsieur. This sandwich is filled with ham, steak, sausage, and cheese and covered with a spicy sauce. There are several different versions (some contain prawns, shrimp, or mushrooms). It was created at A Regaleira (this is where we tried it) but other recommended restaurants include Yuko and Café Santiago.

Francesinha

Cachorrinhos: This is a grilled, slightly spicy hot dog. Enjoy it with Super Bock beer. This was our favorite Porto street food that we tried. The best place to go is Gazela.

Cachorrinhos

Sandes de Pernil com Queijo da Serra: This is a roasted pork sandwich with melted sheep cheese. We tried it at Casa Guedes, a crowded restaurant with a small rooftop terrace. Neither of us were fans of this sandwich but it is a popular street food to try in Porto.

Sandes de Pernil com Queijo da Serra

Prego com Queijo de Serra: This is a steak sandwich with melted sheep cheese. Try it at Venham Mais 5 restaurant.

Frango Assado: This roasted chicken dish is best enjoyed with a glass of vinho verde. Try it at Pedro dos Frangos.

One of the best ways to sample these foods is on a street food tour. On this 3-hour walking tour of the old town, try pastries, cheese, and sausage, plus a wine tasting.

Where to Eat in Porto

Majestic Café. Dine at the most beautiful café in Porto. It is located on Rua da Santa Catarina and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday through Saturday. This is a busy place but we had no problem getting a table right at opening time. We were impressed with their friendly and speedy service. See the menu and make a reservation in advance on the official website. 

Taberna dos Fernandes. This small restaurant is located on Rua da Fonte Taurina, just steps away from the Douro River promenade in Porto. We had lunch here and it was one of our best meals in Porto. The service is impeccable, the octopus was some of the best we had in Portugal (which is saying a lot!), and the shrimp in olive oil and garlic was delicious. They don’t take reservations but it’s worth the wait, if there is one. This is a great pick if you want a fantastic meal that is relatively inexpensive.

Taberna dos Fernandes

Vinum. This restaurant is located in Gaia at Graham’s Port Lodge. It has indoor and outdoor seating with fantastic views of Gaia, Porto, and the Douro River. They serve lunch and dinner with the option to sample some of their wine and port with your meal. Make a reservation in advance.

Vinum

Escama. This is one of the best fish and seafood restaurants in Porto. We recommend the seafood rice and the grilled prawns.

Mitsu. This lovely restaurant fuses Asian and South American flavors. We recommend the butterfish with foie gras and the sea bass. Make a reservation in advance.

Dining at Mitsu

A Regaleira. The francesinha was invented at this restaurant, so if you want to try Porto’s most famous street food where it originated, this is the place to go.

Gazela. Gazela serves cachorrinhos, which is a slightly spicy hot dog best enjoyed with Super Bock beer. This was our favorite street food experience in Porto. It’s cheap, service is fast, and it is delicious!

Enoteca 1756. Located in Gaia, this is a great spot to have dinner. Dine with views across the Douro River towards Porto, either indoors or on their wide, outdoor patio. The food and the service are amazing. See the menu and make your reservation on their website.

Enoteca 1756

Yakuza by Olivier. For sushi lovers, put Yakuza on your list of restaurants to try in Porto. Start your meal off with the delectable fish tacos (tako Sakana) and the new style Hamachi (yellowtail and truffled ponozu). If you want to sample a wide variety of sushi, order the Yakuza, a 32-piece mix of sushi and sashimi.

Yakuza

Voltaria. This very small restaurant gets rave reviews for its tapas and seafood dishes. It always had a line whenever we walked by and unfortunately we never got a chance to dine here. It is located just off of Rua da Flores.

Le Monument. This Michelin-starred restaurant fuses modern French and Portuguese cuisine. It is located in Maison Albar – Le Monumental Palace.

Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant. Located at the luxurious Yeatman Hotel in Gaia, this 2-star Michelin restaurant offers panoramic views across the Douro River to Porto. See the menu and make your reservation in advance on the official website.

Where to Stay in Porto

In Porto, you have two locations to choose from: Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.

Staying in Porto for many visitors is more convenient, with more hotel options, a closer walk to the sights in the historic city center, and easier access to the train (if you are traveling through Portugal by train, consider staying within walking distance of the São Bento Railway Station).

Staying in Vila Nova de Gaia is worth it for those who plan to spend more time visiting the wine cellars, or just prefer the hotel options in Gaia.

Hotels in Porto

LUXURY: Maison Albar Hotels Le Monumental Palace. This luxurious hotel is located on Avenue dos Aliados, just steps from Liberty Square. Service is top notch, rooms are recently renovated, and this hotel is home to Le Monument (a Michelin-starred restaurant) and Yakuza by Olivier. We stayed here and had a great experience.

Maison Albar Hotels Le Monumental Palace

LUXURY: Casa da Companhia, Vignette Collection. For modern elegance with an unbeatable location in Porto, look no farther. This 5-star hotel gets exceptional reviews and is located on Rua das Flores, just a short walk from the main sights in Porto. This hotel has a better location than where we stayed, so it’s worth considering if you want to be in the heart of the action. PortoBay Flores is another 5-star hotel a block from Casa da Companhia, so if you are looking to stay in a luxury hotel, this is another one to consider.

UPSCALE: Armazem Luxury Housing – Architectural & Design Hotel. Located in a renovated warehouse in the historic center of Porto, this unique hotel offers double rooms, twin rooms, suites, and a penthouse. Rooms feature massive stone walls and industrial accents. This property gets exceptional reviews.

UPSCALE: Mouzinho Village River. This gorgeous property offers several recently renovated two-bedroom apartments that come equipped with a kitchen and washing machine. It is located on Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira, in the Porto city center, a 4-minute walk from the train station and a 5-minute walk to Cais da Ribeira.

MID-RANGE: Vitoria’s Terrace Apartments. If you are looking for a spacious apartment with views over Porto, look no farther. This property offers several apartment types and is one of the highest reviewed properties on Booking.com. For an apartment with a view, check out the penthouse apartment.

MID-RANGE: Arco Apartments. This property also offers apartments with a spectacular view of Porto and gets rave reviews. Rooms range from studio apartments to two-bedroom apartments with a balcony. This property is located near the Porto riverfront, just a 3-minute walk from the Porto Cathedral and Dom Luis I Bridge.

MID-RANGE: 1872 River House by Olivia. Located on the Douro River in Porto, this historic house offers rooms with views of the city and rooms with views of the Douro River. Breakfast is included with the room rate and all rooms are air-conditioned.

BUDGET: Ribeira Douro Hotel. This hotel has an exceptional location on the Douro River. Rooms can accommodate two people and have air conditioning and private bathrooms. It gets fantastic reviews.

BUDGET: Moov Hotel. There are several Moov Hotels in Porto and we recommend the one at Porto Centro, for its very handy location. It is located a short walk from Sao Bento Railway Station inside of a renovated Art Deco cinema. Most rooms accommodate two people but the superior room can accommodate up to four people, for families and those traveling as a group.

Hotels in Vila Nova de Gaia

LUXURY: The Yeatman. For the ultimate in luxury and views of Porto, this is a hotel to put on the top of your list. The Yeatman is located on a hillside in Vila Nova de Gaia and overlooks Gaia and Porto. It is home to the Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant, a 2-star Michelin restaurant. Relax by the pool and enjoy one of the best views of Porto and some rooms offer panoramic views as well.

UPSCALE: Vincci Ponte de Ferro. This hotel sits beside the Dom Luis I Bridge, just underneath the Miradouro da Serro do Pilar viewpoint (one of the best views of Porto). The view from this gorgeous hotel is incredible. If you want to stay in hotel with an unforgettable view, this is one to consider.

MID-RANGE: Bom dia. This two-bedroom house has a fantastic location next to Jardim do Morro, just steps away from the Gaia cable car and the Dom Luis I Bridge. It makes a great pick for families and those traveling as group.

Day Trips from Porto

Porto makes a great home base to explore some nearby cities and the Douro Valley. Here are some of the best day trips from Porto.

The Douro Valley

The Douro Valley is the oldest wine region in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you are a wine lover and don’t have plans to spend some time in the Douro Valley on your trip to Portugal, this is a day trip worth considering. The Douro Valley is gorgeous, and it’s worth seeing, even for those without a big interest in wine. 

Douro Valley

On a Douro Valley day trip, you will visit a few wineries, have lunch, and have the option to cruise on the Douro River. There are tons of tour options that include your transportation and fees, so it is easy to plan your day trip, without researching which wineries and restaurants to visit.

Learn more about the Douro Valley in our Douro Valley Travel Guide and article 8 Wineries to Visit in the Douro Valley.

On this full day tour, you will taste wine at two wineries, have lunch, and cruise the Douro River. This tour gets glowing reviews and is one of the top tours of the Douro Valley. It’s also one of the cheapest.

This small group tour is a little more expensive but you visit two prestigious wine cellars, have a 3-course lunch, and cruise the Douro River.

If you want to take a private tour of the Douro Valley, take a look at this tour that includes two wineries and a Douro River cruise.

Braga & Guimarães

Braga and Guimarães are two lovely small towns that sit north of Porto.

Braga is famous for the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, a Portuguese Catholic shrine. It is a Christian pilgrimage site and its white Baroque stairway is one of Portugal’s most famous landmarks. Braga is a small city and worth a quick stroll, but we liked Guimarães more.

Bom Jesus do Monte

Braga

Guimarães is close to Braga. This small town is a delight to stroll through, with narrow, picturesque streets, interesting architecture, and historical landmarks. Tour the Palace Duques de Bragança, see the Guimarães Castle, stroll through the photogenic squares, and ride the cable car up to Parque da Penha for panoramic views over Guimarães and northern Portugal.

Guimarães

Like the Douro Valley, you can visit Braga and Guimarães on your own or on a tour. If you don’t have a rental car, taking a tour takes out the hassle of getting around using public transportation (take a train between Porto and Braga and Porto and Guimarães; travel by bus between Braga and Guimarães).

This tour starts at the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte and then includes visits to Braga and Guimarães. It gets great reviews and includes your transportation, entrance fees, with the option to add on lunch.

Coimbra & Aveiro

In one day, you can visit Coimbra and Aveiro, two cities that sit to the south of Porto.

Coimbra is an ancient Roman city and is famous for being home to one of the oldest academic institutions in the world. The university is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and touring its library is one of the most popular things to do in Coimbra.

Coimbra University

Sitting near the coast is the small city of Aveiro. Known as “the Portuguese Venice” for its network of canals and boats, this small, lovely city is quick and easy to visit. Take a boat ride through the city, go shopping, and see the nearby salt flats.

On this day trip tour from Porto, visit the university in Coimbra and cruise the canals in Aveiro.

Porto Itineraries for 1, 2 & 3 Days

For those who have 24 hours in Porto, you have just enough time to visit a few of Porto’s most famous attractions and taste port wine in Gaia. For more information, take a look at our detailed one day itinerary for Porto (coming soon).

With 2 days in Porto, spend day one visiting the main attractions in Porto. On day 2, spend the morning in Porto and the afternoon visiting the wine cellars in Gaia. Wine lovers have the option to spend all of day 2 in Vila Nova de Gaia. Get the full details in our 2 Days in Porto Itinerary.

Finally, if you have 3 days in Porto, you can either spend all of that time seeing the sights in Porto, or spend 2 days in Porto and one day visiting either the Douro Valley, Braga and Guimarães, or Aveiro and Coimbra. Learn more in this 3 day itinerary for Porto (coming soon).

The view from the Porto Cathedral

Tours of Porto

Joining a tour can help save you time waiting in line, get tickets to a site that may have sold out in advance, or allow you to experience Porto in a unique way, such as a cooking class. Here are some of the best tours in Porto.

Watch a live Fado show and enjoy a glass of wine.

On this 3-hour food tour of the old town, try pastries, cheese, and sausage, plus a wine tasting.

Cruise the Douro River at sunset on a party boat.

Learn how to make pastel de nata, one of Portugal’s most famous pastries, in this cooking class.

Take a guided tour of Cockburn’s wine cellar, Graham’s Port Lodge, or Caves Calem (this tour includes a fado show).

If you will be in Porto for more than 2 days, you can day trip to the Douro Valley or visit nearby Braga and Guimarães on a full day trip.

Is Porto worth it?

With its wine cellars, viewpoints along the Douro River, long list of amazing places to visit in the historic old town, restaurants, street foods, and port wine, Porto is one of best places to visit in Portugal, even on the fastest itineraries.

Tim and I LOVED Porto. Tasting port wine at the age-old wine cellars, sampling the street foods, strolling along the Douro River, and visiting several breathtaking churches and cathedrals were our favorite experiences.

If you have any questions about how to plan your visit to Porto, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Portugal

PORTUGAL ITINERARIES: If you are just beginning to plan your Portugal itinerary, take a look at our 10 Day Portugal Itinerary for five different ways to spend 10 days in Portugal. We also have a detailed 10 day itinerary that includes Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve.

PORTO: We cover the best things to do in Porto in our Porto Bucket List. In our Guide to the Wine Cellars in Gaia, get recommendations on which wine cellars to visit and how to plan your time. See the best of Porto in our 2 Days in Porto Itinerary.

LISBON: In our Lisbon Bucket List, we list 40 highlights and hidden gems to visit in Lisbon. Plan your time with our one day in Lisbon itinerary. Here are 14 amazing day trips to take from Lisbon. Find the perfect place to stay in our Lisbon Hotel Guide.

BEST OF PORTUGAL: In our article Best Things to Do in Portugal, we list 25 amazing things to see and do in Portugal.

NAZARÉ: Nazaré is famous for its enormous waves, making it a top surfing destination in the world. Learn more about this coastal town in our Guide to Nazaré.

ALGARVE: Get started with our Algarve Bucket List, which lists the best things to do in the Algarve and learn how to plan your time with our Algarve Itinerary Planner. Learn how to hike the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, one of the most beautiful walks in Europe. Don’t miss our guides to Benagil Cave and the best beaches in the Algarve. Find out where to stay in our Algarve Hotel Guide, get a list of the best restaurants in Albufeira, and learn why October is the perfect time to visit the Algarve.

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