Porto is a cultural and culinary experience – and the most romantic city of Portugal.
A glass of sparkling red port wine, a platter of cheese, a view of the fantastically illuminated Dom Luís I bridge and the port wine cellars, with fado singing to the sound of guitars in the background - that's Porto. The city in the north of Portugal is still a real insider tip and we will show you the highlights.
- Travel duration: 3 days
- Best time to travel: May to September
- Main dish: 10 €
Arrival
The Aeroporto do Porto is served by many airlines including budget airlines. The city centre is 16 kilometres away and can be easily reached by metro. We recommend that you buy an Andante multi-day ticket at the airport's tourist information office. You can then use it right away.
Hotel
Porto has a wide range of accommodation in all price ranges. A night in a double room at the Maison Albar Hotels Le Monumental Palace* is available from 400 euros. We recommend a room at the Castelo de Santa Catarina*. The restored castle with its beautiful garden is located only a few minutes' walk from the Marques metro station and has free private parking.
Places of interest
The starting point for your stroll through the historic old town, which is a World Heritage Site, is the beautiful São Bento train station. Its entrance hall is decorated with more than 20,000 azulejos (painted tiles) with stories from Porto. A few steps up the hill you will reach Sé Cathedral, which together with the Episcopal Palace dominates the skyline of Porto. From the church square you have a fantastic view of the old town, the river Douro and the port wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia. Through winding alleys with colourful houses you go down to Ribeira on the river bank.
The places in the cafes and restaurants along the promenade are very popular, especially in the evening when the famous Ponte Dom Luís I is beautifully illuminated. The lower level of the bridge leads us to the Port Wine Cellars of Gaia and the rustic tavern Taberninha do Manel, a secret tip of the inhabitants of Portos. The upper level runs between the cathedral and the monastery Serra do Pilar with a perfect view of the Porto skyline.
Also worth seeing is the magnificent stock exchange palace Palácio da Bolsa. For the limited entrance, you have to get your ticket with the time of visit in advance. Highlights are the Hall of Nations and the Arab Hall inspired by the Alhambra in Granada .
The six-storey Torre dos Clérigos can be seen from afar. It’s a landmark with a 360° panorama is in the hip party district of Porto. Hidden behind a beautiful Art Nouveau façade is the Livraria Lello, one of the most beautiful bookshops in Europe and the inspiration for the Harry Potter author Joanne K. Rowling, who lived in Porto for a while. Her favourite café was the nostalgic Café Majestic at Porto's shopping mall. Try Pastéis de nata, the national speciality from Lisbon, but in the more affordable Café Traveller just around the corner.
Top addresses for a fresh authentic lunch are the historic Mercado do Bolhão with its cheap snacks, the gourmet temple Mercado Bom Sucesso near the futuristic Casa da Música and the numerous restaurants at Docapesca, the fish wholesale market in Matosinhos. There is also an extensive sandy beach and the Parque da Cidade do Porto, a green area with many lakes and hiking trails. Along the Atlantic coast and the banks of the Douro you can get back to the old town of Porto on foot, by bus 500 or from Foz do Douro with the historic tram .
For tourists the restaurant Casa da Mariquinhas offers traditional Fado concerts in combination with a dinner. On Tuesday afternoon, locals listen to the Fado sounds up close at the Bar Adega Rio Douro.
For football fans we recommend a tour through the halls of FC Porto. The Estádio do Dragão has an interactive museum that is also fun for children. For a relaxing afternoon on the beach, a 15 kilometre stretch of golden sand coast awaits you from the Douro estuary in Vila Nova de Gaia. Here you can go for a nice walk and cycle on well maintained paths.
Our book tip
Our book tip: More information about Porto and places worth seeing nearby can be found in the book „Porto - Portugal's romantic city on the Douro and the Atlantic Ocean“ (only available in German :P).
