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German Porto, once a hidden gem, has become a hip and widely known trendy destination. Still, Porto really won me over, which is why I’m sharing my personal travel guide here!
Although Porto has been on my travel bucket list for a long time, I still never managed to get there. By now, it was almost a little too late—this former hidden gem in Portugal is more popular than ever and packed with visitors! Anyway, I was still thrilled: Here, I’m sharing my favorite sights in Porto!
Tips for Porto:
➜ Save money on admission fees and public transportation with the Porto Card*
➜ Be sure to try port wine at one of the wineries in Vila Nova de Gaia
➜ Great deals on accommodations in Porto
➜ If you have more time: River cruise on the Douro*(full day)
I always felt right at home in Lisbon, and it wasn’t much different in Porto. As a Brazilian, the language barrier isn’t really an issue for me, and the Portuguese are so warm and hospitable!
The Best Way to Explore Porto’s Sights
In general, Porto is a good place to spend a few relaxing days. Porto is the second largest city in Portugal, but you can still reach a lot on foot. The only drawback are the occasionally very steep hills, if you want to walk back to your accommodation after a long day of sightseeing – depending on where you are staying. For this case, you can always resort to public transport, cabs or Uber. All very well priced, like everything else in Porto. Or you can be happy about the extra calf workout.
Hi, I’m Tatiana, the blogger behind The Happy Jetlagger. I love sharing honest, passionate, and authentic stories about my travels. All tips are carefully researched by me.
You get lots of discounts with the Porto Card*—and you can use it to ride all public transportation for free!
#1 Cais de Ribeira
Ribeira is the port district of Porto – and sooner or later you’ll end up here anyway: life happens at the Cais de Ribeira, in the evenings there’s an atmosphere with street musicians, popcorn cars and full bars and restaurants, even in winter. Many of them are tourist traps, but sitting on the quay with a glass of Douro wine and watching the sunset is priceless.
Restaurant tip: At Bacalhau (a little off the beaten path and not quite as touristy), you can enjoy wine along with Portuguese bacalhau dishes given a modern twist. Eating bacalhau (salted cod) is an absolute must in Portugal.
The streets behind the promenade still have a truly quaint atmosphere, and in the dark, narrow alleys, you get that harbor charm for free!
#2 Dom Luís I Bridge
Arguably the most striking of all Porto’s sights: At the end of the Cais de Ribeira, the gigantic Ponte Dom Luís I towers over the Douro River, connecting Porto with Vila Nova de Gaia across the river, which is known for its port wine cellars. Vehicles travel on both the lower and upper levels of the bridge. Pedestrians can also cross the bridge on both levels and enjoy the view of Porto, especially from the top.
#3 Clérigos Tower
One thing in advance, claustrophobically inclined people may not make it all the way to the top of the clock tower of the Igreja dos Clérigos (or Clérigos Church). The climb is very narrow at the end and the viewing platform is more of a narrow walkway around the top of the tower. Fear of contact with strangers is out of place here, otherwise you will neither go forward nor back.
On busy days, access is probably restricted here, but even on quieter days it can quickly get crowded at the top of Torre dos Clérigos. But you will be rewarded with the very best view over Porto: The Torre dos Clérigos is the highest church tower in all of Portugal and one of Porto’s landmarks.
#4 São Bento Station
Can a dull train station be a place of interest? Yes, definitely! Especially when inside it is tiled all over with hand-painted azulejos, the typical tiles of Portugal. The white-and-blue artwork stretches from floor to ceiling in the Estação São Bento station concourse, leaving you in awe.
The station itself is a terminal station; trains depart from here to the rest of Portugal and also to the scenic Douro Valley. And if you’re traveling by train anyway and don’t feel like walking far, you can stay right at the station: The Passenger Hostel features ultra-modern accommodations and offers everything from dorms to large, maisonette-style family rooms.
You can find the Portuguese railway company’s schedules here: CP – Comboios de Portugal
#5 Palácio da Bolsa
One of the reasons I love Lisbon is its charm from days gone by, when Portugal was still a great seafaring nation and proudly displayed its wealth through its architecture. It’s not much different in Porto: The Palácio da Bolsa, the Stock Exchange Palace, is simply brimming with splendor. This is where major deals used to be struck—and a little cheating went on in those grand halls as well. What looks like ornate wood paneling at first (and even second) glance is, in many halls, simply cheap plaster. You wouldn’t notice it at all. A technique that was also used at Livraria Lello.
The Palácio da Bolsa can only be visited as part of a guided tour. Guided tours are available in Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English.
Tickets for guided tours of the Palácio da Bolsa*
With the Porto Card*, you’ll get a 25% discount on in-store purchases.
#6 Rua das Flores
The Rua dos Flores (Street of Flowers) is something like the cozier shopping street in the old town of Porto. In contrast to the Avenidas dos Aliados, it is less spectacular and has fewer to no mainstream stores like Rua Santa Catarina, but you can still experience traces of the real Porto here. Small stores with goods for everyday use, traditional cafés and lots of art: even the electricity boxes here are all artistically painted throughout. Unfortunately, a form of gentrification is also setting in here – small, long-established stores like the bookstore further down have to leave Rua dos Flores and with them goes a piece of flair.
#7 Vila Nova de Gaia and Port Wine
On the other side of the Douro, in Vila Nova de Gaia, are the port wineries that have made Porto so famous (or vice versa). Port wine is definitely something you should have tried in Porto! How this works and where to go there, I tested in my port wine self-experiment. i
➜ Drunk in Porto: Port Wine and Me
#8 Bolhão Market
The Mercado do Bolhão is one of Porto’s most famous markets and is located right in the heart of downtown. The Mercado do Bolhão was recently restored and now shines in new splendor. Here you can stock up on Porto’s signature delicacies: canned sardines in all varieties, bacalhau (salted cod—absolutely delicious—I could have lived on nothing but bacalhau dishes during my time in Porto!), and wine, wine, wine. Alternatively, it’s also worth visiting the Mercado Bom Sucesso, located just outside the city center near the Casa da Música concert hall.
#9 Livraria Lello
Livraria Lello is one of the most beautiful bookstores in Europe and is justifiably hyped. And it’s the first bookstore I’ve paid admission to. Unfortunately, the queues are now almost too long during the summer months, and you can’t really browse through books anymore: books are reduced to a minimum. Read also my article about the Livraria Lello.
#10 Foz do Douro
Porto is located on the sea, I had forgotten even on the spot before loud Douro panorama and old town hills. It takes only 20 to 30 minutes by bus or streetcar from the center to the suburbs of Matosinhos and Foz do Douro, located on the Atlantic coast. I was amazed how different Porto is here – rough sea, wild Atlantic. Total contrast to the tranquil old town.
Foz do Douro is also home to the Pergola da Foz, a formerly grandiose (and now restored) portico right on the promenade – but it’s not much of an attraction. There are a few beach bars right on the beach. Even in winter one or the other bar was open! So I could soak up some sun and enjoy the salty-fresh sea air.
Where to stay in Porto
I stayed at the Porto Republica Hostel & Suites, and I couldn’t have found a better place. In addition to typical hostel beds in shared rooms, there are also cozy private rooms with en suite bathrooms. A room in the old building, with worn old wooden floorboards and a double door leading to the balcony, through which the sun always shone in the mornings—what more could you ask for? The hotel is relatively small and has a family-friendly atmosphere. It wasn’t fully booked during the off-season, though that’s certainly different in the summer. For me, it was the perfect mix of a great location, price, style, and just the right amount of coziness.
Arrival and Departure / Transportation within Porto
Porto is becoming more and more popular, which is also noticeable in the numerous flight connections. Among others, you can get to Porto from Germany with Lufthansa* or Eurowings*.
Within Porto you can get around the city very well by public transport. But even those I have used only little, because much is very good to reach on foot, and one explores cities anyway best walking.
However, there are affordable day passes for public transportation, or you can buy the Porto Card*—it includes many other discounts, such as admission to the Palácio da Bolsa.
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Browse more articles about Porto and Lisbon here:
*Links marked with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links. If you book or buy something through them, I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!
I love your detailed post. When do you think is the best time to go to Porto? Reading your post makes me want to pack my bags and go.
Hi Ben, glad you like the article! I went there in December and I was lucky with the weather, it’s been sunny all four days I’ve spent there. In general, you can travel to Porto all year round. Although you might wanna to avoid peak season in July and August, where Porto gets more crowded. It can also get a bit hot like everywhere in Southern Europe (to me it’s awesome, but some people might find it exhausting for a city trip) and accomodation is more expensive. But summer in Europe has also a special vibe, so it’s definitely worth the higher price.