Top places to visit in Porto

• Livraria Lello

  Heritage · about 0.8 h · entry EUR 8

  Ornate neo-Gothic bookshop (1906) with a crimson forked staircase, said to have inspired Harry Potter imagery.

• Torre dos Clérigos

  Viewpoint · about 0.8 h · entry EUR 8

  Baroque bell tower (75m) by Nicolau Nasoni; 240 steps climb to panoramic city views.

• São Bento Railway Station

  Heritage · about 0.3 h

  Working station whose atrium is lined with ~20,000 azulejo tiles depicting Portuguese history.

• Cais da Ribeira

  Heritage · about 1 h

  Colourful riverside quarter of narrow lanes and cafés along the Douro, a UNESCO World Heritage zone.

• Ponte Luís I

  Viewpoint · about 0.5 h

  Double-deck iron arch bridge (1886) linking Porto and Gaia; the upper deck offers sweeping Douro views.

• Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto)

  Church · about 0.7 h · entry EUR 3

  Romanesque-Gothic cathedral on the hilltop with a Gothic cloister and city panoramas.

• Igreja de São Francisco

  Church · about 0.7 h · entry EUR 8

  Gothic church with an interior smothered in gilded baroque woodcarving (talha dourada).

• Palácio da Bolsa

  Heritage · about 0.8 h · entry EUR 12

  19th-century former stock exchange famed for the Moorish-revival Arab Room; visits by guided tour.

• Igreja do Carmo

  Church · about 0.4 h

  Baroque twin churches whose side wall is covered in a vast blue-and-white azulejo panel.

• Port Wine Cellars (Vila Nova de Gaia)

  Cultural · about 1.5 h · entry EUR 20

  Riverfront lodges (Graham's, Sandeman, Taylor's and more) where port is aged; tours with tastings.

• Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

  Nature · about 1 h

  Romantic hilltop gardens with peacocks and terraces overlooking a bend of the Douro.

• Foz do Douro & Farol

  Viewpoint · about 1 h

  Where the Douro meets the Atlantic — seaside promenade, lighthouse and sunset views.

Things to do

• Douro Valley Wine Tour Day Trip · 9 h · from EUR 95 per person
• Port Wine Cellar Tour & Tasting Food Tour · 1.3 h · from EUR 25 per person
• Six Bridges Douro River Cruise Sightseeing · 0.8 h · from EUR 18 per person
• Porto Food & Wine Walking Tour Food Tour · 3.5 h · from EUR 75 per person
• Fado Show in Porto Cultural · 1.5 h · from EUR 30 per person

Day trips and tours

• Douro Valley Full-Day Wine Tour 10 h · from EUR 95

Where to stay in Porto

• Ribeira about EUR 150 per night

  Atmospheric riverside old town, walkable to main sights but hilly and busy.

• Baixa / Aliados about EUR 110 per night

  Central downtown around Avenida dos Aliados, great transport links.

• Vila Nova de Gaia about EUR 120 per night

  Across the river by the port lodges, calmer with skyline views.

Hotels

• Torel Avantgarde 5-star · EUR 260 to EUR 600 per night
• The Passenger Hostel 3-star · EUR 28 to EUR 90 per night
• Pestana Vintage Porto 4-star · EUR 150 to EUR 320 per night
• Moov Hotel Porto Centro 3-star · EUR 65 to EUR 110 per night

Where to eat

• Cervejaria Brasão Aliados Portuguese · about EUR 22 per person
• Café Santiago Portuguese · about EUR 15 per person
• Majestic Café Café, Portuguese · about EUR 20 per person
• Taberna dos Mercadores Portuguese · about EUR 28 per person
• The Yeatman Restaurant Portuguese, Fine Dining · about EUR 180 per person
• Adega São Nicolau Portuguese, Seafood · about EUR 24 per person

Getting around

• Metro main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Tram main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Walking main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

Safety and scams to avoid

• Pickpockets on tram 1 and in Ribeira

  Crowded trams, São Bento, Ribeira

  Thieves work packed heritage trams and tourist crowds to lift phones and wallets.

  How to avoid it: Keep valuables zipped and in front pockets; wear bags across the body.

More in Portugal

• Sintra
• Funchal
• Lagos
• Coimbra
• Faro
• Óbidos