When you are planning your Portugal itinerary, you might be wondering if Porto is worth visiting? It’s filled with so much history, beautiful architecture, and known for their famous wine! It combines incredible views and old world charm. It’s also Portugal’s second largest city so it has a lot to offer. In this guide, I want to share all the details and best things to do in Porto and then you’ll be able to decide for yourself if Porto is worth visiting.
How to Get to Porto
Porto is a city located in northern Portugal. It is very easy to get to and it is now one of the most accessible places in Portugal. If you are flying into Lisbon, you can take a train to Porto. The train departs pretty frequently throughout the day and it takes about three hours. You also have the option to fly from Lisbon to Porto in just one hour.
How Many Days to Spend in Porto
I recommend staying in Porto for one or two days. It also makes a great day trip. You can definitely see a lot of Porto in one day. And the great thing is you can walk the entire the city. I went to Porto for a day trip and we were able to park our car and then just walk and explore the city. That’s the best way to visit a city in my opinion!
Best Things to do in Porto
Explore the streets of Ribeira
It is located along the Duoro River and it’s one of the oldest districts in Porto. It is surrounded by little alleyways and cobblestone streets. There are a lot of bars, cafes, and restaurants. We walked along the water, but you can also take a boat trip along the Duoro River to cruise beneath Porto’s six bridges.
Dom Luis Bridge
This bridge was designed by the same architect that designed the Eiffel Tower! I recommend walking across the bridge so you can see an amazing view of Porto from the other side of the river.
Douro River
Porto lies along the Douro River. This river starts in Spain and crosses all through North of Portugal. Porto is known for its six bridges and they all cross the Douro River. You can take a river cruise to see all the bridges and you’ll be able to see Porto in a whole new way.
Capala das Almas
Visit this famous chapel in Porto to see their blue and white tile wall that was painted based on the lives of saints. It is a must see in Porto! The address is Rua de Santa Catarina, 428. It’s a difficult place to take a photo of since it is on a busy street and sidewalk, but just be patient!
Igreja do Carmo
This is another famous church in Porto located on Rua do Carmo. I am obsessed with all the tiles in Portugal and this church is such a well-known tile facade.
Livraria Lello
If you are a Harry Potter fan, a must see in Porto is the library that inspired J.K. Rowling to create Harry Potter’s universe. It is located on Rua das Carmelitas, 144. I was disappointed that we didn’t have enough time to go. We went in the middle of the afternoon and the line was so long! If you want to visit, I highly recommend visiting first thing in the morning!
You should also visit Cafe Majestic. It’s a charming and cute little cafe. Supposedly, J.K. Rowling wrote some of the Harry Potter books here!
Clerigos Tower
This is one of my favorite things we did in Porto. The Clerigos Tower is a tall bell tower where you can climb up to the top and see a 360 degree view of the entire city. It’s such an incredible view!
Go on a Wine Tour
If you are in Porto for more than one day, a visit to the Douro Valley is a must! It is one of the most iconic grape growing regions in the country. You can rent a car and spend a day in the Douro Valley or go on a wine tour.
Here are some Douro Valley wine tours you can book on Viator:
Food in Porto
You have to try Porto’s most famous dish. It is called a francesinha. This is a sandwich filled with different meats like ham, Portuguese sausage, steak or roast beef and then covered with melted cheese served in tomato sauce. It was actually pretty good!
So, is Porto worth visiting? I definitely think so!
Do you want to see more beautiful cities in Portugal? Check out my Algarve and Lisbon Portugal travel guides.
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