Northern Portugal — Tour Highlights and Travel Tips
Northern Portugal Tour Highlights
- Follow the insightful Romanesque Route, covering three regions in Northern Portugal (Sousa Valley, Tâmega Valley and Douro Valley). Outlined with 58 monuments, monasteries and castles, investigate the country’s medieval roots.
- Go Porto-tasting through the terracing Douro Valley, pit-stopping at the traditional family-run Quintas.
- Go on an eight-kilometer walk along the wooden Paiva Walkways (Passadicos do Paiva), straddling the Paiva River in Areinho. From here, go abseiling or add a river rafting adventure to your Northern Portugal itinerary. Also, don’t miss the second-longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world: 175-meter-high Arouca Bridge!
- Spot the endangered Iberian Wolf during hikes inside Peneda-Gerês National Park or chase powerful waterfalls created by the River Olo within Parque Natural do Alvão.
- Visit one of the world’s most stunning bookstores (Livraria Lello), photograph the iconic blue tiles (azulejo) at São Bento Train Station and stroll the cobbled alleyways in Porto.
- Marvel at Braga’s Baroque masterpiece: the 17th-century organ inside the Braga Cathedral.
- Take a scenic one-hour train ride from Porto to Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal. Once here, catch the town’s gondola up Penha hill. On a clear day, the views up top stretch over the North, and you can walk back down.
- Photograph the candy-colored houses in Aveiro or go surfing at Praia do Bico in Afife or Matosinhos beach.
- Hunt down these “stairways to heaven,” i.e., miradouros (viewpoints): Boneca, Ujo and Olhos do Tua.
Northern Portugal Travel Tips
- Plan your days wisely. Northern Portugal is large, so you will want to spend at least a week exploring the region. While villages can easily be explored on a day trip, you must dedicate at least two days to tour major cities.
- Hiring a car is a great way to travel around Northern Portugal, as some places can’t be reached on public transports.
- Save money by using the regional trains and buses. Fantastic day trips from Porto via train include Guimarães, Braga, Aveiro, Matosinhos and the Douro Valley.
- If Porto is your base, consider purchasing a Porto Card (including free local transport, museum admissions and discounts at city attractions).
- Summer (June to September) is the busiest season and also the most expensive time to travel. Winter (December to March) brings rain, but everything is cheaper.
