Porto — Tour Highlights and Travel Tips
Porto Tour Highlights
- Porto is famous for its azulejos, hand-painted tiles featured on buildings around the city. A Porto walking tour is a great way to check out some of the finest examples and learn about the 500-year history of these unique artworks.
- Looking to hit the beach? Foz do Douro is the Porto region’s premier seaside destination. Take a dip in the chilly Atlantic or enjoy the buzz from one of the many bustling beachfront bars or cafes.
- We recommend a wine tour in Porto to learn about (and taste!) the region’s most famous export. With the Douro River Valley, the world’s oldest demarcated wine region right on Porto’s doorstep, the best way to go wine-tasting is by boat. Board your boat in Porto and spend the day drifting down the Douro River taking in the spectacular scenery and stopping for a few tastings along the way. Private tours departing from Porto are an option for those looking for a more exclusive experience.
- Calling all meat lovers! You can’t visit Porto and not try francesinha, a sandwich stacked with ham, sausage, and steak, and topped with a fried egg and cheese with a special beer sauce drizzled over. Cafe Santiago is our pick to sample this iconic dish.
- One of the top must-do activities in Porto is to stroll through the Insta-worthy Ribiera. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, this bustling district is home to winding alleys, traditional restaurants, and must-see monuments like the Palacio da Bolsa.
Porto Travel Tips
- Livaria Lello—one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world—is a Porto institution. However, it gets so busy that tickets are required. Plan your visit for the first hour of the day or near closing for a more peaceful browsing experience.
- Looking to bring home something special from your Porto tour? Nip into Ó! Galeria and grab a stylish print by a local artist. Claus Porto is world-renowned for their luxury soaps, bath salts, colognes and lotions. Decorative azulejos also make a great souvenir (Gazete Azulejos even runs tours and workshops). Don’t forget to leave room for a bottle of Port—if you haven’t purchased from a cellar door, Garrafeira do Carmo has a great selection.
- Are your knees seeking respite from Porto’s steep hillsides? Take an electric bike tour to explore Porto with ease. If you’re looking for something more relaxing, a Porto river tour on a rabelo—a traditional wooden cargo ship—is a great way to admire the hillsides in comfort.
- Discerning travelers seeking luxury tours or private tours of Porto are spoiled for choice — private wine tastings, exclusive dining options (Euskalduna Studio is a must) and luxury hotels (the Yeatman, Gran Cruz House, and Torel Palace to name a few) are in abundance.
- Porto is accessible from Lisbon via a 3.5-hour rail journey or 1-hour flight. TAP (Portugal’s national air carrier) also offers flights from other popular destinations within Portugal such as the Azores, the Algarve and Madeira. Porto is also accessible by air from many major European cities.
