As one of Portugal’s most important cities, you’ll find that there’s plenty to see in Porto. Particularly famous for its incredible wine production and its beautiful bridges over the Douro River, Porto is in no way inferior to the country’s capital.
You will be able to enjoy its different neighbourhoods, immersing yourself in the authentic Portuguese atmosphere and enjoying its fun and picturesque style. You will find an infinite number of landmarks, symbolic places and natural sites to visit, all with their own special touch. Once you have finished visiting this impressive city, make sure to taste some of its wines – you’ll be amazed!
To organise your trip we recommend using the Passporter app. Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers and add the places that interest you to the route map. You can also keep all important documents in one place such as travel tickets or hotel reservations, among many other features, completely free of charge.
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Things to see in Porto
Visit Porto Cathedral
The Cathedral, also known as La Sé, is, as you would expect, one of the main landmarks to see in Porto. This impressive structure is one of the most important religious buildings in the entire city, and was built in the 12th century.
This cathedral is located in a beautiful square where you can see a column that was used to execute criminals in the past. As soon as you are in its vicinity, you will be fascinated by the cathedral’s imposing Gothic facade. You can go inside to see the cloister, probably the most impressive part of the cathedral. It also has a Gothic style and is decorated with tiles depicting religious scenes. Once you have finished your visit, we recommend stopping for a drink in one of the surrounding bars or restaurants.
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See the Stock Exchange Palace in Porto
The Palácio da Bolsa is one of the most beautiful places to see in Porto and is today the headquarters of the city’s Commercial Association. It was built on the ruins of what was once a Franciscan convent and has been declared a National Monument of Portugal.
This neoclassical building will leave you speechless. Inside, you can stroll through an extensive courtyard with an impressive glass roof, letting in natural light and creating a truly impressive atmosphere. You can up to the first floor to see the many different rooms, such as the Golden Room, the General Assembly Room or the impressive Arab Room, which has certain influences from the Alhambra in Granada. You will be impressed by the decorative wonder of this palace.
Lello e Irmao Bookshop
This beautiful bookshop is in an impressive neo-Gothic style building located in the heart of the city centre. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city and certainly one of the places you can’t miss on your trip to Oporto.
As well as being able to find an infinite number of books, inside you will discover the inspiration of the famous writer J.K. Rowling when writing certain scenes of her famous Harry Potter saga. You can wander around its two enormous floors, which are over 100 years old, with ornate wooden decorations and a huge stained glass window on the ceiling.
Due to the large number of people who starting coming to this place which hindered the operation of the business, an entrance fee of €5 was introduced, but it is definitely worth it.
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Visit Sao Bento Station in Porto
The Sao Bento Station was built at the beginning of the 11th century, and today it is one of the main places to see in Porto. Although its facade is beautiful, what is really impressive about this place is its interior decoration.
Inside is a huge space decorated with a myriad of tiles depicting various historical events in Portugal. The light that hits these tiles creates a truly magical atmosphere, especially at sunset. Although there is not much to see at the station, it is 100% worth a visit.
See the Church of the Clérigos in Porto
The Church of the Clérigos is one of the most impressive religious infrastructures to see in Porto. It has a baroque architectural style, and was completed in 1748. Its most characteristic feature is the enormous 76-metre tower, which serves as a lookout point.
You can climb to the top and enjoy incredible views over the historic centre, as well as get an idea of the size of the whole city. This tower is visible from almost anywhere in the city, making it one of the most attractive spots in Porto. In addition to the tower, it is definitely worth taking a look inside this beautiful church, where you can admire an interesting polychrome marble altarpiece, as well as its vault.
Avenida dos Aliados
The Avenida dos Aliados is, as its name suggests, a wide avenue that is the most central point to see in Porto. It is also where some of the most important events of the year take place, such as New Year’s Eve or the festivities of St. John of Porto.
It is considered, along with Praça da Liberdade, the central square of Porto. At the end of the avenue is the monumental Porto City Hall building, which can be seen from the other end of the street. From this avenue you can easily access some of the most iconic and popular spots in the city, such as the Rua de Santa Catarina, the Cedofeita neighbourhood or the famous Porto Sao Bento Station. Once you have finished visiting the area, we recommend going down to the end of the avenue for a pleasant walk along the Douro River.
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Bolhão Market
The Bolhao Market is one of the most interesting places to see in Porto, consisting of an structure divided into two spacious floors with a large inner courtyard. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to buy something or not, a simple stroll around the area is worth it.
Inside this market you will find a large number of stalls selling everything from meat, fruit, vegetables and fish to local food stalls where you can pick up something to take away. Inside you can enjoy the pure essence of Porto, as well as learn more about the work of the local vendors. It may be the ideal place to visit if you are looking for somewhere to eat or have a snack, as you will be able to find an infinite number of the city’s typical dishes and products.
See La Ribeira in Porto
The Ribeira is the entire stretch of the promenade along the Douro River, and is the starring image of most of Porto’s postcards. This picturesque area offers one of the most pleasant walks in the whole city, so you can’t miss it on your trip to Porto.
Along your walk along the Ribeira, you will discover an infinite number of restaurants and places to stop for a meal or just a drink on the banks of the river. You will also have the opportunity to admire some of the most famous landmarks of the Ribeira, such as the Don Luis I bridge, a structure that will not leave you indifferent, or the impressive Church of Sao Francisco. If you feel like enjoying this area from a different perspective, you can choose to take a trip along the Douro River and see the different bridges that cross it, an experience not to be missed!
Visit the Do Barredo neighbourhood in Porto
Among all the neighbourhoods you can visit in Porto, you can’t miss the Barredo neighbourhood. You can to immerse yourself in the authentic essence of the city through its streets, while learning more about its history and cultures.
Throughout your walk through this neighbourhood, you can stroll through an endless number of narrow streets, staircases and curious corners. In addition to enjoying its atmosphere, you can find some iconic features such as the Escalas Do Barredo or the Torre Do Barredo. The limits of this neighbourhood are marked by two of the most important places in the city: Porto Cathedral and the Douro River, so you can’t get lost in this area.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
What to see around Porto
Vila Nova de Gaia
Wine is one of the symbols of Porto, so don’t miss a visit to Vila Nova de Gaia, a city located just in front of Porto and home to some of the best wineries in the country. You can get there by crossing the famous Don Luis I metal bridge.
Once here, we recommend a tour of one of the wine cellars to learn all about the wine making process and taste some of the best wines in the country. Some of the most famous wineries are Croft, Graham’s and Ferreira. When you have finished your visit, you can stroll along the lovely riverside and admire the colourful Ribeira de Porto, located just opposite Vila Nova de Gaia.
Peso da Régua
Peso da Régua is the capital of the Porto wine region. Here you will find the most important wine-producing town, as well as a myriad of activities to do related to this incredible drink.
These include visiting the Wine Museum, where you can learn more about the history of wine in this region, as well as the production process. You can also take a trip on a small cruise to enjoy the scenery among the vineyards. You will feel completely immersed in the world of wine, and all this in a natural environment. 100% recommended.
Crystal Palace Gardens
Located a short distance from Porto are the Crystal Palace Gardens, an idyllic place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. In addition to its natural beauty, this site is easily accessible both on foot and by public transport.
The Gardens are a huge park with a characteristic Romanesque style that has been open to the public since 1860, offering a spectacular natural environment. After a pleasant stroll through its wide stretches of grass and nature, you can stop to admire the city and the Douro River from an unbeatable viewpoint. In these gardens you can also visit some iconic spots such as the Avenida de los Castaños, the Emilio David Garden, the Emilio David Garden, the Garden of Aromatic Plants and the Garden of Feelings.
What to do in Porto in 1 day
- Visit Porto Cathedral
- Go to the Palácio da Bolsa
- Admire the Clérigos Church
- Walk down Avenida dos Aliados
- See the Barredo Neighbourhood
What to do in Porto in 2 days
- Go to Bolhao Market
- Walk along La Ribeira
- Enter Sao Bento Station
- Visit Paso da Régua
- Discover the Lello e Irmao bookshop
- Escape to Vila Nova de Gaia
- Walk through the Crystal Palace Gardens
How to plan your itinerary of places to see in Porto?
Download the Passporter app and plan your trip in the most organised way, according to the number of days and places you want to see in the Porto.
With the app you can:
- Get inspired by other travellers’ experiences.
- Save important information about the destinations you want to visit that you have found on the internet. Just install the Chrome extension and save everything useful for your trip.
- Save tickets and reservations.
- Organise your route on Google maps with your accommodation as the starting point or any other point that you choose.
- Know the best travel option for each location.
- Save and post your own photos and experiences as you go, so that when someone asks you “How was your trip to Porto?”, you can say “Visit my traveller profile on Passporter.”
If you are interested in learning more about how to use and get the most out of the Passporter app, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best time to visit Porto is in spring, between the months of April and October; we recommend avoiding the summer months, especially when there are more travellers.
There are several ways to get to Peso da Régua from Porto, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
– The cheapest way to get to Peso da Régua, though not the fastest, is by train. The journey takes approximately two hours and costs between €7 and €11.
– The second cheapest option is to take the bus, which takes approximately two hours and costs between €9 and €11.
– You can choose to hire a car, the journey takes just an hour, and prices range from €11 to €16 per day.
Entrance to the church is completely free, while the price to climb the tower to enjoy the viewpoint is €3.
Porto has a wide range of public transport options, so you will have no problem getting around the city comfortably.
– You can use the metro, both to access points inside and outside the city. Not all of its tracks are underground, but there are also some outside tram-like tracks. The price of a basic ticket is €1.20.
– You can take the tram, which has two central lines and a third that goes to the outskirts.
– You can also take the bus, although this is not the most efficient option. The cost of a single journey is €1.90.
– Finally, you can take Porto’s famous funicular railway, which takes you from the Ribeira to the Batalha area for an affordable €2.50.
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