Porto guide

(to read and make use of the links, underlined, and maps below to create your own schedule, last updated 18/08/2021)

Porto (Oporto in English) is the city that gives name to the famous Port wine but it has much more story than that! The strong connection with the UK and the world in general made this city the epicenter of many forms of art in Portugal - it has one of the most famous libraries in the country that inspired J.K.Rowling, the futuristic building of Casa da Música, a huge center of photography, hidden and irreverent graffitis, and many more. Definetely worth to visit this city that mantains centenary characteristics.

In the first map bellow I recommend a walk that can be done in one morning/afternoon. In the second map I leave some suggestions for restaurants and bars that were recommended to me by Vânia Rodrigues, Duarte Fernandes, Pedro Luís Silva, and João Castro. Finally, one last map with worth points that are a bit further away from the center.

Points you might wanna visit inside:

  • Livraria Lello - very packed, only for early birds, but worth it for Harry Potter fans

  • Torre dos Clérigos - go up 225 steps to have a fantastic view over the city

  • Palácio da Bolsa - underrated by tourists it has usually no queue. Take the guided visit and discover the history of trade in Porto.

  • Café Majestic - usually packed but worth it to feel like in Paris for a couple of minutes

  • Mercado do Bolhão - when it opens again (tba)

  • Estação de São Bento - fantastic azulejos (tiles) inside this train station. Be brave, take a train to Pinhão and lose yourself in the wonderful view of Douro.

P.S. This walking tour is about 10km, so do take breaks whenever needed, and/or save Vila Nova de Gaia (other side of the river) for after lunch, especially if you go there to taste the delicious Port wine! Here are two of my favourite tours: Graham's and Ferreira. Finally, they are not included in this map but I also recommend Jardins do Palácio de Cristal for a book reading afternoon, Casa da Música and Coliseu for concerts and shows, and Sé, for the most religious.

Color legend: typical restaurants (blue), bars-restaurants with a view (violet), francesinha (red), pricy but worth it (orange), vegetarian/vegan (green)

Did you like it? I also have a guide for Lisbon!