Porto

Porto & the North – wine, wine, wine and wilderness

For me, Porto is the ultimate weekend city. In two days you see and taste it all – from the stunning tile-covered churches to port wine tasting to the city’s famous hearty sandwich. The architecture is different, the tiles are different, the city is cooler, but the people are a little warmer.

If you have time – and I suggest you make time – hire a car and drive out to the Douro Valley. About two hours east of Porto you’ll hit vineyards that defy gravity, sitting on steep hand-carved terraces that melt into the river. This is where port wine is grown before being shipped down the river to mature in the humid seaside climate.

Study a population map of Portugal, and you’ll see that the small cities in the north actually make up a huge portion of the country. Skipping over the wild north would mean missing a bit part of the Portuguese identity.

Keep exploring and you’ll uncover a raw and authentic side of Portugal. Up here the food is better, they say, perhaps thanks to the cooler, greener climate. Small cities like Braga, Viana do Castelo, Guimarães, Chaves and Bragança are all worth a day, at least.

Plus, the wilderness of Portugal’s only national park, Peneda-Gerês National Park, is up here right on the northern border with Spain.

Essential Porto region guides

48 hours in Porto

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Where to eat in Porto

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Guide to Guimarães

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Best places to visit in Porto region

1. Porto, of course

The never-conquered city is rich with history, narrow streets and dark tales. Spend at least two days in Porto.

2. Douro Valley, for wine

Wine taste in the Douro Valley It takes around two hours to reach the steep, vine-covered Douro Valley where the wineries are.

3. Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal

Step back in time in the World Heritage protected historic centre of Guimarães, full of architecture from the 15th to 19th centuries.

4. Head to the seaside

Famous for fishing, drop into the market at Matosinhos and have a long lazy seafood lunch. Or venture further to Espinho or Leça da Palmeira.

5. Peneda-Gerês National Park

Portugal’s only national park, wedged between the Minho and Trás-os-Montes regions, is packed with serene nature, hikes and cute villages.

6. Visit Viana do Castelo

A small but beautiful coastal city rich in history, jewels, traditional dress and pristine beaches.

Best things to do in Porto city

Wander the narrow streets of old town
Hunt down every tiled church
Taste port wine in Gaia

Visit the famous bookstore, Livraria Lello
Eat a francesinha sandwich
Visit Palacio da Bolsa

Drop into São Bento train station
Walk over the Ponte Luis I bridge
Eat many sandwiches

Sunset tip… Like Lisbon, Porto has a number of hills and park terraces overlooking the river. My preference for sunset is down by Ribeira. Here you can watch the sunset, admire the river and chill in the old town while people-watching tourists and locals.

Best things to do beyond Porto

Hike Peneda-Gerês National Park
Go back in time at Guimarães
Uncover a Celtic village at Cividade de Terroso

Visit the Bom Jesus in Braga
Chase waterfalls near Vila Real
Go deep into the north-west at Bragança

Soak in views from Viana do Castelo
Visit spa country around Chaves
Chase chickens in Barcelos

Tiles at Capela das Almas de Catarina or Santa Catarina Chapel in Porto

Winter in Porto means castanhas or chestnuts

Where to stay in Porto

It’s hard to go wrong in Porto city centre, and on the half dozen times I’ve visited I try to stay in different downtown areas. Porto is easy to walk around, so you can’t really go wrong but I love to stay in Bolhão and around Rua Catarina because it’s near the market, which is a great morning activity. First-timers might love central and riverfront Ribeira, while I prefer creative Bomfim or Cedofeita, a cool area with lots of brunch cafes and boutique stores. Slightly further out, I’ve stayed in Marques a couple of times and it’s easy to take the metro in or walk an extra 10 minutes and there’s more of a neighbourhood vibe. I’m not a huge fan of Batalha, I just find the area doesn’t have enough of a vibe in the evening.

While I’ve usually booked a private apartment in town, I loved my stay at The Passenger Hostel. It’s set right in the famous São Bento train station with both shared and private rooms. Other good budget stays are Lost Inn Hostel and Selina, which are all new-age hostels.

If you want to splash out on a nice hotel, check out the beautiful and historic Torel 1884, Pestana Vintage or Casa da Companhia.

What to eat in Porto

People (read: northerners) say the food in the north of Portugal is best. Up in the top end the traditional dishes seem to be heartier and heavy on meat, that’s for sure. I really believe Porto is a food wonderland with so many amazing restaurants to try, from very traditional tascas to cutting edge restaurants. Try a northern-style bifana at Conga, pork sandwich at Casa Guedes and francesinha at Cervejaria Brasão. Yes, those are all pork sandwiches. Find out what else to eat and where with my extensive Porto food guide.

I also have a guide covering where to eat in Guimarães.

How to get around

Porto is a smaller city so if you stay in the city centre you can easily walk everywhere. Alternatively, there is a metro and tram with a similar system to Lisbon.

To explore outside of Porto, there are city train lines that will shoot you to Braga or Guimarães in no time. There is also two regional train lines: one follows the Douro Valley to the east, and the other goes north, passing by Barcelos and Viana do Castelo towards Valença.

If you want to explore nature or small towns, renting a car is the best way to go.