A week in Porto

[auburnfive]

Hello,
I’m headed to Porto for a week with friends. Looking for suggestions of what to see and do. Have been there for a day before and seen the train station, church and boat tour, - other ideas? I will walk from Matosinhos to Vila de Conde one day, it’s a favourite stretch. Many thanks.

 

[Wendy Werneth]

Here are a couple of articles I've written about things to do in Porto: one on its museums and another on the city's ties to Harry Potter, if that's of interest to you:

Harry Potter Porto: The JK Rowling Porto Portugal Connection

JK Rowling wrote the first three chapters of the first Harry Potter book in Porto, Portugal. Here's your guide to all the Harry Potter Porto sights.

www.thenomadicvegan.com

Porto Museum Guide: The Best and Worst Museums in Porto, Portugal

In this Porto museum guide, you'll find out which museums are must-sees when you're in Porto, Portugal, and which ones are not worth your time.

www.thenomadicvegan.com

 

[Camembert]

Visit Lello’s bookshop. Back in time
Be early before busses with Chinese, Japanese and Koreans arrive (if they come in this covid time)

 

[Corned Beef]

Visit Lello’s bookshop. Back in time
Be early before busses with Chinese, Japanese and Koreans arrive (if they come in this covid time)

As above. It was manic last year before restrictions ended. It will be worse now.

Hire an eBike as it helps you get around the hillier parts. And try the fish restaurants by the docks rather than by the tourist traps.

 

[Flog]

If you feel like a break from the city and the crowds, you could take the early morning train south to Espinho (about 20km or so) and walk back up the coast by the boardwalk and beaches (some good spots for swimming) by the mouth of the Douro to the lovely fishing village of Afurada for lunch, then back along the Gaia shoreline. It's a pleasant alternative to the Vila do Conde walk..

 

[mspath]

O Porto is on the Camino Portugués. Across the Douro river at Vila Nova de Gaia are many winehouses which produce Port wine.

For various reasons I've always enjoyed Graham's Port; they did a great tasting visit.

 

[naplesdon]

I have never done the port tastings across the river and do regret that. Oh well, someday! I did take the train one day to Pinhao for lunch, I think better than a bateau mouche. I read later that taking the train to the end of the line is even better. Pinhao is purported to be the birth place of port and the place I had lunch on the side of the river was first class.

 

[Camembert]

If you go to the portwine houses, go the the brand “Cruz”
Go inside the building and take the lift to the upper floor and you will have a beautifull view over Porto and the famous Eiffel bridge while enjoying a glass of cool white Portwine or of course a red one
Saude ! Cheers !

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

O Porto is on the Camino Portugués. Across the Douro river at Vila Nova de Gaia are many winehouses which produce Port wine.

For various reasons I've always enjoyed Graham's Port; they did a great tasting visit.

The tour at Sandeman's is worth taking part in as well. It's a big company and they put on quite a show; understated, but you see a lot!

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

In the heart of Porto, right near the Casa da Música, you'll find the Mercado Bom Sucesso. We stumbled on this as we were staying in a hotel nearby. This has been either built or substantially renovated recently, and is a mixture of a high-end food market and a food court. There are small stalls all round with various kinds of Portuguese food and wine displayed and on sale.

The food was excellent and reasonably priced. A great chance to browse through some of the typical specialties of Portugal, that tourists or pilgrims might not run into, in the smaller restaurants and grocery stores. And there was a wonderful performance by a local fado singer and her accompanists when we were there. We got to finish our meal with the band!

Highly recommended and not a very pricey treat.

 

[Oliviao]

Climb Clerigos tower, visit Lello bookshop, coffee at the famous Cafe Majestic. Cross the Eiffel bridge, go on the cable car to Gaia. Vist the Cockburns port house (still in family ownership). Ascend in the funicular. Boat trip down the Douro. Visit the fab food market for lunch in Gaia. Excellent local fare at O Rapido, next to Sao Bento.

 

[GailGwyn]

Visit Lello’s bookshop. Back in time
Be early before busses with Chinese, Japanese and Koreans arrive (if they come in this covid time)

When we were in Porto in September, the queue for Lello stretched right down the road!

 

[TheSparrow]

Take the 500 bus from Aliados (sit up top in the very front in the huge window) and take it to Foz (the beach area) and eat at Tavi and then walk the beach. Take the wooden tram back to town. Eat a "Frenchie" sandwich at Cafe Santiago, drink Port wine at night at a touristic cafe right along Douro. Stare at the tile art inside Sao Bento train station. Visit the Porto Guitarra string shop and look at fantastic Portuguese made string instruments and ask Tico to demo some of them for you or if you are lucky some local folk might pop in and sit and play for a while. Eat nata and coffee in a completely traditional looking cafe and stand at the bar to eat and drink it. Go to Lado B and eat "the best chocolate cake in the world." Go to Foz and eat at Pizza Hut sitting on outside patio with a world class ocean view. Google the best piri piri chicken and go and eat it with locals. Visit the FC Porto soccer stadium and museum. Schedule a tour of Casa da Musica and experience what it is like playing some instruments they give you in that beautiful music hall. Eat french toast at Majestic Cafe. Visit Serralves Contemporary Museum and pay extra to walk in the "tree tops boardwalk. Then walk downhill and tour the Tram Museum. Walk around the campus of the University of Fernando Pessoa while reading his poems Take a TukTuk tour and let someone show you the big picture of Porto etc etc etc Best city anywhere!

 

[lt56ny]

Take my daughter with you. She was going to graduate school in Manchester when we met after my 2019 Camino. She did everything. We had an awesome time. She lives in New York now so you can fly her over and let her take charge. We went to churches, museums, walked by the line of the bookstore that Rowlings worked in. The line was very long, went to Braga, walked around, ate great and loved Porto. I love Portugal so you can't go wrong. Maybe next year I will walk the CP for the second time. You are in Portugal and Porto you can't go wrong!!!

 

[McSherry]

Hello,
I’m headed to Porto for a week with friends. Looking for suggestions of what to see and do. Have been there for a day before and seen the train station, church and boat tour, - other ideas? I will walk from Matosinhos to Vila de Conde one day, it’s a favourite stretch. Many thanks.

Porto was a wonderful place…good choice! I have a suggestion that is good Camino practice too…Escadas das Verdades. This is unique and hidden street accessed from the street behind the Cathedral. The street is all stairs and stone walks that meanders down to the lower town. We stayed in an apartment on this street and enjoyed the walk (though I must admit that I never made it to the bottom). There were some small cafes along the route, odd intersections, decorative tile street names etc.

A second suggestion is the church of St. Francis with its interesting crypt. It’s a beautiful church too. One interesting sidenote is one of the grave markers in the floor by the altar…the engraver did not measure first. Going across the stone, the letters start to get narrower as he realized he had a space problem. Finally he gave up and put the remaining letters above. Made me chuckle.

We enjoyed the street musicians on the side streets. There was quite a variety…some good, some…er…not so good!

As suggested by others, going across the river is great. Have dinner and watch the sun set over Porto!

 

[auburnfive]

Thank you, I think we should have planned for 2 weeks in Porto!

 

[Camembert]

Take the 500 bus from Aliados (sit up top in the very front in the huge window) and take it to Foz (the beach area) and eat at Tavi and then walk the beach. Take the wooden tram back to town. Eat a "Frenchie" sandwich at Cafe Santiago, drink Port wine at night at a touristic cafe right along Douro. Stare at the tile art inside Sao Bento train station. Visit the Porto Guitarra string shop and look at fantastic Portuguese made string instruments and ask Tico to demo some of them for you or if you are lucky some local folk might pop in and sit and play for a while. Eat nata and coffee in a completely traditional looking cafe and stand at the bar to eat and drink it. Go to Lado B and eat "the best chocolate cake in the world." Go to Foz and eat at Pizza Hut sitting on outside patio with a world class ocean view. Google the best piri piri chicken and go and eat it with locals. Visit the FC Porto soccer stadium and museum. Schedule a tour of Casa da Musica and experience what it is like playing some instruments they give you in that beautiful music hall. Eat french toast at Majestic Cafe. Visit Serralves Contemporary Museum and pay extra to walk in the "tree tops boardwalk. Then walk downhill and tour the Tram Museum. Walk around the campus of the University of Fernando Pessoa while reading his poems Take a TukTuk tour and let someone show you the big picture of Porto etc etc etc Best city anywhere!

Uau !

 

[WalkingJane]

Hello,
I’m headed to Porto for a week with friends. Looking for suggestions of what to see and do. Have been there for a day before and seen the train station, church and boat tour, - other ideas? I will walk from Matosinhos to Vila de Conde one day, it’s a favourite stretch. Many thanks.

Have you been to Livraria Lello? Bookstore with amazing decor, occasional author conversations. If you love books it's worth a visit.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

Visit Serralves Contemporary Museum and pay extra to walk in the "tree tops boardwalk.

X 2 A great museum and a beautiful park!

 

[Colette Z]

Here are a couple of articles I've written about things to do in Porto: one on its museums and another on the city's ties to Harry Potter, if that's of interest to you:

Harry Potter Porto: The JK Rowling Porto Portugal Connection

JK Rowling wrote the first three chapters of the first Harry Potter book in Porto, Portugal. Here's your guide to all the Harry Potter Porto sights.

www.thenomadicvegan.com

Porto Museum Guide: The Best and Worst Museums in Porto, Portugal

In this Porto museum guide, you'll find out which museums are must-sees when you're in Porto, Portugal, and which ones are not worth your time.

www.thenomadicvegan.com

The line up at the Harry Potter bookstore was a 2 hour wait early in March.

 

[Canada Wanders]

I have said this before, will likely say it again…Pasteis de Nata! There are places you can watch them make these custard tarts in front of you, pop the in that screaming hot oven, and sell you one right out….fantastic!
Do not miss them!

 

[Walli Walker]

I recommend the walking tour of the port warehouses. We ended up with a dozen new best friends.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Walk down to the river where the little grandmothers are grilling sardinhas - YUM!

 

[Vacajoe]

This has been either built or substantially renovated recently

Has it reopened? We were there in Oct 2021 and it was completely gutted with very little work going on.

As for day trips, we took an early morning train up the Douro River and stopped for a winery tour, lunch, and a bit of hiking before heading back to Porto - truly a lovely trip away from the tourist crowds in Porto.

Also, Braga is nice, but I found the smaller town of Guimaraes even better! It’s on an old route of the Camino Portuguese and truly lovely for a day or overnight visit.

 

[Oliviao]

Has it reopened? We were there in Oct 2021 and it was completely gutted with very little work going on.

As for day trips, we took an early morning train up the Douro River and stopped for a winery tour, lunch, and a bit of hiking before heading back to Porto - truly a lovely trip away from the tourist crowds in Porto.

Also, Braga is nice, but I found the smaller town of Guimaraes even better! It’s on an old route of the Camino Portuguese and truly lovely for a day or overnight visit.

The Bolhao market is still undergoing development (i was there 2 weeks ago) - i think it will be worth the wait!

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

The Bolhao market is still undergoing development (i was there 2 weeks ago) - i think it will be worth the wait!

Different market. You're both talking about the Bolhao, which IS under renovation. The Bom Sucesso is further west, very close to the Casa da Musica. It's open and recent GoogleMap comments echo my impression from 2017, I think.

 

[Julie Lunt]

If you feel like a break from the city and the crowds, you could take the early morning train south to Espinho (about 20km or so) and walk back up the coast by the boardwalk and beaches (some good spots for swimming) by the mouth of the Douro to the lovely fishing village of Afurada for lunch, then back along the Gaia shoreline. It's a pleasant alternative to the Vila do Conde walk..

Glad to see your recommendation of the walk from Espinho. I am walking the full Caminho Portuguese in September, my partner who walks only a few kilometers is joining me at this point and the board walk will make things easier.

 

[Flog]

Glad to see your recommendation of the walk from Espinho. I am walking the full Caminho Portuguese in September, my partner who walks only a few kilometers is joining me at this point and the board walk will make things easier.

It's a lovely walk from Espinho up to Giai, I was recommending it as a day out, but it isn't actually part of the Camino Portuguese, the Camino is a little further inland and the approach through Gaia into Porto isn't very inspiring as I remember.

North of Porto you have lots of boardwalk sections along the ocean, and it's very forgiving to walk on. There are on-going repairs and you have to take an odd detour, but it's pleasant enough..

 

[Roz.K]

I would recommend going on the"6 Bridges cruise", which departs from Cais de Ribeira and lasts for about an hour. It gives you a different perspective of Porto, ie, from the Douro river and lots of excellent photo opportunities.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Don't miss eating at Porta4! It is a very small and unique restaurant that you'll always remember as an incredible gourmet cuisine experience!

Porta4 | Porto

Porta4, Porto. 2,529 likes · 15 talking about this · 515 were here. Gastronomia Sazonal, Edições limitadas de vinhos Sabores de origem portuguesa 🗓 Mediante reserva

www.facebook.com

 

[Peregrina 2013]

As mentioned several times, don't miss visiting Vila Nova de Gaia! The port tasting opportunities are varied and unique as well. We were at one with a strutting rooster and a regal peacock mingling with the guests Also, couldn't resist taking a photo of the cool street corner art!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Consider taking a day boat cruise up the Duoro river to view the beautiful vineyards on the hills. It's a fantastic area. You will find many cruise options by doing a google search.