Hire a car, get familiar with Porto’s bus network or take cabs to venture outside the city. There are loads of charming villages and towns to visit, each with its own unique vibe and all of which reveal the story of the real Portugal, the everyday side of Portugal that’s still there when the tourists go home.
On the journey there and back to these places you’ll see even more of the countryside and urban areas surrounding Porto, adding to the richness of your holiday experience. So when you fancy doing more than city stuff, do this. Visit these places around Porto for a holiday with bags of extra flavour.
4 miles from Porto – The village of Afurada
Afurada is a tiny fishing village a couple of miles from the Cais de Gaia Port wine cellars, so close to the city it’s walkable and cycle-able. If you fancy getting there on foot or bike find Ribeira, cross the D. Luis I bridge then take a scenic walk along the river to the village.
This is a place of vividly colourful houses and restaurants serving mouth-watering fish and seafood. You can take a private cruise on the Douro from here for endless eye candy and splendid views of Foz, the place where the mighty river meets the Atlantic.
There’s a smart marina and a cool museum weaving the story of the place, plus an old communal laundry where people used to wash their clothes together, catch up, and share news. After refuelling in the village with some unforgettable food and wonderful wine, hop back on your bike or walk onwards to the glorious beaches at Vila Nova de Gaia if you like.
20 miles from Porto – The village of Quintandona
Quintandona is a hidden gem of a preserved rural village half an hour’s drive from Porto. It is tiny very pretty, and the houses look a bit like farm cottages in the Yorkshire Dales or Cornwall with their thick stone walls, red tiled roofs and small windows with wide stone surrounds. Granite and schist complete the picture. You’ll see the schist sparkling in the sun, full of particles of silvery mica.
They call it a shale village but as any geology fan will tell you, it is actually slate. Shale is far too soft and crumbly to build with, while slate is incredibly strong. But it’s the beauty that matters. Wander the winding streets, make your way along the path from the village to Pegadinha Mountain, enjoy spectacular views and Instagrammable spots everywhere you go.
There’s a spooky public pillory, where unfortunate people would be chained up and pelted with whatever the villagers could find to throw at them – often rotten vegetables. There are interesting stone canastros or grain stores to photograph, and lavadouros where they’d wash their clothes. One small tapas bar completes the picture. It’s all very low key, a peaceful delight for the senses.
17 miles from Porto – The town of Santo Tirso
Beautiful Santo Tirso is particularly famous for its religious buildings, each one more attractive than the last. The whole town is an open air art museum, dotted with fascinating contemporary sculptures an home to the MIEC museum, itself designed by architects Siza Vieira and Souto de Moura.
Sara Moreira park is perfect for picnics in the shade with river views, and the Parque Urbano da Ribeira do Matadouro is also packed with stunning sculpture and artworks, just two of the town’s lovely green spaces. There are also ancient ruins to explore, boat trips to take, a thermal spa, plus plenty of great places to eat, drink, shop, and watch the world go by.
42 miles from Porto – The village of Trebilhadouro
This place is less than an hour’s drive from Porto but you may as well be in a different world. Trebilhadouro sits on the terraces of the Serra da Freita, once long uninhabited but now restored as a rural attraction and tourist accommodation. It delivers the ultimate in romance, perfect for a leisurely stroll around in the fresh air even if you don’t stay in the accommodation. Expect total serenity in this ancient place, with views you’ll never forget and 360 degree nature surrounding you.
49 miles from Porto – The town of Viana do Castelo
Al most fifty miles away from Porto and the same back makes this one a proper day trip. The journey to Viana do Castelo is a voyage of discovery in itself, and your destination is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful towns in the Porto area.
The Santa Luzia Sanctuary offers breathtaking views from high up on the mountain of the same name. The Gil Eannes Boat Museum is brilliant, an old moored hospital ship telling the story of its own history throughout its varied life as an ice-breaker, mail boat and more. This vessel has seen some adventures, and you’ll get a feel for what it was like living and working on board.
Famous for its gorgeous filigree jewellery, the village-town is stuffed with things to see and do. There’s the ocean itself, the walk up to the Sanctuary and the astonishing views from the top, the seafood and the beaches, and refreshing riverside walks.
52 miles from Porto – The village of Ponte de Lima
Another inspiring hundred mile road trip takes you to the ancient village of Ponte de Lima in the heart of the Green Wine Region. Green wine isn’t green in colour but green as in ‘new’, not matured but perfect drunk fresh and usually slightly sparkly, and this is the ideal setting to try it for yourself.
Ponte de Lima is the oldest village in Portugal with a deliciously pretty old centre and lovely riverside and lagoon-side walks to enjoy at your leisure. This place is surrounded by nature and full of greenery. Ponte de Lima Bridge is an Instagrammable treat, impressively long, crossing the wide river in a series of graceful pointed arches. It dates back to Roman times with later medieval additions, making it truly ancient.
An old tower, wide squares with old churches, dramatic viewpoints, hiking trails, wine tasting and more await you here, along with excellent eateries.
76 miles from Porto – the village of Drave
Currently uninhabited, the magical village of Drave is only accessible by foot but it’s worth every step. In fact the car journey to your starting point of Regoufe is itself a thing of beauty, incredibly scenic. You’ll kick off the five mile round trip hike from Regoufe, where there’s a little cafe, then you’re on your own – no shops, no official places to stop and rest, and no phone signal.
The lack of made-up roads, mod cons, post and phone lines eventually forced the final few villagers to leave. The last of them fled in 2009 leaving a spookily beautiful place behind them, silent and empty. Grey stone buildings, arched bridges, tinkling streams and cold, clear pools await you up there, plus outstanding mountain views, steep rocky roads, dizzying climbs and abandoned fields, like something out of a movie.
So there’s the start of an adventurous itinerary for you. As someone who believes the journey is just as important as the destination, we’re sure you’ll enjoy discovering parts of this unique country off the usual beaten track. There are plenty more, so go explore!
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