You could easily spend an entire holiday in Porto itself, and many people do. This is a city with everything from stunning old and new architecture to zillions of museums, brilliant eats, fine wines, views to die for, a jewel of a river, beaches and a lively nightlife scene. Here are 18 Porto destinations to discover. The devil is in the detail so take it easy, slow things down and soak it all in.
Buy tasty stuff and be social at the vibrant Mercado do Bolhão
Porto’s iconic Bolhao market dates back to 1839 and has been in its current home since 1914, a lovely neoclassical style building on Rua Formosa. Like so many places in this city it features the famous Portuguese decorative tiles as well as loads of delicious things to eat and drink. Some of the stallholders have been selling their goodies here for decades and a visit also comes with the chance to have a friendly chat with real locals.
Fabulous souvenirs from Mercado do Porto Belo
Saturdays sees another popular market spring up opposite the Praça Carlos Alberto, full of treasures including vinyl, vintage clothes, antiques, crafts, jewellery, toys, handmade soaps and artworks, along with a few classy food stalls. Some of the city’s best local designers and artisans sell their wares here.
Do it like the locals at Aduela
Everyone loves the vibe at Aduela, open until seriously late at night and always bustling. Here’s the best place to people-watch, listen to the music and immerse yourself in the city’s personality. There are outdoor tables to sit at and watch the world go by, and there are snacks on the menu to keep you going along with the highly recommended glass of iced muscatel wine. If you’re properly hungry order a prego to go with your wine, a tasty sandwich filled with beef and mustard Portugal-style.
Lose yourself in wonder at the Fundação de Serralves
This superb art museum was designed by Álvaro Siza Vieira, a legendary contemporary art museum, park and a villa, each in a different architectural style: contemporary, Modernist and Art Deco. This is the second most-visited museum in Portugal, a wonderful place to wander at leisure in the coolness, away from the searing hot sunshine.
The surrounding Serralves Park is a masterpiece in itself, diverse and harmonious with loads of perfectly-interconnected spaces. Think gardens, woodlands and a farm. Designed in the 1930s, here’s where you’ll find the awesome Treetop Walk, an elevated path way above the ground that weaves through the trees. It’s like being in another world.
Drift around the lovely São Roque Gardens
If the art museum gardens have whet your appetite for the green stuff, head for the 200-year-old Sao Roque house and gardens, restored in 2019 and now an excellent hub for modern art. Once a mansion and hunting lodge dating back to 1759, these days it offers a dramatic view point, a grotto and a pergola, and you can take guided tours of the house itself, the exhibition, and the gardens.
Stroll Porto’s five walking trails
The best way to get to know any city is on foot, and Porto is particularly walkable. It offers a total of five superb walks to enjoy. Together they weave the story of 1800s Porto, including the romantic Porto do Romanticismo to a walk focusing on rural and industrial history. Each walk is strewn with fascinating places along the way, including the Casa Tait museum, the old route of the Massarelos stream, and the walk through Gólgota where people employed on the river once worked.
It’s a cinema… but not as we know it!
Batalha Cinema Centre is another Porto icon, showing movies since the silent films of the early 1900s. Meticulously restored over a decade, it finally reopened in 2022. You’ll find everything from classic films to modern movies, and there’s also a huge film room dedicated to installations. Explore the library if you like, crammed with film literature and featuring a bar – nice touch! Keep your eyes peeled for the two amazing murals painted by the legendary artist Júlio Pomar, covered up by the Estado Novo regime in the 1940s and now back on display.
Climb the Clérigos Tower for Instagram magic
Clérigos Toweris so popular it’s a symbol of the city. It looks out over the whole of Porto and way beyond, offering spectacular views. If you haven’t got the hang of Porto’s layout, seeing it from above is like looking at a map. Endless miles and miles of beautiful buildings, winding streets and the river itself disappear into the misty blue distance from 225 steps up, 75m high.
The Soares dos Reis National Museum
Recently restored, the Soares dos Reis museum is one of Portugal’s most important. Like many other attractions in the city it offers gorgeous gardens, one at ground level and another on the second floor, along with a huge collection of paintings and prints, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery, furniture, glass and textiles. Don’t miss Henrique Pousão, Silva Porto, António Carneiro, Aurelia de Souza and Amadeo de Souza Cardoso artworks, all iconic.
Grab a book at Livraria Lello, read it down by the river
Livraria Lello is a lush world-famous bookshop like something out of a Harry Potter film. No wonder it allegedly inspired J.K. Rowling to write Harry Potter. It began life in 1906 and features an enormous winding staircase, loads of intricately carved wood and a huge collection of precious books, best experienced off-peak when it isn’t so busy. The riverbank is a lovely place for a sneaky reading session in the sun or shade, as are the city’s countless green spaces.
Super souvenirs from Ó! Galeria
Young artists from the world over show their work at this exciting gallery-shop. As well as original artworks you can buy prints, books, t-shirts, printed bags and more merch, classy sorts of gifts. You’ll find it in the arty quarter of the city on Miguel Bombarda, just one of many galleries in the surrounding area stuffed with arty eye-candy.
Chill out in scenic Baixa
Baixa is an ancient district and very attractive, giving you dramatic views of the river and the wooden Rabelo boats as well as pretty narrow cobbled streets, colourful houses, hidden curiosities, restaurants, bars and quirky shops. Casa do Infante is a fun visit to find out about the history of the area. This is also where you’ll find the beautiful Palácio da Bolsa, stern on the outside with a fairytale golden interior.
Stroll around Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
8 green hectares of gardens delight visitors at the Crystal Palace, designed in the 1800s by German landscape architect Émille David. There are exhibitions inside the palace itself and peacocks roam the gardens, which offer some stunning viewpoints with panoramic views of the mighty river Douro. This place is home to the Almeida Garrett Municipal Library and the Romantic Museum of Quinta da Macieirinha too, giving you several destinations in one.
Discover biodiversity at Galeria da Biodiversidade
Head for the Andresen House in the Botanical Garden for a cool Living Science Centre dedicated to biodiversity, a journey that’ll fascinate and delight you. This is where art meets nature, giving visitors a series of memorable sensory experiences. The Botanical Garden itself is a treat, as are the skeleton of a whale found in 1937, the curious waxwork of Charles Darwin that looks like he’s about to talk to you it’s so realistic, and two excellent places to take selfies.
Party in Ribeira
Porto began life as on the site of modern Ribeira, a buzzy place tourists adore, on the bank of the river and the slopes above with awesome river views. It’s a vibrant haven packed full of restaurants, cafes, bars and markets, with buskers and street performers on every corner. Head inland and uphill a bit to see Casa do Infante, where Prince Henry the Navigator was born in 1394, and admire his statue outside magnificent Palácio da Bolsa.
Enough partying? Chill out at Foz do Douro
Beach fun is yours at Foz do Douro, with its many funky terrace cafes overlooking the ocean. The water is lovely and cool, being the Atlantic, and the long promenade along the beach is perfect for runs, bike rides and romantic strolls – almost two miles of it. The jetty takes you to the pretty 1800s Felgueiras Lighthouse with more dramatic views. If you love seafood make a point of eating at Matosinhos, on Rua Heróis de França where every building on the street has food for sale sizzling on an outdoor grill. The scents of great food being prepared by experts will make your mouth water. The flavours are even better.
Tiles to die for!
Wandering around you’ll see the most impressive tile art in Porto, inside São Bento train station, but there’s more. These extraordinary panels of decorated ceramic tiles turn up all over the city, including on the walls at Capela das Almas, Rua de Santa Catarina, and Igreja do Carmo.
Marvel at Porto’s brilliant street art trail
Colourful murals painted by the city’s talented street artists are a must-see. There’s work by world-class artists like Daniel Eime and Vhils, and loads of wonderful paintings on buildings to see in the Travessa de Cedofeita area, Rua da Madeira, and Rua das Flores in Ribeira. Don’t miss Mirigaia’s Rua São Pedro de Miragaia, Rua Miguel Bombarda and the car lot at Trindade where you’ll find excellent work by legends MrDheo and Hazul Luzah.
Exhausted yet delighted? Good. This is just the start of your Porto adventure. There’s so much more to see and do here!
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