Wherever you go in Porto, you’re accompanied by music. It’s a creative city populated by creative people, and for music lovers it’s a real treat.

The city’s music heritage dates back centuries and like the city itself and wider Portugal, has been influenced by many different cultures: Portuguese, Moorish, African, Latin American and more. The result is a truly eclectic mix of live music genres. So where do you start on your journey of discovery into the music of Porto and wider Portugal? Here are 18 brilliant places to give your ears a treat and feed your inner rhythm in Porto.

Porto live music guide – 18 places to experience ear candy in Porto 

  1. Mirajazz – Mirajazz is a cool terrace bar with views of the Douro River, perfect for jazz at sunset. They offer regular live jazz performances as well as other genres.
  2. RUA Tapas and Music Bar – Combine tasty tapas with live music at RUA Tapas, a hot spot for the locals and visitors alike. Samba, rock, reggae, Latin music and more are on the menu, and it’s open until four in the morning.
  3. Hard Club – The Hard Club is on the bank of the Douro, once a palace then a market hall, now a club. The interior is gorgeous, as is the music thanks to the unusually good acoustics. Local and international musicians flock here to play gigs, everything from heavy metal to jazz.
  4. Industria – Industria nightclub in Foz has been here for almost three decades and it remains one of the city’s best-loved late night venues. A truly mighty sound system makes it a great choice when you adore dancing to house, techno, trance, and drum ‘n’ bass.
  5. Casa da Música concert hall – 12 storeys of magic are yours thanks to the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, an extraordinary venue on a par with treasures like the Berliner Philharmonie and Walt Disney Concert Hall. The bar here is a real cultural landmark and draws music lovers from across the globe. Keep your eyes open for concerts and gigs spanning everything from classical to chart toppers.  
  6. The Neopop festival  – August  – Ten years of the Neopop festival have made an impact, now it’s a big favourite for electronic music. Make your way to the town of Viana do Castelo in the Braga region, less than an hour from Porto. Look for the fabulous fort wall dating back to the 1500s and there it is, laid out for you in its amazing setting, offering a host of top international DJs. Par-tay!
  7. The gin house – The Gin House does exactly what it says on the tin, so prepare for gins you’ll never forget. There are more than 150 different gins to try, plus cocktails and mixers, and the fun takes place against a lively music-scape of the best electronica. Very cool.
  8. Oporto Tavern – Oporto tavern is cosy and welcoming, a place where the gorgeous blue and white Portuguese tiling holds sway. This is home to some of the best Fado music in Porto, a traditional type of happy-sad tunes evoking powerful emotions. Don’t be surprised if you end up weeping into your beer and loving every second of it. 
  9. Hot Five Jazz and Blues Club – Dark, intimate and full of beautiful jazz. That’s Hot Five, Porto’s oldest and best-loved jazz and blues club with live music from Wednesday to Sunday. As well as jazz and blues there’s also live soul, funk, and home-grown local music.  
  10. Fado na Baixa – Fado na Baixa is home to brilliant fado shows in an intimate setting. But this is fado with a difference, old-style 1820s fado blended with modern to wonderful effect. Add the region’s famous tawny port to the menu and it makes a magical night out.
  11. Boite – Find your way to the old Olympia cinema, home to Boite. This is where the music rules, they’re dedicated to it and it shows. And this is where some of the city’s most popular DJs do their thing. What a remarkable clubbing experience.
  12. The Casa do Fado  – Combine port wine with a stunning concert hall in the historic Ribeira and you get an intimate live music venue that feels like a cellar, loved in particular for its frequent fado performances, often from world-class singers and musicians.
  13. Maus Habitos – Maus Habitos means ‘bad habits’, and you can pick up as many as you like in this buzzing club. It’s more than a night club, though. It’s also an art gallery, lounge bar, terrace, concert hall, and eatery. Live music nights and trendy club nights are the name of the game, and they sometimes stage comedy nights.
  14. The Vodafone Paredes de Coura festival – August  – In August the Festival Paredes de Coura takes place, one of the oldest festivals in Portugal and home to some of the finest national and worldwide music industry stars. With a well-deserved place on Rolling Stone’s list of the top 5 music festivals in Europe, you’ll find it at Praia Fluvial do Taboão in Caminho do Agrelo. This event is all about alternative music and includes an entire day dedicated to major artists on the Portuguese music scene.
  15. Zoom – Yes, there’s a place for gays here, and it’s rather fabulous! Try Zoom for a beautiful welcome whatever your pronouns happen to be. Themed parties and go-go boys are the name of the game at Zoom, and it’s famed for totally outrageous parties.
  16. Fado at Calem – Blend fado with Calem Port wine tasting, an authentic cultural experience that also takes you into the wine cellars themselves to learn more about the region’s traditional tipples.
  17. Barracuda – Think rock music, think Barracuda. This popular rock club is in the Tracadinho bar, once part of the Gare nightclub. Rock music takes place daily, along with crazy stuff like punk, stoner, and psychedelic music. There’s even vintage 1990s rap, done perfectly in Portuguese and known locally as Rap Portuense. It doesn’t close until six in the morning, so pace yourself!
  18. NOS Primavera Sound festival – June – Primavera Sound is one of Europe’s biggest music festivals and the Med’s largest. In the region annually since 2012, it’s a classic on the Portuguese music scene, showcasing everything from live indie, rock, and pop to house and trance.

It’s often wise, in the busiest part of the holiday season, to book in advance if you can, since concerts and gigs sell out really fast. If there’s food involved you’ll probably want to book a table up front. Most places let you buy tickets online in advance but some don’t, so it’s good to have an alternative in the bag just in case the venue you want is full.

Have you explored our collection of cool Porto tours yet?

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