The ultimate guide to Porto!

Exciting news – I’ve decided to start a blog series! I’ve written ten articles now, and realised that there’s nothing I love more than writing about cities, so coming your way is a succession of ‘ultimate guides’ to some of my favourite places across Europe. Today, I present to you: Porto!

Until recently completely overshadowed by Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, Porto is fast becoming a top destination for travellers across the globe. With its fantastic architecture, fascinating history, and exquisite cuisine (not to mention its eponymous port wine), it’s the perfect place to enjoy a culture-rich city break!

When to go

I went to Porto with my mother in early December, and I can tell you right off the bat that we picked the wrong time of year! It was a lovely holiday – and it was nice to see the Christmas light displays around the city – but the rain was relentless, and we agreed that if we were to do the trip again, we’d definitely have picked a sunnier month. My advice would be to avoid the peak tourist season, and book your trip for either late spring or early autumn – May or September would be perfect. You’ll still have glorious weather, but queues will be much shorter, and flights and accommodation much cheaper!

Where to stay

One thing we were very happy about is the flat we picked. We were bang in the middle of the city’s art district (Rua de Miguel Bombarda), which was within walking distance of all the sights, but away from the hustle and bustle of the historical centre. I'd highly recommend staying in the same area.

What to do

See some of the bridges of Porto

The Dom Luís I Bridge (pictured below) is probably the most famous sight in the city, and a definite must-see! The construction of this bridge is all thanks to the architectural genius of Théophile Seyrig, whose design proposal actually beat that of his colleague, Gustave Eiffel (the man behind the Eiffel Tower in Paris). It wasn’t all bad for the latter, though, since he’d already helped, nine years earlier, with the engineering of another structure in Porto: the Maria Pia Bridge. You’ll notice, if you visit either of these sights, that they look a lot like the French monument!

You can actually walk across the first of these two bridges, but if you fancy climbing one, make sure to head to the Arrábida Bridge, which is open all year round! Make sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment on the day.

Visit the cathedral

The Sé do Porto is a stunning edifice, perched on top of a hill, with fantastic views over the surrounding area. The building is an extraordinary mixture of Baroque, Gothic and Romanesque architecture, and entry to the main cathedral is completely free. I’d recommend paying an extra 3€ to see the cloisters, which are filled with gorgeous blue tiles illustrating stories from the Bible.

Go to the Livraria Lello

The Livraria Lello is one of the most extraordinary bookshops I’ve even been to, with its beautiful stain-glassed windows and intricately-carved staircases. Queues will most likely be long, but it’s worth sticking around, especially if you’re a fan of Harry Potter (J. K. Rowling was allegedly a regular customer when she lived in the city). Arrange your visit for a weekday, if possible: it will be a lot less crowded!

See the city from above

If you’ve read some of my other articles, you’ll know that I love a good view, and there was certainly no shortage of panorama points in Porto! My favourite was probably the Torre dos Clérigos, a tall bell tower – the highest in the country, in fact – attached to the Baroque church, Igreja dos Clérigos. The staircase was pretty narrow, so this is not an activity for the claustrophobic, but otherwise our ascent was easy enough. We had grey skies for most of our trip, but luckily the sun made an appearance that particular morning, so our surroundings looked amazing!

If you’re not in the mood for exercising, get the Funicular dos Guindais to do the hard work for you! This little railway costs just 2.50€ to ride, and provides one of the best views of the Dom Luís I Bridge. And finally, if you want to see the city from above at no cost, there are loads of little observation points dotted about the place. Two of my favourites were the Miradouro da Vitoria and the Parque das Virtudes. If you wander round, you're bound to find more, and some may even have binoculars you can use!

Go on a tour of the Palácio da Bolsa

The Palácio da Bolsa (which literally translates as ‘Stock Exchange Palace) is an impressive structure that is currently a base for the city’s Commercial Association. Tours run in multiple languages, and you’ll see times for each on the screens in the reception area. There’s no need to book, but bear in mind you may have to wait around a little while. My mother and I didn’t have much time to spare, so we ended up joining a Spanish tour, a lot of which I think was lost on us! We were shown a number of rooms, but my favourite was probably the Pátio das Nações (Courtyard of the Nations), with its incredible glass ceiling.

Visit the Igreja de São Francisco

Just next-door to the palace was the Church of Saint Francis, another church that was a blend of different architectural styles: in this case, Gothic and Baroque. The golden interior was absolutely astonishing – you’d never have guessed from the plain exterior – and we were apparently so taken aback that we forgot to take any photos! Make sure, if you go, to visit the church’s catacombs and museum – your tickets will grant you access to both.

Go to the Praça da Liberdade

The Praça da Liberdade (Freedom Square) is a lovely quadrangle at the bottom of the hill leading down from the Torre dos Clérigos. A statue in the middle honours King Dom Pedro IV, a hero of the Portuguese Civil War. Look to your right, and you’ll see one of the fanciest McDonald’s restaurants I’ve ever laid my eyes on!

Visit the Igreja do Carmo

Last religious building, I promise! From the front, the Carmo Church seems much like any other edifice of its kind. If you turn the corner, however, you’ll see that its right side is covered in gorgeous blue and white tiles (rather similar to those in the cathedral cloisters, except this time depicting scenes from the foundation of the Carmelite Order). While you’re there, take a look at the next-door Igreja dos Carmelitas (Carmelite Church), and marvel at the world’s narrowest house, which separates the two buildings!

Walk along the Cais da Ribeira

If you want to see a spectacular sunset, take an evening stroll along Porto’s beautiful Douro River, making sure to look up from time to time to admire the colourful buildings on the waterfront. Try to resist the temptation to enter any of the bars and restaurants in this part of town: they’re all tourist traps, and, as you’ll find out later on this article, the city is full of cheap and fantastic wining and dining spots.

Where to shop

Fernandes, Mattos & Ca., Lda.

I’m not sure that Porto is particularly well-known for its shopping scene, but, since Christmas was just around the corner, my mother and I certainly found what the city had to offer. Our favourite shop – and one we visited several times – was Fernandes, Mattos & Ca., Lda., which sold just about everything: soaps, food, books, toys, posters, etc. It was the perfect place to find gifts for the whole family (although a little on the pricy side), and was decorated very festively!

Chocolataria Equador

Another great shop was the Chocolataria Equador, a chocolate shop selling sweet treats of all different flavours. Again, it was a little on the expensive side, but the products we bought had gorgeous wrapping and were clearly made by experts.

Ornitorrinco

If you’re looking for vintage clothing while in Porto, Ornitorrinco is the place to go! Here, you can find clothes, shoes, and accessories from the 70s and 80s, many made by popular brands, and all very reasonably priced.

Mercearia das Flores

Mercearia das Flores is actually a small tapas bar, but if you make your way past the tables and chairs, you’ll find a shop full of tasty local delicacies. My mother and I were particularly taken with the beautifully decorated tins of fish!

Centro Comercial Bombarda

This artsy arcade is, I believe, a bit of a hidden secret. In fact, my mother and I only actually discovered the place because we needed somewhere to wait before checking into our Airbnb flat. Filled with art galleries and clothing boutiques, it’s the perfect spot to do a bit of window shopping (and actual shopping if you can afford it!).

Where to eat

Pimenta Rosa

Since we’re on the topic of the Centro Comercial Bombarda, I’ll start by recommending Pimento Rosa, one of the restaurants inside the shopping centre. Here, you can get a ridiculously large meal for a ridiculously small price, and as a result, this place quickly became my mother’s and my go-to lunch spot. Each day, there are new main courses and salads to choose from, as well as freshly-baked cakes. Make sure, if you go, to order a glass of their delicious homemade pineapple juice (pictured below)!

Lareira Baixa

Another great place we tried was Lareira Baixa. This cosy little restaurant was also incredibly good value for money: I seem to remember that this whole meal – alcohol included – cost around 7€! I went for mulled sangria, and my mother for white wine, but port was on the menu, so if you’re looking to try this drink on a budget, this is the place to head! It is pretty crowded – even in the depths of winter, we had to queue for a table – but definitely worth the wait!

Brick Clerigos

Slightly more on the pricy side, but still a great place for lunch, is Brick Clerigos, a gorgeous café filled with plants and fairy lights. I had ordered vegetable soup and smoked salmon on toast, and would highly recommend both. Beware that this food establishment is very popular, so you’ll have to book in advance, as it's unlikely that they'll have free spaces otherwise.

Nata Lisboa/Fabrica de Nata

It would be a sin to visit Porto without trying a pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tart). There are loads of bakeries selling them around the city, but we only had time to try two – Nata Lisboa and Fabrica de Nata – both of which only exceeded our expectations! Both places have seating areas, but if you get tarts to take away, make sure to eat them while they’re still warm! Here I am holding my purchase from Nata Lisboa, while rather confusingly standing in front of a completely different establishment.

Getting around

Porto is a very walkable city – in fact, I’m not sure we ever used public transport, except when travelling to and from the airport. However, if you need to get from one place to another quickly, or want to give your feet a bit of a rest, tram, bus, and metro services are available. There is also a railway station, Estação Ferroviária de São Bento, in the centre of town, if you’re planning to make any day trips. Leave some time before your journey to look at the beautiful tiles (you guessed it – they’re blue and white!) lining the walls of the entrance hall!

That’s all, folks!

So there we have it: my ultimate guide to Porto! My mother and I had a truly wonderful holiday there – despite the gloomy winter weather – and I can’t wait to go back soon. In the meantime, I’ll be dreaming of those custard tarts…!

Photo gallery