What is there to do in Porto, and where can you go for the best wine tastings? You’ll find out in this section.

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Wine tasting and cellar tours

Porto is the city that gave the world port wine, and this is certainly not some long-gone historical event commemorated today by just a few museums.

Wine production remains a significant part of Porto’s local economy, and the wine cellars are still very much in operation. Most of them offer tours and, above all, tastings of their liquid treasures.

Head to the town of Vila Nova de Gaia, which is effectively part of Porto, situated on the opposite bank of the River Douro to the historic centre. You can get there easily by metro (or light rail) on line D to Jadrim de Morro station, from where you can walk down the winding streets towards the river.

• Look for accommodation in Vila Nova de Gaia

And along the way, you’ll come across wine cellars. Lots of wine cellars. There’s nothing easier than popping into one of them and deciding whether to just have a quick taste and move on, book a tour with a tasting, or stay for the whole evening…

How much do the cellar tours cost?

You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the prices.

Cellar tours usually cost around 15 eur and, if they include a tasting, around 25 eur.

Where can you book a tour?

There are dozens of wine houses in Vila Nova de Gaia, including some world-famous ones; here are just a few examples of the very best:

• Cálem, Taylor’s, Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Sandeman, Porto Cruz, Quevedo, Ferreira, Ramos Pinto…

It’s definitely worth booking your tour online, as places are limited. Some wineries don’t even allow tours without an online booking. Click on the name of the winery in the list above.

Vila Nova de Gaia is simply full of them, and you’ll come across them all sooner or later without having to wander around for too long.

Enjoy the divine views of the city

Porto’s hilly topography and the deep valley of the River Douro make it the perfect place for stunning views of this highly photogenic city. Where can you find the best of them?

TOP 4 viewpoints over Porto

• Jardim de Morro Gardens (seemap) – a beautiful view of Porto’s city centre and the River Douro from a well-maintained park, free to visit
• Serra do Pilar Monastery(seemap) – the monastery walls offer the most beautiful view of Porto, the one featured on all the postcards. As well as the city centre and the river, you can also see the Luís I Bridge beautifully from here; free entry
• Luís I Bridge (seemap) – the view from Porto’s main landmark, the famous Luís I Bridge, offers a breathtaking vista of the river, the centre of Porto and the wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia; free entry
• Clérigos Church Tower (seemap) – the centre of Porto can be seen from a different perspective from the 76-metre-high tower, accessible for 8 eur

Trips to the Douro Valley

Wine tasting is one thing, but a visit to the vineyards offers an experience of a different dimension. You’ll find them in a vast and long area stretching eastwards from Porto in the Douro Valley, more than 250 km from the ocean.

The picturesque, hilly and rugged landscape, with the river cutting deep into the valley, is a tapestry of many shades of green, turning to golden and bronze hues in autumn. Vineyards give way to villages with pristine white houses and little churches; the villages give way to winding roads; and the winding roads give way to breathtaking views of the countryside.

Whilst in spring and summer the Douro Valley is an oasis of peace and tranquillity, from around mid-September to the end of October it comes alive with the grape harvest, accompanied by numerous local festivals.

To visit the villages and vineyards, you’ll need to hire a car in Porto (prices up to 37 eur per day). Public transport to smaller villages often runs only once a day, or not at all.

A night out in the pubs

In southern Europe, the food is generally excellent, and Porto is no exception. The experience here isn’t just about the food itself, but above all the atmosphere in which you’ll be enjoying these delicacies.

In the small pubs in the historic city centre, all of which have outdoor seating in quiet courtyards or alleyways, you can easily spend the whole evening simply enjoying the peace and tranquillity. Prices aren’t exorbitant and are in line with the usual Portuguese average.

A full dinner with a bottle of wine will set you back around 25 eur per person.

If you’re spending the evening in Vila Nova de Gaia, where most of the wineries are concentrated, you won’t be short of places to eat either. There are plenty of restaurants and pubs here too.

As well as traditional Portuguese dishes, you simply must try the local speciality, the Francesinha, whilst in Porto.

To be honest, you probably won’t be too keen on it – if we were to be a bit cheeky and compare the Francesinha to something, it would probably be a boiled sandwich. Nevertheless, the locals are proud of this dish and you should definitely give it a try at least once.

Architecture and wandering through narrow streets

Porto offers wonderful experiences for admirers of distinctive architecture. Whether it’s the bridges, led by the ‘Eiffel-style’Ponte Luís I, or the traditional Portuguese palaces, or interiors richly decorated with ‘Azulejos’ tiles…

Hand in hand with these architectural gems goes a stroll through the winding and steep streets of the historic centre, where you can easily spend half a day. What’s more, in hot weather, the narrow streets provide welcome shade.

And what are the most famous sights in Porto?

• Sé do Porto – the main cathedral
• Igreja dos Clérigos – a Baroque church with a tall tower, from which you can enjoy a view
• Igreja do Carmo – a pair of closely adjacent churches with richly gilded interiors and a magnificent façade of azulejos
• Serra do Pilar Monastery – a vast monastic complex with a circular church, which is one of Porto’s most iconic landmarks
• São Bento Station – a railway station with an interior decorated with azulejos

Beaches and swimming

Right in Porto, you’ll find beautiful long sandy beaches, which you can easily reach by metro (line A to Matosinhos) or by bus (200, 202, 203, 500) to the most famous beaches, Praia de Matosinhos and Praia do Carneiro.

Swimming in the Atlantic does, however, have its pitfalls – and quite significant ones at that. As well as large waves, you must bear in mind that even in the hottest summer, the water temperature rarely exceeds 18 °C. The beaches are therefore ideal primarily for sunbathing; the summer sun can get quite warm.

A ride on a historic tram

In hilly Porto, your legs will soon start to ache, but there’s nothing easier than waiting for an old historic tram and exploring the narrow streets whilst riding, without having to walk. Although the local trams aren’t as beautifully yellow as those in Lisbon, the experience of riding them is similar.

Three tram routes run through the streets of Porto: lines 1 and 18, roughly from 8.00 am to 8.30 pm. You must always buy a special ticket from the driver or conductor for 5 eur or 2 journeys for 7 eur.

A 2-day pass for unlimited journeys is also available for 10 eur. Children under 12 travel for half price.

Andante day tickets are not valid here. Especially at weekends and on public holidays, it’s best to board at one of the terminus stops. It’s quite possible that you simply won’t fit into the small carriage during your journey.

Trips to the surrounding area

As well as the Douro Valley mentioned above, where grapes are grown, why not visit one of the many nearby towns? You’ll get to see the Portuguese countryside and, above all, beautiful little towns with hardly any tourists and lower restaurant prices.

The most easily accessible towns are Guimarães and Braga, which you can reach by train in under 45 minutes. In both, you’ll find lovely castles and fortresses, as well as picturesque town centres.

The hilly town of Vila Real is also lovely, and there’s an absolutely wonderful atmosphere in the more distant Bragança, which takes quite a long time to reach by bus (over 3 hours). You’ll be rewarded with a lovely town featuring a castle, offering views across the wide countryside and a glimpse of unspoilt Portuguese countryside, free from any tourist influence.

• Train timetables and tickets –cp.pt
• Timetables and tickets for long-distance buses –Flixbus

Boat trips on the River Douro

If you’ve had enough of travelling overland, head to the river and board a boat at one of the many piers to enjoy the panoramic views of Porto straight from the surface of the Douro.

Average prices for a 40–50-minute cruise between the main bridges in Porto range from 20 to 25 eur, but there are also far more attractive all-day trips deep into the hinterland and the realm of the vineyards; for these, expect prices between 80 eur and 100 eur

Surfing

Portugal is a European surfing powerhouse, and the northern coast around Porto offers the best conditions, particularly for beginners and intermediate surfers.

You’ll find surf schools and hostels right in Porto itself, mostly along the coastal avenue Avenida do Brasil and further north towards the Spanish border. You can even reach the seaside town of Póvoa do Varzim by metro directly from the city centre.