Things to do in Porto

Things to do in Porto
1. VISIT AVENIDA DOS ALIADOS
Located in Porto city center, it is the most important square of the city. Here is
located the city council and many banks and traditional commerce and cafes.
2. GO OUT AT GALERIAS DE PARIS
Considered the center of the nightlife in Porto, there you can find many bars and
street animation for you to enjoy your night out in the city.
3. HAVE A COFFEE AT CAFÉ MAJESTIC
Majestic is an historic café in Porto city center, in Rua Santa Catarina.
Inaugurated in 1921 and since its opening it is visited by notable figures of the
city. The Art Nouveau architecture and decoration are very detailed and
beautiful, and according to Sean Smith biography of J K Rowling, she has spent
many hours in this café writing Harry Potter.
4. VISIT CAPELA DAS ALMAS
Built during XVIII century, this chapel is decorated with 15947 tiles, which cover
its exterior with hand-painted figures.
5. ATTEND A CONCERT AT CASA DA MÚSICA
Designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, it was inaugurated in 2005. Its
unique design were highly praised by international experts and it is a wonderful
place for you to attend a music concert or event take a guided tour to know more
about the building and its inspiration – trust me, the explanation of all the details
is brilliant and worth it!
6. VISIT CASTELO DO QUEIJO
Also known as Forte de São Francisco, Castelo do Queijo is located near the
Atlantic ocean and near Douro river. It is open to the public and hosts many
cultural events and also a military museum.
7. VISIT PORT WINE CELLARS AND TRY THIS WINE
Port Wine is famous worldwide and is from Porto city. If you cross the river from
Porto, in Gaia city you can visit the Port Wine cellars and find out more about this
wine history and characteristics. During your guided tour, you can also taste this
amazing wine – something that is a must-do when you’re visiting Porto.
8. ENJOY A NIGHT OUT AT KASA DA PRAIA
This is a new nightclub located in Matosinhos neighbourhood. Right next to the
beach, this nightclub was built in a remodelled historic building of the city. After
many years of work, the club was finally inaugurated in 2015, immediately being
considered one of the hottest nightclubs in the city.
9. VISIT CENTRO PORTUGUÊS DE FOTOGRAFIA
This photography center hosts many exhibitions of Porto photography that you
can visit and enjoy.
10. VISIT ESTAÇÃO DE SÃO BENTO
One of the most beautiful train stations in the world, Estação de São Bento is
located in the heart of Porto. The building architecture has French influences and
in the inside you can find panels of Portuguese traditional hand-painted tiles. The
paintings in those panels cover key moments of the Portuguese history.
11. WATCH A SOCCER GAME AT ESTÁDIO DO DRAGÃO
Futebol Clube do Porto (FCP) is a soccer team from Porto and a clear favourite
among locals. They play at Estádio do Dragão, a stadium built in 2003 and one of
the biggest stadiums in Portugal. The name, Estádio do Dragão, means Stadium of
the Dragon, which makes sense if you have in mind that the nickname of Futebol
Clube do Porto is dragons.
12. VISIT INFANTE D. HENRIQUE STATUE
Located in Infante D. Henrique square, this is a statue to honour Infante D.
Henrique, considered to be the most important figure of the Portuguese Discovery
era. Infante D. Henrique was born in 1394 nearby this square, in a house that you
can also visit (Casa do Infante).
13. VISIT FAROL MOLHE DO DOURO
An amazing place to visit and once at the top enjoy the beautiful panoramic view .
14. VISIT FORTALEZA S. JOÃO BAPTISTA DA FOZ DO DOURO
It began to be built in XVI century and is a beautiful example of military
architecture of Porto. It was used to protect the city coast and the entering in
Douro River.
15. HAVE A FRANCESINHA FOR DINNER
Francesinha is one of the most traditional dishes in Porto and something you
really must try. It’s a sandwich, with different meats in the interior and covered
with melted cheese and sometimes with a fried egg. On top of this, there’s the
unique sauce. It is garnished with fries (which taste amazing with the sandwiches’
sauce). I recommend you try it with beer.
There are many great restaurants to eat this dish all over Porto, my personal
favourite is Tappas Caffé (which has famous clients such has Cristiano Ronaldo,
Pepe, João Moutinho, among others)
16. TRAVEL IN FUNICULAR DOS GUINDAIS
This is panoramic funicular railway which not only has an amazing view, but is
also extremely useful to go from Ribeira area to Batalha area without having to
walk the steep hill by foot.
17. VISIT IGREJA DE SÃO FRANCISCO
São Francisco church is a gothic style church located in Porto city center built
from 1383 to 1410. Besides the beautiful architecture of the façade, the XVIII
century carved gold details are also a source of amazement for tourists.
This church also is one of the few in Portugal in which you can visit the
catacombs.
18. VISIT IGREJA DE SÃO PEDRO DOS CLÉRIGOS
Beautiful church in Porto in which you can visit Torre dos Clérigos – one of the
most important monuments of the city.
19. VISIT IGREJA DO CARMO
A baroque style church built in the second half of XVIII century, beautiful both in
the interior and exterior.
20. VISIT IGREJA DOS CARMELITAS
This church is located right next to Igreja do Carmo and both are considered top
National Monuments in Portugal.
21. HAVE A WALK AT JARDIM DO PASSEIO ALEGRE
A beautiful garden located right next to the beach, you can enjoy a walk at the
beautiful green space or enjoy one of the multiple cafes and bars located nearby.
22. GET A BOOK AT LELLO LIBRARY
Considered by many as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, Lello
library is a must visit place in Porto. It is also known as one of the inspirations for
Harry Potter writer, due to its beautiful details and stairs.
23. GO SHOPPING AT MERCADO DO BOLHÃO
One of the iconic markets in Porto, Bolhão is a must visit place to experiment
more of the traditional local environment in Porto.
24. VISIT MUSEU DA FARMÁCIA
The Pharmacy Museum in Porto was inaugurated in 2010 and includes historical
items of the human constant strive to fight pain and disease.
25. VISIT MUSEU SOARES DOS REIS
Soares dos Reis is one of the most famous Portuguese museums. It is located at
Carrancas Palace, a building from the 18th century and there you can find
sulptures and paintings of Portuguese 19th and 20th centuries.
26. VISIT MUSEU INTERACTIVO – WORLD OF DISCOVERIES
This interactive museum is focused in Portuguese Discoveries Era and you can
enjoy an interactive story about Portuguese achievements and proud history.
27. VISIT PALÁCIO DA BOLSA
This neoclassical style Palace was built in 19th century and is designated as
World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was created to serve as a seat for the city’s
commercial association.
28. VISIT PAVILHÃO ROSA MOTA
This pavilion takes place where Palácio de Cristal used to be located. The gardens
were maintained and now the building works as a sports arena and concert hall.
The gardens are amazing to walk by and in it you can enjoy amazing landscapes
of the city.
29. VISIT PARQUE DA CIDADE
He biggest park in Porto, it is located near the beach and has a beautiful lagoon
with fishes and ducks. It is an amazing place to enjoy a afternoon in contact with
nature.
30. WALK IN THE HISTORIC CENTER
The historic center of Porto is considered World Cultural Heritage and an
amazing place to visit and understand better the real “feel” of the city. You will be
amazed by how nice the locals are when it comes to offer you guidance and help.
31. TAKE A 6 BRIDGES CRUISE IN A RABELO BOAT
Douro river is crossed by 6 historical bridges and you can take a cruise in the
traditional Rabelo boat in order to see them all and get more information about
each one of the bridge’s history.
32. EAT IN LOCAL PASTRIES
Porto downtown is full of traditional pastries where you can enjoy the traditional
cakes. The baking is usually fresh and you have plenty of different choices
available, making it an irresistible option to refill energies during your trip.
33. VISIT D. LUÍS I BRIDGE
Built in 1881, this bridge is still functional and connects traffic between Porto and
Gaia. A beautiful metal bridge that is one of the most iconic icons of Porto.
34. VISIT PRAÇA DA LIBERDADE
Located right next to Avenida dos Aliados, this is a beautiful square decorated
with the statue of D. Pedro IV.
35. GO TO PRAIA DA LUZ
A small beach in Porto with a beautiful bar right next to it. Amazing to visit both
during the day or to have a refreshing drink at night.
36. GO TO PRAIA DO MOLHE
This beautiful beach is one of the most famous beaches in Porto.
37. GO TO PRAIA DOS INGLESES
A beautiful beach with a nice bar (with the same name as the beach), very nice to
walk and to enjoy some socialization time.
38. VISIT QUINTA DE VILLAR D’ALLEN
One of the few survivors among the many villa gardens that used to be all around
Porto during 18th and 19th centuries, this is worth a visit to enjoy the beautiful
gardens and historic items.
39. ENJOY A NIGHT AT CAFÉ PIOLHO
Opened since 1909, Café Piolho is one of the most famous cafes in Porto with a
long tradition between college students and intellectuals.
40. WALK THROUGH RUA DE SANTA CATARINA
The biggest commercial street in the city, there you can find big name stores but
also a lot of traditional commerce, a perfect place to find unique local souvenirs
while you enjoy the amazing architecture of some of the buildings around you.
41. VISIT SÉ CATEDRAL DO PORTO
This cathedral is one of the oldest monuments in Porto and one of the most
important Romanesque buildings in the city. The cathedral is amazing, but once
you’re there, be sure to have a look at the amazing views of the city you can
enjoy.
42. VISIT SERRA DO PILAR
Serra do Pilar is located in Gaia, but from there you can see one of the most
amazing views over Porto city, so I highly encourage you to go there and have a
look.
43. VISIT SERRALVES GARDENS AND MUSEUM
Serralves is a cultural institution which museum hosts many cultural exhibitions.
It is located in Serralves Park, home to a varied selection of plants and distinctive
styles of gardens. Inside the park, you can find gardens styled as they used to be
in different eras, making it a beautiful place to have a walk.
44. HAVE A GELATO OR CUPCAKE AT SPIRITO
Spirito is a gelato and ice cream shop that is quite recent in the city scene
(around 1 year old). However, the fact that they create unique products compared
with other options in town makes it a favourite, both among locals and tourists.
A nice detail about this shop is that the available products change every day – so
you can visit more than once without having to repeat your order.
45. WATCH A PLAY AT TEATRO NACIONAL DE SÃO JOÃO
This theatre was built back in 1794. It has been remodelled sometimes now, but it
is still in use and one of the most famous theatres in town.
46. THE WALL BAR
The main focus on this bar are the walls, which will instantly capture your
attention. It has a nice atmosphere and is a cool place to enjoy a night out.
47. TORRE DOS CLÉRIGOS
The baroque bell tower is one of the most famous monuments in the city. If you
visit the top, you can enjoy amazing views over the entire city of Porto.
48. TRAVEL BY TRAM
Porto still has some vintage trams being used, mostly by tourists nowadays. You
can use it to travel from Infante area (near the Douro River) to Passeio Alegre
(near the beach).
49. ORDER TRIPAS À MODA DO PORTO
This is a traditional dish at Porto, cooked with various types of meat, tripe,
various types of sausage and white beans.
50. SPEND THE LATE AFTERNOON AT ZONA RIBEIRINHA
Ribeira is one of the most emblematic places of Porto and there you can find many
traditional restaurants and cafes. It is the perfect place to enjoy the late
afternoon, while tasting a Super Bock (Portuguese beer and the most consumed
beer at Porto).