9 Best Things To Do In Porto, Portugal: Not Your Ordinary Destination

Portugal, a country on Europe’s Iberian peninsula, has so many fascinating places for travelers to see. For one, there’s the Castelo de São Jorge and Belém Tower in Lisbon, the country’s capital. Then, you can also visit the Santa Cruz Church and Velha Universidade de Coimbra in Coimbra, another city in Portugal. But, if you want a taste of Portugal’s past, and wines too, a well-recommended city to discover is Porto. So much things to do in Porto. 

Porto, Portugal’s “undefeated city,” stretches along Douro River’s sturdy curves, and is dotted with hilly lanes made of cobblestones, architectural marvels that date back to the Middle Ages, and avant-garde museums. It is also one of the best cities for culinary adventures. Or, for letting yourself be lost in its maze-like neighborhoods and vertiginous vantage points teetering high above the city’s terracotta rooftops. Otherwise, you may also choose to walk along Porto’s iconic cast-iron bridge. More on these in this guide to the best things to do in Porto.

Explore The Best Things To Do In Porto

Let’s head right to the list of the best things to do in Porto!

1. Ramble At The Ribeira District

Headed to Porto? One of the first things to do in Porto is visiting the famous Ribeira District. Its appearance is just as interesting as its story. 

Porto’s story started as a sleepy fishing village on the banks of the Douro River where the present-day Ribeira neighborhood stands. Today, the Ribeira district buzzes with so many activities all day long. 

Sure, tourists can head over here for the bountiful things to do in Porto, but they wouldn’t forget taking in views of the river from this district. Moreover, here, you will also find restaurants, bars, and craft markets next to each other, as well as street performances. Don’t forget to notice the old cobbled streets. 

2. Scent The Aroma Of Porto’s Seaside At Foz Do Douro

The city and the country’s names say it all. Portugal is situated facing the North Atlantic Ocean, so, there are several water activities and things to do in Porto, for instance. If you want some exceptional beach time with beverages at terrace cafés overlooking the sea, you must head to Foz do Douro. 

During scorching summer days, tourists visit this place to cool off in its chilly waters. Otherwise, you may also join locals on bike rides, runs, and saunters along Foz do Douro’s seaside promenade, which runs up to Porto’s largest city beach, Matosinhos. Traditional tram rides that will make you feel you are back to the past are also available here. If you wish to relax by the sea, this is one of the things to do in Porto that you should include on your bucket list. 

Feel free to keep reading this “things to do in Porto” guide. It should help you before your trip to this Portuguese city. Or, you may also want to learn about the best photography spots in Lisbon, another city in Portugal. 

3. Cruise Through Beneath The City’s Bridges, Including The Famed Cast-Iron Arcs

If you were to search around for photos of Porto, the images of cast-iron bridges will spark your curiosity. These bridges are not just bridges to look at, but you can also cruise through them. 

Around Porto, several operators offer hour-long Six Bridge Cruises that will whisk you upstream and downstream aboard a wooden rabelo boat, and take you to see the prettiest panoramic views of the city under cast-iron arcs from the 19th century, concrete curves added in recent years, and everything in between. Many travelers want this on their list of things to do in Porto. 

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride as you learn more about Porto’s neighborhoods and how they came to be, as well as the city’s history that even kids will enjoy. 

4. Sample Porto’s Best Dishes

Porto’s offerings for the palate are pretty unique. So, you are definitely missing a lot of you skip these gastronomic things to do in Porto. 

There are various tours around that let you savor and delight yourself with foods at Porto’s most beloved cafés and markets. You will get to try the regional favorites, from sweet custard tarts to savory classics like a “Bolinho de Bacalhau” cod fish. 

With interesting gastronomic stories from your guide, this food tour in Porto will keep your tummy satisfied. 

Porto is a city in western Europe, and with so many amazing things to do in Porto, you may want to discover the continent further. Check out this guide to the best photography spots in Slovenia. 

5. See Porto’s Highlights In This Three-Hour Electric Bike Tour

You have perhaps tried taking a bike tour around a city, but maybe never yet on an electric bike. With this electric bike tour, you won’t just get thrilled, but you will also help save the environment.

The hilly streets of Porto can make strolling around quite a challenge. So locals who want tourists to see the city’s beauty thought of a way to make exploring these streets more possible, through electric bikes. 

Explore Porto’s highlights via this electric bike tour with an expert guide to lead you. Your destinations are the Ribeira Square, Miragaia, Jardim da Cordoaria, Torre dos Clérigos, Livraria Lello, São Bento Railway Station, and Porto Cathedral. Be sure to add this on your things to do in Porto list. 

6. Visit A Port Wine Cellar

Your visit to Porto won’t be complete without including this on your things to do in Porto itinerary: sampling port wine, the city’s most notable export. It is like missing croissants when you are in Paris, or missing sushis when you are in Japan. 

Made from grapes cultivated in the nearby Douro Valley, the renowned fortified wine was exported from Porto, hence the name. You’ll find various wine cellars scattered around this city, with the most historic found on Douro’s south bank, specifically in Vila Nova de Gaia.

But, all these cellar tours will take you to the Douro’s terroir, the early and dangerous journeys the wine’s grapes made in small boats down the then-undammed Douro all the way to Porto, the ageing process, the various styles of port, and finally, to a tasting. 

If you wish to learn more about the history of port wine trade and production, you can visit the Port Wine Museum. If you wish to immerse yourself in this, make sure you head to Porto’s top wineries.

Things to do in Porto are just as thrilling as the activities in Italy. What about learning the best photography spots in Ravenna, a city in Italy? 

7. Follow The City’s Street Art Trail

Whenever you are visiting almost any city in the world, you will come across the place’s art. After all, art is always knitted with history. So if you are out there to try the things to do in Porto, what is there to see when it comes to its art? Let’s find out. 

Porto’s artists are proud to show their creative skills on the city’s walls, but this showcase of talent is also etched in history. From as early as the 1400s, the Portuguese have made azulejos, or glazed ceramic tiles many buildings are adorned with. Some of them are simple, geometric patterns, while others feature intricate tableaux picked out in hues of dusky blue. In Porto, these creative pieces are located alongside contemporary street artworks, ranging from vibrant murals to impressive sculptures. Be sure to keep your eyes opened to witness them. 

8. Marvel At The Splendor Of Igreja De São Francisco

Religion is very strong in Portugal. After all, this is a major influence they imparted to their colonies around the globe. So, it is just normal to see astounding churches around Portuguese cities like Porto. In Porto, one of the most beautiful churches would probably be the Igreja de São Francisco.

Looking crude on the outside but very intricate like a Fabergé egg on the inside, the Igreja de São Francisco will treat you to a grand feast filled with Baroque splendor. Its unbelievably intricate interior glows alongside its lustrous woodwork and gold-leaf finery. 

While you’re here immersed in the things to do in Porto, don’t forget to find the polychrome Tree of Jesse altarpiece, as well as the masterful handiwork by brilliant Portuguese craftsmen, António Gomes and Filipe da Silva. You may also visit the church’s museum to see sacred artworks and portraits of long-departed bishops. 

9. Dig In To A Porto Picnic

Trivial as they may seem, but picnics are best in Porto. The city’s warm climate is ideal for this activity that deserves to be on your things to do in Porto itinerary. 

You can set up a feast over some Portuguese cheese and refreshing vinho verde (a light wine from the Minho) from northern Portugal, rolling out a blanket at one of the city’s relaxing green spaces. 

In particular, you can do so at Parque da Cidade, the biggest urban park in Portugal, where you can also watch ducks and geese drifting on the park’s ponds. Or, you can simply sit underneath an olive tree and take in the views over the Douro from the modish grounds of the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal.

Learn about Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, a country colonized and developed by the Portuguese. There is so much more on our website than just this “things to do in Porto” guide. Be sure to keep yourself in the loop! 

Things To Do In Porto: Best Places To Eat In The City

Portuguese cuisine is unlike any other in the world. The food scene here is rich and diverse, shaped by influences from history and its geographical location. The dishes here are known for their delicious flavors, fresh ingredients, and tasty recipes passed down through generations after generations. Want to enjoy some gastronomic things to do in Porto? Take note of this list of the best restaurants in the city.

• For natural wines and a cozy, inviting atmosphere, head to Tia Tia, and Dona Maria Restaurante.
• For fantastic views and dining with the locals, visit Casario, and O Buraco.
• For francesinha sandwiches and beachside dining, visit Chez Maurice and Café Santiago.
• For a tasting menu, Blind Restaurante is one of the best.
• For fine dining with wine tasting, visit The Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant and Enoteca 17.56.

Portugal Like Never Before

Lisbon may be the most popular city in Portugal for travelers, but that does not mean cities like Porto do not deserve a visit. With so many things to do in Porto, you can make unforgettable memories.

Built across hills that make a sharp presence to the banks of the Douro River, Porto is beautiful in every angle. Its hilltop viewpoints, waterside promenades, cast-iron bridges, and boats skimming across Vila Nova de Gaia – the twin city – are proofs to this wonder. 

Porto has all the makings of a dream destination, from architectural marvels and cultural treasures, to a lively food scene and serene beaches, not to forget its port wine lodges that offer incredible tastings. Porto is you, and more than anything, here, you can feel free to turn things simpler by just browsing the market, popping into a church, or watching the skies change their blue hues into ruby red over the river.