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Travel guide
Porto
3 days · 5 things to do
Best time to go: May to June, and September to October
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Welcome
Porto, in a few days
Porto means steep lanes tumbling down to the Douro, tiled façades, and a port tasting in a Gaia cellar at sunset. It is rougher round the edges than Lisbon, and warmer for it.
- Day by day
- D1 Day 1 3 things
- D2 Day 2 1 thing
- D3 Day 3 1 thing
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
The trip
Day by day
Map of the sights (numbers follow the suggested order). It prints with the base map.
D1
Day 1
3 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · The Ribeira free · about 1 h 30The UNESCO-listed riverside quarter of narrow lanes and tall, colourful houses, with cafés along the quay facing Gaia.
- Afternoon · Dom Luís I Bridge free · about 30 minA two-level iron arch bridge opened in 1886; walk the upper deck, shared with the metro, for the best view over the river.
- Late afternoon · The port lodges of Gaia · about 1 h 30Across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia, the port houses age their wine in cellars and run tours ending with a tasting.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Hotel Carris Porto Ribeira ↗ · All places to stay by budget →€130 a night
D2
Day 2
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Livraria Lello · about 30 minA bookshop opened in 1906 with a carved wooden interior and a red double staircase; entry requires a ticket, so book ahead.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Hotel Carris Porto Ribeira ↗€130 a night
D3
Day 3
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- All day · The Douro Valley free · a full dayThe upriver wine region of steep terraced vineyards, UNESCO-listed, reached by train, boat or road for a day of quintas and tastings.
Before you go
Worth sorting before you go
📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
Some links are partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Good to know
Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Pastel de nata: a crisp custard tart, dusted with cinnamon. The one thing you will eat every day.
- Bacalhau: salt cod, done a thousand ways (à brás, com natas, and on it goes).
- Francesinha: the grilled sandwich of Porto, meat and cheese under a beer sauce.
- Grilled sardines: the food of summer street festivals, above all in Lisbon.
- Vinho verde and port: one young, cool and faintly sparkling, the other fortified and famous.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Skip the tourist-menu restaurants in the Baixa and look for a neighbourhood tasca instead.
- The bread and olives put on your table are not free. Send them back if you do not want them.
- Tram 28 when packed is pickpocket country: keep your bag in front of you.
- Do not drive into central Lisbon or Porto. The streets are narrow and parking is a fight.
Getting by
Words that help
English ↔ Portuguese
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Hello | Olá |
| Thank you | Obrigado |
| Please | Por favor |
| Yes | Sim |
| No | Não |
| Excuse me | Com licença |
| Goodbye | Adeus |
| Do you speak English? | Fala inglês? |
| I don't understand | Não compreendo |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa? |
| Where are the toilets? | Onde fica a casa de banho? (BR: banheiro) |
| The bill, please | A conta, por favor |
| Help! | Socorro! |
| Cheers! | Saúde! |
The essentials
The practical page
CurrencyEuro (EUR, €)
BudgetAbout €75 a day, mid-range
Best seasonMay to June, and September to October
PlugC/F · 230V
Tap waterSafe to drink
TippingAppreciated, around 5 to 10%
Emergency112
EntrySchengen area: an ID card or passport is enough for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
HealthNo specific vaccination needed. Make sure tetanus, polio and MMR are up to date.
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/porto
Don't forget
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.