Our Porto Top Picks

Porto, or 'Oporto' as it is known in English, is Portugal's second largest city and home to one of the mainland's three international airports. Famous for its port wine cellars, proximity to the Douro Valley and colourful buildings, this city is growing ever more popular as unmissable European destination and we've compiled some of our top reasons for visiting this beautiful city.

Port Cellars

No visit to Porto is complete without a visit to its famous wine cellars. With a variety of brands including Sandemans, Porto Cruz and Graham’s, you have plenty to choose from. Tours with tastings typically start from 12€ per person.

Open Top Bus Tours

A tourist staple in any city, these buses help newcomers get their bearings and learn some interesting facts about the various areas. The Porto open top buses are particularly good value with some packages including short boat trips along the Douro, and tours that take you across to Vila Nova de Gaia and up to the Matosinhos beaches. A tour over to Vila Nova de Gaia offers the perfect opportunity to take marvellous photos of Porto’s famous terracotta-roofed landscape.

Café Culture

Portugal often gets overlooked when it comes to the world’s most famous coffee drinkers, but let’s not forget that the Portuguese explorers were some of the first involved in the trade. Porto has two historical coffee houses, the A Brasileira which is over 115 years old and claims to be the first establishment in Porto to serve a cup of coffee; it is now home to the Pestana A Brasileira hotel. The other famous café is the Majestic Café, a functioning café with grand Art Deco interiors. The Majestic dates back to 1921 and was a hotspot for artists, writers, intellectuals and politicians who met for coffee and absinthe and to discuss the news of the day.

Although these cafés are historically important, we’re confident you’ll enjoy a delicious coffee and pastel de nata in most of Porto’s cafés.

Livraria Lello Bookshop

Any book lovers cannot afford to miss a visit to this beautiful bookshop which dates back to 1906. Its intricate façade, elegant winding staircase and dazzling stained glass roof are spellbinding, so it’s no wonder the shop is rumoured to be one of J.K. Rowling’s inspirations when writing the Harry Potter series. Photography is prohibited so as not to disturb shoppers, but this is all the more reason to have a real wander around the bookshop and soak in the atmosphere and maybe pick up a book or postcard to remember your visit.

Mercado do Bolhão

This wrought-iron fresh produce market dates back to the 19th century and is the perfect place to pick up fresh cheese, olives, fish, bread and smoked meats. It is best to visit on Friday and Saturday mornings where you can join the lively crowds and try some delicious samples.

Ponte de Dom Luís I & Cable Car

This impressive double-deck iron bridge is a distinctive part of Porto’s landscape connecting Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. A walk southbound across the top of the bridge offers unbeatable views of Porto and the Douro, and takes you to the Jardim do Morro where you can catch the cable car down to the port cellars; whereas the bottom of the bridge connects Porto’s lively Riviera and the Gaia riverfront restaurants and port cellars.

Historic Centre

Hop on a bus or tram and explore Porto’s historic centre where you’ll find treasures like the Clérigos Church Tower, the tree-lined Praça da Liberdade Square and the stunning São Bento train station with its azulejos-coated entrance hall (azulejos are the famous Portugese blue tiles).

Wherever you go in Porto, you will stumble on some part of its rich history, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled as you stroll around this beautiful city.

Hotels in Porto

There are several Pestana and Pousada options to choose from in Porto, whether you want to be right in the historic centre or a peaceful riverside location where you can soak in the view. 

There are two beautiful Pestana hotels just 10-minutes from the city centre, Pestana Palacio do Freixo and Pestana Douro Riverside which enjoy spectacular riverside locations and beautifully preserved historic buildings.

There are also three excellent hotels in the city centre. The Pousada de Porto (Rua Flores) is located in the heart of Porto near many of the main shopping streets and restaurants. The Pestana A Brasileira is built around the century old A Brasileira cafe, famous in its time for serving imported Brazilian coffee and as a meeting spot for many of Porto's gentry, today it continues to run the cafe, alongside a stylish hotel and restaurant. Lastly the Pestana Vintage Porto enjoys prime position on Porto's Ribeira, a bustling riverside area home to a plethora of restaurants, bars and wonderful views of Vila Nova de Gaia.