In recent years, the city of Porto has been the target of tourists from all over the world. A beautiful city with small dimensions and a giant in its cultural offer. With this city guide, I would like to introduce to you the things that a good traveler shouldn’t miss and also some curiosities about local life.
After introducing you to the fun part of Barcelona, and the hilarious things to do in Madrid, we want to share with you our favorite things to do in Porto. Join us and discover the fun side of this in beautiful city.
What you will find in this guide:
We always want to make things easier for you. Therefore, we put all the mentioned places on a map (+ a few extra). This way, you can find all the places easily. The map is at the end of the article. Many of these activities are perfect for solo explorers. Find more tips in our Solo Travel Guide for Porto.
List of Fun Things to do in Porto
These activities are recommended for families, solo travelers, and couples alike.
Here is what awaits you in Porto:
- Academic traditions
- Francesinha
- Harry Potter Tour
- Sunseekers alert!
- Espaço 77
- São João (Saint John’s Festival)
- Mira Jazz
- Porto Cruz
- Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
- Mc Donald’s
- Wakesurf
- Porto Photoshoot with a guide
- Visit the Porto Stadium
- Duoro Cruise
- A Vida Portuguesa – The Portuguese life store
- Street arts tour
- Cooking Workshop
- Climb the bridge
- Get tipsy on a wine tasting in Vila Nova da Gaia
- Take a photo from the Cathedral and wander down to the boardwalk
- Librería Lello
- Dive into Bolhao Market
- Hipster Things to do: Kombi Coffee
- Tea Time at Rota do Chá
- Get an overpriced coffee at beautiful Cafe Majestic
- Wander the Flea Market of Armazém
- Join a free walking tour
- Visit a Fado Show
- Touristy but beautiful: Walk the waterfront
- Take a vintage tram number 1 paseo Alegre along the river
- Sleep inside a monument
- Take your Porto-proof photo
- Visit a football match
- Eat, Eat, Eat
- BONUS: The Wine Box
So, without further blah blah, let us jump into it right away.
1. Academic traditions
Believe it or not, Portuguese cities with big university campuses make the most fun academic events that you’ll ever see. If you’re planning to visit Porto during the period of April or May, you might see some big parades called “Queima das Fitas”.
It’s the beginning of a new era for those who just started the graduation time and a huge celebration for those who are leaving school. Trust me, it becomes a big show for the tourists and non-university people as well.
During that week of celebrations you have a whole week calendar with some of the local artists playing at night in a place called “Queimódrumo”, it’s open to the public and the ticket costs around 10€/day.
You can find more info at their website https://www.fap.pt/
2. Francesinha
If there is something that Portuguese people know well how to do, that thing would be amazing foods.
Porto is a city with a very peculiar typical dish called Francesinha, inspired by the French Croque Monsieur, but with a huge upgrade on it. To try a Francesinha you should look for a very good place to have it. And I’m going to make your life easier by saying that Cervejaria Brasão Aliados is the best place in the city to have one of those.
You shouldn’t miss that, besides the Francesinha this place has such a beautiful decoration and friendly staff.
Just be aware that for the best Francesinha in town, you might have to queue for a few minutes, and the best option, especially on weekends, is to make a reservation.
Follow them on Instagram on @brasaobistro
3. Harry Potter Tour
For the fans of Harry Potter, it isn’t new to know that the wizard has a Portuguese vein in its creation, and for those who don’t know here goes important information: JK Rowling lived in Oporto while writing the novel between 1991 and 1993. So, can you imagine how much the city inspired her?
In the following list, you can visit some of the scenarios of the Portuguese daily life, which ended up being used as a reference and inspiration for the saga such as a simples broom store and the black capes used by the university students.
- Livraria Lelo: Rua das Carmelitas 144, Porto.
- Café Majestic: Rua Santa Catarina 112
- Escovaria de Belmonte: Rua de Belmonte 34
- University of Porto: Praça de Gomes Teixeira, Porto
4. Sunset seekers alert!
If your trip must include a stop for a great sunset view you better take a photo screen because these are the best spots to be when the sun goes down in Porto:
- Jardim do Morro
- Jardim do Passeio das Virtudes
- Passeio Alegre
- Foz do the Douro (Get close to the lighthouse)
- Cable Cars in Gaia– (The price is 6,00€ one way and 9,00€ return)
- Clérigos Tower – (It costs 5€ to visit the museum and get to the top)
From the Clergies towers, you can see the rivers, the bridges, even Sao Bento Station, the cathedral and so much more.
If you can, avoid the weekend days for going up here, it will be less busy in the afternoon and on the weekdays.
5. Espaço 77
Porto is well known for being a non-expensive destination in comparison to the other European destinations, but this place will blow your mind.
All you need is to be in a good mood, be open to talk with people from all over the world, and get ready to have a Super Bock (the national beer) for ONLY 0.50€. It’s a good call for solo travelers or big groups of friends, it doesn’t matter. After all, who doesn’t love cheap thrills?
Fun fact: Espaço 77 has been selling beers for 6 years at the same price, and it never caused any financial losses.
Address: Tv. de Cedofeita, 4050-157 Porto, Portugal
6. São João (Saint John’s Festival)
Save the date: June 23rd Evening since the 19th century. Every year this is the most expected day for Porto citizens.
St John’s day is on the 24th of June, but the celebrations start early on the day before.
Here goes a list of things to do to complete the tradition with glory:
- Have a grilled Portuguese sardine on the street foods, it’s just delicious.
- Grab a plastic hammer! Just to get a little bit familiar, it’s a tradition to lightly pound the head of everyone you meet around the streets.
- Get close to D. Luís Bridge to watch the fireworks before midnight.
7. Mira Jazz
Music moves people, and especially the ones that make you almost live again that unforgettable trip you loved so much. With a wonderful view and people that you still plan to meet again. So, I would suggest you create some memories at the Mira Jazz terrace.
It’s a very relaxing place on the top of Ribeira, it´s a combination of good wine, good music, and a good environment. Everything you need to chill after a long day of the walk.
Address: Escadas do Caminho Novo 11, 4050-554 Porto, Portugal
8. Porto Cruz
Now let’s talk about something that everyone thinks about when it comes to the city of Porto. Port Wine!
Porto Cruz is a brand of port wine and has its building located in Gaia, the heart of the wine caves. The structure from outside is very traditional, the surprise is when you get inside of the building, it’s all so modern with a very prepared staff ready to explain everything you might ask about Port Wine.
This place is very well located, and has a 360º Terrace Lounge where you could go for a happy hour on a sunny day, and have a refreshing cocktail based on Porto wine.
If you’re more into wine tasting, go straight to the 2nd floor to understand a little deeper. There are prices for all budgets starting from 7,5€ with 3 options of wine tasting to 45€ for the premium tasting.
Background information: Port wine is actually never ever from Porto itself. It is from the Douro Valley. Back in the days, the wineries from the Douro Valley shipped their wine to Porto. From here, the port in Porto shipped it to the United Kingdom and all the world.
Since the harbor in Porto was the last harbor for the barrels of wine before leaving the country, the barrels got the stamp from the city of Porto.
Now, since the wine was so good, and the barrels had Porto-Stamps all over them, everyone in the world thought this wine comes from Porto.
Fun story, right?! If the harbor would have been located on the other riverside, in Vila Nova da Gaia, maybe this town would be the famous one today. Who knows?!
Anyway, don’t let this stop you from tasting this unique wine.
Good to know: Sorry, just one more thing. Port Wine is a wine you have for dessert. It is not a regular wine, there is a more sweet flavor to it.
A whole bottle of Port wine comes with an extra headache the next morning. We are not your mammy and pappy, but let’s enjoy a bit more of Porto! 😉
9. Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
If the mix between architecture and nature is your thing, Jardins do Palácio de Cristal is the place you should go to appreciate this balance.
You can spend a really great time in these gardens and lose yourself a little bit on the top 5 things to do in the following list:
- Picnic
- Buy a Portuguese romance on the book stands available
- Admire the Cristal palace from the outside
- Walk among the peacocks
- And once more get to see another corner of the Douro river
Address: R. de Dom Manuel II, 4050-346 Porto, Portugal
10. Mc Donald’s
After the language, the food is normally one of the first contacts that a traveler has after getting to a new country, in some cases after a long time tasting only typical food, some people like to get back to ‘’regular’’ once in a while, what brings us to the cliché Mc Donald’s.
Who never did that?
In this case, I would say that you should stop in the most beautiful Mc Donald’s in the world even if you’re in a city break. I bet these following pictures will make you order a Big Mac, just to appreciate the stained glass around the fast-food restaurant.
Good to know: You don’t need to eat here. You are in Porto, a foodie haven. You can enjoy fantastic and cheap food all around.
Address: Praça da Liberdade 126, 4000-322 Porto, Portugal
11. Wakesurf
Let’s put some adrenaline on the list.
For the big fans of sports, it was about time to list some adventure in Porto to make this trip more fun. It’s time for Wake Surf!
The cool part of this program is that you can choose between the river or the sea to practice. All you need is to bring with you one or two friends to share, and some excitement.
The price for 1 hour up to 3 people is 75€ (equipment and insurance included). Solo trip available upon request.
Address: Av. General Norton de Matos, 1177, Armazéns Sul, Escola A,, Matosinhos, Porto 4450-208, Portugal
12. Porto Photoshoot with a guide
Here goes a tip for solo travelers or just bad photographers, what about to have a photoshoot day in a good company?
For those who love posing, that would be a perfect solution to make a low-cost photoshoot + a tour around the best Instagramable places in Porto.
13. Porto Stadium
Football is a sport that makes people laugh and cry around Portugal, I could even say it’s a religion because everyone supports its own football team as a family.
More known by the name Estádio do Dragão, Porto stadium is rated 5 stars by UEFA. And if you are also a big fan of sports, you got to visit the museum and have 2 hours tour to understand a bit more of FC Porto’s big history.
In case you’re planning to visit the stadium for a match, be prepared because it isn’t just a match, it’s a choir, a huge family, everyone cheering together no matter if Porto wins or loses.
If you don’t know any Portuguese and wish to be spoiled around here, all you gotta say is “Força Porto!”
The price of the museum and the stadium costs: 15€
14. Douro Cruise
We’ve already mentioned Douro River a few times, but what we didn’t say before is how to get into Douro Valley.
Exactly! You should make a day Douro Cruise.
Porto isn’t only made of Porto wine, in the Douro region, you can try one of the finest wines of Portugal. Furthermore, how about spending a whole day aboard a cruise and navigating one of the most beautiful landscapes of Portugal?
15. A Vida Portuguesa – The Portuguese life store
Some people struggle just thinking about what to take as a souvenir, at this store I’m pretty sure you will just have so much fun choosing some very creative souvenirs instead of the classic magnets.
If you wish to impress someone you gotta step by A Vida Portuguesa to take one of the original and classic brands such as “Confiança” soaps, Minerva preserves, and Couto toothpaste.
Address: Rua de Cândido dos Reis 36, 4050-151 Porto
16. Street arts tour
Every city has its own artists, some anonymous, some more famous, some more realistic, and some others more abstract.
Let yourself get involved by the art of the streets telling you the history of Porto.
17. Cooking Workshop
A recipe is something you might carry for a lifetime.
It feels so good when you only depend on yourself to prepare that memorable dish you ate last summer. So, it would be so much fun to add a cooking class to the list.
It’s time to invite all your best friends over for dinner because you’re going back home as the new Portuguese chef.
18. Climb the Bridge
One of the coolest FUN things to do in Porto!
You can actually climb a bridge here.
It is not the famous Dom Luis Bridge, it is actually even better. You can climb the bridge closest to the ocean, the Arrábida Bridge.
From the top – under the actual highway – you can see the Atlantic ocean on the right side and Porto on the left. This activity takes about 45 minutes and it is super safe.
19. Get tipsy on a wine tasting in Vila Nova da Gaia
On the other side of the river bench, just crossing the Dom Luis Bridge, you will be in another city. The city is called Vila Nova da Gaia.
Now, here you find all the wine tastings and cellars. Come over and try the different port-wines from the region.
20. Wander down to the boardwalk
The cathedral in Porto is located in the very, very city center. BUT, it’s located on the hill actually. From the upper part of the Dom Luis Bridge, you can walk right to the Cathedral.
From here you have another wonderful view. I also recommend walking down the area next to the bridge. The small alleys, little roads are beautiful. It is a very local area. You will walk by locals drying their laundry and tiny cafés.
As for the cathedral: You can actually enter here as well! Just keep an eye on the opening schedule.
Very good to know: There is an upper part and a lower part of the Dom Luis Bridge. You cannot really go and down quickly.
You have to walk around completely or take the little train up or down. This costs around 5€. When you are at Sao Bento station, looking towards the river, you will see two roads. One to the left, one to the right.
- The one on the left will take you to the cathedral and the upper part of Dom Luis Bridge.
- The one on the right will take you along a major shopping road to the lower part of the bridge.
21. Librería Lello
This list would not be complete without the world-famous Liberia Lello. Rated as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, the Lello Library is a must-thing to do.
Here comes the kicker:
Yes, it is touristy.
No, it is not free anymore. The entrance is around 5€.
Yes, it is worth it 100%.
Yes, it’s busy pretty much all day long.
(We could not figure out any best time to visit the library. If you have some insights, please share them! 😉
Quick note: Personally I think it is a pity that the library now charges an entrance, but it’s more than understandable. This place is treated as a museum and with all the maintenance work and the general amount of work that comes with mass tourism, they needed to adapt.
First of all, you help the library to stay in business, and 2nd you can actually buy a book here. You know why? Because it is an actual book shop!!
22. Dive into Bolhao Market
Bolhao Market place is one of the very first places I entered without having a glue what it actually it. Here you can buy fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, you name it.
You can also nowadays purchase souvenirs like leather wallets, magnets, postcards, you name it. The market itself is a really beautiful one. It is one of the many free things to do in Porto. Just enter, walk around, and if something piques your interest, have a closer look.
I like the friendly attitude you will experience at Bolhao Market. The sellers are not pushy and quite relaxed. This makes it more comfortable. And again: You can support the local business by buying some things.
23. Hipster Things to do: Kombi Coffee
In my defense: I am a coffee junky. No, wait, coffee lover.
The Kombi Coffee is a beautiful, hipster-ish café. The cafe itself is also great to visit. The creamy coffee, black and white, clean design. Great. However, their real highlight, in my opinion, is their coffee truck.
They drive around the city with it, park, and serve coffee from here. I was lucky enough to catch them right next to The Passenger Hostel, next to Sao Bento train station.
Their truck looks so cool. Keep an eye out, that could be one of your cool Porto Instagram shots.
Oh, and have coffee, obviously!
24. Tea Time at Rota do Chá
Tea time! Let me explain first.
The longest alliance between the two countries in the world is between Porto and the United Kingdom. These two countries shared a lot of goods along with the history of time.
Tea is something that came along time ago to Porto.
Anyway… for having a tea in Porto in a cute, little garden, head over to Rota do Chá!
Address: Rua de Miguel Bombarda 457, 4050-378 Porto, Portugal
25. Travel back at Cafe Majestic
Travel back in time and visit the vintage, classic Cafe Majestic. It is so beautiful from the inside, it is really worth it to stop by. It is located in the main shopping street of Porto, just a 5 minutes walk from Sao Bento Train station.
Personally, I would never have a coffee here. I prefer the hipster coffee – don’t judge me! Anyway, it’s said the coffee is great. Overpriced, but great. So, up to you!
Address: Rua Santa Catarina 112, 4000-442 Porto, Portugal
26. Wander the Flea Market of Armazém
Flea markets are great – also sometimes a temptation. Armazém, is a cool vintage shop and bar where you will be able to see those old cool things to decor and also taste a wine… on their terrace.
Drinks are affordable, so only for that the walk to Armazém is worth it.
27. Join a free walking tour
One of the best FREE Things to do in Porto is the famous free walking tour. Every bigger European city has one, and so does Porto.
I recommend taking a free walking tour on your first day. It is the perfect start to get to know the city. You can join the free walking tours usually from hostels.
Remember: A free walking tour is tip-based. You tip the guide at the end of the tour whatever you think the tour is worth it. For a backpacker, this is usually around 5€. For tourists it can be around 10€ per person. Just to give you a rought idea.
28. Visit a Fado Show
Fado is the traditional dance from Portugal. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy a Fado show, preferably in a wine cellar. You will find many places around the city.
29. Walk the waterfront
The river bench, the boardwalk is beautiful! Although it is obviously one of the most touristic things to do in Porto, there is no way you can skip this. Walk along the boardwalk, starting from Dom Luis 1 Bridge.
There is as well a weekend market you can visit.
From here you have the perfect view to the Dom Luis Bridge as well as Nova Gaia on the other riverside.
Did you assume the other riverside is as well Porto?
Well, you are not alone. In fact, I thought so on my first visit as well. It is actually Vila Nova, a different city with even different mayor. Here you can visit all the famous wine tastings with Sandemans and such.
Fun Fact: The Dom Luis Bridge was NOT built by the famous architect Eiffel. You know, the world-famous architect that planned the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Since the Dom Luis Bridge looks similar to the Eiffel Tower in a way, and somehow architect Eiffel built a bridge in Porto, the widely spread „knowledge“ says: This is the one built by him.
But, it’s not. The Dom Luis Bridge was built by 1880.
On June 24th, you can walk around Douro River to see the regatta of Rabelo boats, it starts regularly at 03:00 p.m.
30. Take a vintage tram
Oh, this one is great. And it is great for solo travelers, couples, groups, and families. For everyone!
Take the vintage tram to the beach. The #1 Tram takes you all the way from Porto to the beach. I would take the tram during daylight, so you can actually enjoy the scenery.
31. Sleep inside a monument
When was the last time you slept inside a monument? This is The Passenger Hostel, one of the most beautiful hostels in the world.
The Passenger Hostel is the only 5 Star Hostel in Porto. It is perfect for:
- solo-travelers
- couples
- groups
- families
The hostel is located literally inside the Sao Bento Station. You do not even have to walk outside the train station. When you take a train from here, you will walk by the hostel!
You are not into hostels? Then please please do me one favor: Have a look at The Passenger Hostel!
It is a true design gem, it’s sparkling clean, it’s the better hotel and the better hostel, combining the best of two worlds: privacy and the social part to mingle. You can stay here as well with your family and kids. There are small private rooms with up to 4 beds, perfect for a small family.
32. Take your Porto-proof photo at the PORTO sign
Same as Amsterdam, Porto has also a letter sign in the city. Well, in Porto it is not so crowded, even though if you want a photo alone you will have to wake up early.
33. Visit a football match
Portuguese love football. Here in Porto, you have one of the best teams in Portugal to support. The FC Porto even once won the Champions League under José Mourinho. You can buy tickets for matches on their website of FC Porto.
No football match during your visit? Visit the stadium and FC Porto Museum. Football is a huge part of European culture. This is another one of the best things to do in Porto with kids!
34. Eat, Eat, Eat
I am actually not a foodie, really! But when I am in Italy or Portugal, something changes. The food is so incredibly good that I could spend all day eating here. I wrote a guide on the best cheap eats in Porto. I also included everything on this list in the handy map on the bottom. Just click on it and go to eat like a king!
35. Bonus: The Wine Box
Very well located bar, around one of the most popular streets in Porto. The Wine Box is a typical dark wine cave with a modern touch.
It is possible to taste an extensive and varied wine list, accompanied by the most traditional Portuguese “tapas”.
Note: I asked the advice in a group of friends, and this wine bar was the most voted.
36. What about the nightlife in Porto?
Porto is a great place to go out at night. There are many places you will enjoy: dance clubs, bars, live music… There is a place for every taste. Here you have my favorite places (all local recommendations):
- Hardclub
- Adega leonor
- Adegas sport club
- Galerías paris – plan B
- Pasaos manuel
- Club rugby Porto ( sports bar)
- Embaixada do porto – ( go on tuesday for their brasiliana night)
- Amazed de cerveja
- Beer cerveja letra
- 77 – beer for
- v5 jazz
- Maos habitos (4th floor parking lot)
- Devil dishes
You will find all the places marked in our map.
Day trips from Porto
Porto has many things to do, and also many places nearby that you can visit just for a day (or stay overnight).
Here you have the day trips to do from Porto that I most enjoyed. It is a personal taste, both were easy to do, beautiful, and a great experience to add to your Porto trip.
You have more ideas in the map.
An easy way to move around is to rent a car. We use Discovercar to find the best deals.
37. Aveiro and Costa Nova
Located just 40 Minutes South from Porto you can visit the „Venice of Porto“, the town called Aveiro.
Here you find bigger Gondolas than in Venice, and you can take a short boat ride along the few canals.
The city Aveiro itself is beautiful to walk. It has gorgeous buildings and on a Sunday morning, you can enjoy a local flea market.
Costa Nova is just 10km away from Aveiro. This is my highlight of this day trip from Porto.
Costa Nova is a strip of Beach with a few streets. Come here to take your Instagram shots in front of the striped houses. Many many houses are vertically striped in red, yellow, green, or blue. Really amazing!
You can enjoy here as well the ocean and dunes. Have a seat in one of the few beach bars and enjoy the moment here.
For lunch or dinner, I want to give you one of my favorite restaurants in Portugal on the hand: the Restaurante Clube De Vela da Costa Nova.
We ate here a fish soup as a starter and a rice fishbowl as the main course. All that is a great restaurant, with lovely staff (speaking English as well), very few tourists, mot locals and a view of the port.
We ordered the rice fishbowl for two people, but we were actually three. It was more than enough! Portions in Portugal are big!
38. Douro Valley
In the summertime, a day trip to the Douro Valley is a MUST-DO!
Hop on a river cruise and take the journey along the water to the Douro Valley.
Here, exactly here is where the Port-wine is being produced and born in its essence.
This activity is not just one of the many fun and romantic things to do in Porto for couples.
It also recommended for families. The kids will have a blast on the boat, and the parents can enjoy the culture.
Summary Fun Experiences in Porto
Looking for more unique activities? Dive into our hidden gems in Porto for an off-the-beaten-path adventure.
So, here you have many ideas and cool things to do in Porto. The list could be endless! I stayed several months in Porto so I could tell you many other things, such as:
- Take photos of a beautiful tile facade like the hospital
- Have a drink with panoramic view from Monastery da Serra do Pilar
- Casa de la música
- Enter a beautiful gallery like Ó! Galeria porto
- Visit the Bolsa Palace
- Visit the Farol de Feigueras lighthouse
- Castelo do Queijo
Well, it is better that I stop now, if not, I will never stop. And your list is big enough, right? Here you have the map will all the places marked. You can use it to wander around the city, or just have a look at it for planning your trip.
Normally I use offline map, like maps.me. There I mark all the places I would like to visit and I do not stress if I just visit 15% of them. That way, there is always a reason to come back.
Planning your Porto adventure? Don’t miss our complete Backpacking Porto Travel Guide.
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