Best Things To Do in Porto

You should bear in mind that Porto is a city to be experienced: a meal by the river or a glass of wine on any of its terraces is a must. These are the 10 things you should not miss to see and do during your visit to Porto.

A stroll through the city on your own will undoubtedly be one of the most enjoyable experiences during your visit, but leave time to do the same Porto sightseeing tour with a local guide.

The size of the city may make it easier for you to discover its corners on your own, but it will be someone who knows the city who can reveal its secrets, its history and its way of life. If I could only recommend one activity to do during your trip, it would be a guided tour of the city centre.

Another great thing about the city of Porto is its location. From there you can explore other parts of Portugal on convenient day trips and return from your trip with a more complete picture of the country.

You can do this by renting a car, but a more convenient way is to hire organised excursions from Porto where you will be accompanied by an expert guide. There are excursions such as those to Guimaraes and Braga, those that take you to Aveiro or the popular tours of the Duoro Valley.

Many of them will also include experiences such as a cruise, a typical Portuguese lunch, a wine tasting, etc. You can book any of these options online. Here is my list of favourites: Best Tours and Day Trips from Porto.

Cruising along the river that runs through a city is always a different way to approach it; a way to escape the stress and crowds and to simply enjoy the city in a relaxed and unhurried way. If you want to cruise on the Douro during your trip to Porto, you have two options: you can do it on the part of the river that runs through the city or take an excursion to the outskirts of Porto and travel along the river from there.

Although the tourist bus seems to be an option that many travellers overlook for being "too touristy", I personally find it a comfortable way to take a walk around the city avoiding the hikes and the high temperatures.

If you're up for it, I recommend booking your ticket for the sightseeing bus, which also includes a river cruise and an optional wine tasting. With a 24 or 48 hour pass you can take the bus as many times and from as many stops as you like.

Personally, I have never (as far as I can remember) visited a place where I have not been interested in its gastronomy and typical dishes. Not only was Porto no exception, but on this occasion I didn't have to look too hard, as I was able to try all the typical dishes on one of the city's gastronomic tours. Some of the dishes that will ring a bell and that you can try in many of the restaurants in Oporto are:

If Portugal's gastronomy is important, its wine tradition is even more so. Port wine in particular is world famous, so it would be a sin to visit the city and not try it in one of its many bars. I recommend that you let yourself be recommended by the waiters and try the different varieties, but beware of the green wine, which can be treacherous.

If you are not only attracted by the idea of sitting on a terrace overlooking the river and drinking a glass of wine, but also want to know more about this tradition, I recommend a wine tasting in the cellars of Oporto and its surroundings.

If you are a fan of the Harry Potter books, you don't need to read any further because you will already know this bookshop that inspired the author.

Whether or not you like the stories of the most famous wizard of all time, J.K. Rowling's story is fascinating; if you visit the bookshop during a guided tour, ask your guide about it.

A visit to the Lello bookshop is a must for all book lovers in Porto. And a great idea if you are travelling to Porto with children.

In every city there is a privileged spot to contemplate it from the top, try to locate its main monuments and take a thousand and one photos to realise that none of them can match the live view of the landscape. In Porto, the best place for this is the Clérigos tower.

It may take a bit of effort to climb its 200 steps, but I assure you that you will not easily forget the mosaic of Porto's rooftops that you will see from the top. The 5 euro entrance fee is well worth it.

If you're looking for a market for tourists, rule out this visit. Bolhao Market is an authentic Portuguese market and what you'll get is a close-up view of daily life in the city. It may look decadent at first glance, but you'll find authentic local produce and beautiful flowers lining the streets. Don't be in a hurry to finish walking around and stop to take in the details.

Finally, my recommendation is to walk around that place that remains etched in your mind several months after finishing your trip to Porto: the Ribeira neighbourhood. You will probably pass by there at some point during your trip, but my advice is, once again, to set aside at least a couple of hours for a leisurely stroll along the riverbank admiring its colourful houses and, of course, for a drink in one of its open-air terraces.

Of all the places in Porto, this is my favourite and, although the preferences of each traveller are different, I doubt that, regardless of your tastes, it will leave you indifferent.

In addition, in this area there are usually some improvised Fado shows, another of the essential plans in the city of Porto.

As a first recommendation and to avoid wasting time on your arrival in Porto, I advise you to check the different transfer options from the airport as there are several ways to get to the centre of the Portuguese city.

On the other hand, to help you with the organization of your trip to Porto, here is a list of the best things to do in the wonderful Portuguese city depending on the date you have planned your trip:

• 10 things to see and do in Oporto in January
• 10 things to see and do in Porto in February
• 10 things to see and do in Porto in October
• 10 things to see and do in Porto in November
• 10 things to see and do in Porto in December
• 10 things to see and do in Porto in summer
• 10 things to see and do in Porto in Winter
• 10 things to see and do in Porto in Christmas

To make the most of the time you spend in Porto, here are some guides that will help you to plan your trip according to the days you are going to spend in the city:

• What to see and do in Oporto in 2 days
• What to see and do in Porto in 3 days
• What to see and do in Porto in 4 days

Finally, I recommend that if you are travelling with children, you should be aware of the best things to do with them. One of the best things to do in this city is to reserve a day to visit the World of Discoveries, one of the best museums in Oporto, but which also has a great theme park where you can spend an unforgettable day. Here is an article with all the information on how to get tickets to the World of Discoveries.