Frequently Asked Questions
Two to three days are enough to explore the main sights. But you can also easily stay for four days. There is plenty to do, with lesser-known neighborhoods, beautiful beaches, and a huge city park for those who want to escape the busy center.
The months of April, May, June, September, and October usually have good weather and are less busy than July and August.
Yes, Porto is a safe city. Of course, you also need to be vigilant about pickpockets in crowded places, but statistically speaking, Portugal is one of the safest countries in Europe.
Yes, Porto is a compact city. Moreover, Porto has a beautiful medieval center that is mostly easy to get around on foot. But do take into account the sometimes very steep hills.
The metro (Line E – Purple) is an option and takes 20 to 30 minutes to the city, depending on where you get off in the center. But you can also take Uber or Bolt to the city. Both mobility apps work excellently and are not expensive.
Porto is not expensive compared to other European cities. A typical Portuguese meal doesn’t have to cost more than €15.
Temperatures can rise, but thanks to a fresh sea breeze, it is always more pleasant in the shade. It usually doesn’t get very humid in the summer.
1 Dom Luís I building: The characteristic double-deck bridge over the Douro River from 1886. The upper deck offers beautiful views of Porto and the neighboring city of Gaia.
2 Stock Exchange Palace: The iconic building of the Chamber of Commerce (Palácio da Bolsa), once the Porto stock exchange, where Gustave Eiffel of the Eiffel Tower had his office.
3 São Bento Station: Admired for the more than 20,000 hand-painted tiles (azulejos) on the walls of the imposing departure hall.
4 Carmo Church: Beautiful Carmelite church, where you also can go up to the church roof. The church also provides access to the narrowest house in Porto, a place where chaplains and priests lived until the 1980s.
5 The Gardens of the Crystal Palace (Jardins do Palácio do Cristal): a beautiful park with breathtaking views of Porto and the ocean. With free-roaming peacocks and chickens.
6 The Cathedral of Porto, Sé do Porto: As the cradle of the city, the cathedral plays an essential role in the origins of Porto in the early 1100s.
7 Miragaia: An old working-class neighborhood from the early 1200s, it used to be along the river, but nowadays no longer. Miragaia was once the Jewish quarter of Porto and, for the time being, manages to keep encroaching tourism at bay.
8 Bonfim: An up-and-coming neighborhood in East Porto, it´s just outside the bustling center. The art academy is located here, and you will find a combination of trendy spots and authentic tascas, as the small eateries are called.
9 City Park: Porto’s large city park of more than 85 hectares. Beautiful place for walks and picnics. And whoever continues to the end will reach the ocean, right near the surf beach of Matosinhos.
10 Poveiros Square: a square close to the shopping street Rua Santa Catarina. Around the square you will find numerous bars and restaurants, and you can enjoy sitting outside in the summer.
That is São João, or Saint John, and it takes place on the night of June 23rd and continues during the day on the 24th. It is a celebration where the city turns out to watch the fireworks around midnight on the Dom Luis I Bridge. People take to the streets armed with plastic hammers, and there are live bands and street parties everywhere. Furthermore, on the 24th, there is a sailing race with the old wine boats,the traditional rabelos.
In the cellars of Gaia (twin town of Porto) the port wines used to mature in barrels. But the grapes themselves, and the wines, are harvested and produced respectively.in the Douro Valley, which is located about 100 kilometers up the Douro River, bordering Spain.
That is the Francesinha, a hearty sandwich with various types of meat, melted cheese, and a special, slightly spicy sauce based on beer and tomato.
