10 Unmissable Things to Do in Porto, Porto, Portugal
Located in northern Portugal, a few miles from the river’s mouth on the Atlantic Ocean, Porto is a wonderful destination for a European city break.
It’s a hilly city with winding warrens of old lanes and charming riverside quarters where terracotta-tiled houses rise up from the waters of the Douro.
Porto’s enviable position offers stunning viewpoints from which you can admire its iconic bridges and historic neighbourhoods, as well as the Douro River meandering through the city.
From visiting one of the world’s most beautiful bookshops to cruising down the river, Porto delights at every corner.
The city can offer many wonderful experiences you are looking for in a memorable vacation: beautiful architecture, plenty of entertainment, stunning culture, rich history and delicious cuisine and wine.
This list is by no means comprehensive, but it can help you start planning what to see and do in Porto; if you don’t have time to see it all in one vacation, don’t worry-we’re confident you’ll want to revisit it again!
So, here are some of the top things to see and do when you visit the second-largest city in Portugal.
With my partner, wandering through galleries and museums and with our girls, scouring thrift shops in and around Rua de Santa Catarina and hiking up to Jardim das Virtudes in time for sunset. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
It’s a hilly city with winding warrens of old lanes and charming riverside quarters where terracotta-tiled houses rise up from the waters of the Douro.
Porto’s enviable position offers stunning viewpoints from which you can admire its iconic bridges and historic neighbourhoods, as well as the Douro River meandering through the city.
From visiting one of the world’s most beautiful bookshops to cruising down the river, Porto delights at every corner.
The city can offer many wonderful experiences you are looking for in a memorable vacation: beautiful architecture, plenty of entertainment, stunning culture, rich history and delicious cuisine and wine.
This list is by no means comprehensive, but it can help you start planning what to see and do in Porto; if you don’t have time to see it all in one vacation, don’t worry-we’re confident you’ll want to revisit it again!
So, here are some of the top things to see and do when you visit the second-largest city in Portugal.
With my partner, wandering through galleries and museums and with our girls, scouring thrift shops in and around Rua de Santa Catarina and hiking up to Jardim das Virtudes in time for sunset. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
How it works: The full article is featured in the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Download the app to your mobile device to read the article offline and create a self-guided walking tour to visit the sights featured in this article. The app's navigation functions guide you from one sight to the next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Sights Featured in This Article
Guide Name: 10 Unmissable Things to Do in Porto
Guide Location: Portugal » Porto
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Insider Tips)
Author: Aiva Vocisa
Read it on Author's Website: https://ourcrossings.com/2025/06/23/10-unmissible-things-to-do-in-porto-portugals-most-up-and-coming-destination/
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
Guide Location: Portugal » Porto
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Insider Tips)
Author: Aiva Vocisa
Read it on Author's Website: https://ourcrossings.com/2025/06/23/10-unmissible-things-to-do-in-porto-portugals-most-up-and-coming-destination/
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- Rua de Santa Catarina
- Jardim das Virtudes
- Dom Luís I bridge
- Porto Cathedral
- Clérigos Church
- Church of Santa Clara
- The Carmo Church
- São Bento Railway Station
- Livraria Lello bookstore
- Arrábida Bridge
- Sierra del Pilar Monastery
- Jardim do Morro
- Graham’s
- Sandeman Cellars
- Blue cobalt cat
- Mira
- The half rabbit
- Palácio da Bolsa
- Ribeira Square
- Botanical Gardens
- Parque de São Roque
- Dragon Stadium of FC Porto
Insider Tips for Porto, Portugal
The Magical City of Porto, Portugal
I am part Portuguese. For all of my life, I’ve been told we were related to Portuguese royalty. Turns out my grandmother had a very wealthy great aunt who left her some money in 1952. It wasn’t a lot, but my grandmother said it certainly helped while they were raising their family. So much for royalty, but a pretty cool story! Needless to say, I was very excited for my first trip ever to... view more
48 Hours in Porto
Once you’ve had a hearty breakfast, it’s time to burn off some of those calories and create buns of steel by traversing some of Porto’s famous hills. Hopefully you’ll be so in awe of the fantastic architecture that you won’t notice the stairmaster-like workout.
See The Sites in Picturesque Porto
Set on the tall banks of the Douro River, Porto has a fantastic location. Buildings painted in a variety of colours climb the steep slopes above the river, making good use of the landscape. After seeing its setting, we knew we were in for a great few days of exploring the picturesque city of Porto.
Porto Unplugged: A Slower, Soulful Side of Portugal
I’ve always gravitated toward smaller cities, and within just a few hours, Porto began to resonate with me in a way that felt effortless. That evening, I kept things simple—just a slow walk through softly lit streets, Christmas decorations glowing around every corner, and a quiet sense of contentment settling in. It was the perfect, unhurried introduction.
Vegan Travel Guide for Porto, Portugal
Porto offers quite a few excellent places for vegans to eat. More and more vegan and vegetarian restaurants are opening in Porto. Let’s hope this trend continues to grow!
A Foodie’s Guide to Porto: 12 Must-Try Dishes and Drinks
It’s always struck me as strange that Porto – with its name so clearly related to that of the country – should not be the capital of Porto. It’s struck me as equally strange that, almost a decade since first falling in love with the Algarve and later Lisbon, it’s taken me until now to visit Porto. But with my newly minted double-vaxxed corona pass status, autumn 2021 was finally the time... view more
Insider Tips Overview
