Porto Old Town Self-Guided Walk, Porto, Portugal

In this guide I share a route for a Porto old town self-guided walk, from the city centre through the city’s historic part to the waterfront.

On my last trip to Porto, I took a walk in the beautiful old town all the way to the banks of the Douro River.

This Porto old town self-guided walk follows a downhill route that connects viewpoints, historic buildings, and some of Porto’s most atmospheric streets.

The tour starts in the city centre, uphill from Ribeira (the waterfront). We’ll gradually head down to the river.

Begin at Largo Amor de Perdição, a small square in front of what used to be a prison and is now the Portuguese Centre of Photography.

The square’s unusual name, Amor de Perdição (love of perdition), comes from a famous novel by Portuguese writer Camilo Castelo Branco, who was imprisoned here.

I liked the contrast between the austere stone façade and the modern use of the space. It’s worth going inside, especially if you like photography exhibitions, or just to see the interior of the prison.

This park sits on the hillside overlooking the Douro River. It offers a pretty dramatic scenery worth pausing for.

Take a slow walk in the historic Belomonte Street (Rua de Belomonte), a narrow, characterful street that winds downhill. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).