Explore Porto
Plan Your Trip to Porto: Best of Porto Tourism
Essential Porto
7 best day trips from Porto
- Casa de Mateus1,073The 18th-century Casa de Mateus is a baroque treasure, designed by Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni. Inside, you’ll discover carved chestnut ceilings, antiques, period paintings, and a handsome library with a rare edition of the Portuguese epic, Os Lusíadas. The estate is equally stunning, with a reflecting pool, a chapel full of religious relics from the Vatican, and immaculate gardens of boxwood hedges, rose bushes, and cypress tunnels. Tip: Have your camera ready for the scenic hour-long journey there.
- Peneda-Geres National Park109Drive 90 minutes northwest to Peneda-Gerês, Portugal’s only national park, which spills into Spain. Here, rivers cross oak-and-pine forests, granite mountains, and verdant valleys, where roe deer (the park’s mascot), wild Garrano ponies, and Iberian wolves roam. My favorite hike is the Geira Roman road, featuring 2,000-year-old ruins, medieval bridges, waterfalls, and crystal-clear lagoons. On other trails, you’ll find castles (once occupied by the Spanish, Moors, and Portuguese), monasteries, megalithic dolmens, and espigueiros (stone granaries on stilts).
- University of Coimbra3,577Follow the Atlantic Coast 90 minutes south to the University of Coimbra, a UNESCO site overlooking Mondego River. Founded in 1290, it’s one of the world’s earliest academic institutions, where classes are dismissed by the bells in a 17th-century tower. Look familiar? Students shrouded in black cloaks seem like they’ve popped straight out of Harry Potter’s pages. Don’t miss the colorful ceilings in Capela de São Miguel and the gold-leaf bookshelves in Biblioteca Joanina.
- Bom Jesus Do Monte85An hour's train away, Braga is a popular pilgrimage site. It’s home to the country’s oldest cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace (bordering the colorful Santa Barbara Garden), and the crown jewel: Bom Jesus do Monte. This neoclassical church sits atop a dramatic baroque stairway that zigzags 17 flights (about 580 steps) up the slopes of Mount Espinho. There’s also a funicular to make it more accessible. Tip: Stay until dusk to see it light up.
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Travelers’ pro tips for experiencing Porto
In the words of those who've been there before...
What is the best way to get there?
Flying:
The city is served by Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (Porto International Airport).
Train:
Porto has two train stations: the ornately decorated Sao Bento station for local trains and Campanha station, from which trains to the rest of the country and other European destinations depart.
Do I need a visa?
If you’re visiting from overseas, see if you need a visa using the following website.
When is the best time to visit?
Porto generally experiences a moderate climate that provides optimum conditions for exploring the city on foot. The best months to visit are May, June and September, when skies are typically dry and blue, and the crowds associated with summer are less-concentrated. Expect average daily temperatures those times of year to be highs around 74° F (23° C) and lows of 58° F (14° C).
For more information on Porto’s weather and when to go, check out some tips here.
Metro
Porto’s metro features six lines that run from around 6 a.m. until 1 a.m. There are more than 80 metro lines throughout the city, which are marked with large blue letter Ms.
See timetables here.
Bus
Throughout Porto and the surrounding regions of Vila Nova de Gaia and Vila do Conde, you’ll find more than 75 STNP bus routes. Porto Cards and Andante can be topped up with cash and purchased at most bus stops.
Tram and funicular
There are three tram routes in Porto; Line 1, 18, and 22. Line 1 runs along the west coast and the Douro River, making for a truly scenic journey. There’s also a single track funicular that runs from Porto’s Ribeira area to Batalha Square.
Are there local customs I should know?
- We recommend staying at one of the most popular hotels in Porto, which include:
- Some of the most popular restaurants in Porto include:
- Porto is known for some of its popular attractions, which include:
- We recommend checking out these popular tours when looking for something to do in Porto:
- Complete Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch, Wine Tastings and River Cruise
- Authentic Douro Wine Tour Including Lunch and River Cruise
- Douro Valley Tour: 2 Vineyard Visits, River Cruise, Winery Lunch
- Douro Valley 3 Wine Experiences with Lunch & Optional Boat Cruise
- Porto 3-Hour Food and Wine Tasting Tour
- If you're a more budget-conscious traveler, then you may want to consider traveling to Porto between September and November, when hotel prices are generally the lowest. Peak hotel prices generally start between December and February.