Top things to do in Porto
Attractions, tours and activities in Porto
Recommended museums in Porto
Where to discover culture and the arts in Porto
Porto: the city's best neighbourhoods
Find a great area to stay in Porto
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Bonfim
0.6 miles from city centre
Lively nights come to a quaint end on the Bonfim promenade. The waterfront kiosks are the perfect after-party outposts for relieving late-night hunger. Go there for snacks like “bifanas", the region's trademark steak sammy. Bonfim also keeps a candle burning for Porto customs like “bailinhos”, where the young and old dance together on the street.
Places to stay from £6 per night
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Sé
0.4 miles from city centre
Porto’s historic centre. In Sé, slim streets wind past stone houses, some painted in effulgent yellows. The narrow roads and clandestine allies are best seen by foot. Heritage is writ large in Sé Cathedral, which is a threeway mashup of romantic, gothic and baroque. It’s the perfect place to finish your pilgrimage through these streets.
Places to stay from £9 per night
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Porto City Centre
In the city centre
The poster child for hip Porto. The Vida Portuguesa shop takes you back in time with its retro toothpaste and hair tonics. For a trendy place to imbibe, head to Champanheria da Baixa and toast with chalices of champagne sangria. The literati should take supper in Casa do Livro, a posh restaurant arranged inside a bookshop.
Places to stay from £6 per night
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Miragaia
0.6 miles from city centre
This affluent area is awash in colourful facades. It’s a postcard moment everywhere you turn. Wander through the area’s unique bars and cafes, some of which are inside docked boats. Or head over to Alfândega, which topped 2014’s charts for best conference space in Business Destinations Magazine. It's a prime place to peruse a rotating set of global exhibitions.
Places to stay from £14 per night
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Ribeira
0.6 miles from city centre
Take the scenic route. The best way to get down to Ribeira from downtown Porto is on the Guindais Funicular. As you descend, the River Douro glistens below, and Rabelo boats glide its cobalt currents. Colourful buildings add an artsy touch to the shoreline. Come with an appetite - traditional "tascas" abound and little local markets brim with bounty.
Places to stay from £21 per night
About Porto
Including tips for the best time to visit Porto
There’s a special kind of energy in Porto: one that buzzes with an infectious appetite for all the good things in life – especially food and wine.
The best way to get to know this fabulous culinary scene is by diving straight in. Choose a restaurant along the banks of the River Douro and settle into the city’s al fresco dining culture. ‘Bacalhau’ (salted cod) and freshly grilled octopus pair perfectly with a glass of dry white port – but the star of Portuguese cuisine is the original, sweet red port. Take a tasting tour of the wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia or get lost in the maze-like streets of the medieval Ribeira district to seek out the best varieties in the city.
After quenching your thirst, let your attention turn to Porto’s breadth of impressive architecture. São Francisco Church wows visitors with its lavish baroque interior and gilded carvings, while the blue and white-tiled facades of the Chapel of Souls captivate with their intricate picture stories.
For the best views in town, cross Dom Luís I Bridge from São Bento railway station, or climb the 240 steps to the top of Clérigos Church, an 18th-century tower located in the heart of the city. Meanwhile, the golden sands and consistent swells of Matosinhos Beach will keep any sunbather or surfer content for the afternoon.
Tonight
From £116 per night
This weekend
From £149 per night
Next weekend
From £123 per night
| Most popular time to visit | October–December |
| Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
| Local currency | € 10 = £8.59 |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Average weekend price | £74 per night |
| Average weekday price | £77 per night |
| Typical stay | 2 nights |
Points of interest in Porto
Stay near the top sightseeing spots in Porto
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Music House
1.2 miles from city centre
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Estadio do Dragao
1.6 miles from city centre
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City Market Bolhao
0.2 miles from city centre
Porto reviews
What other travellers say about Porto
We stayed in Porto for 5 days and were very sad to leave.
7 May 2024
We stayed in Porto for 5 days and were very sad to leave. While there we took a day trip to the Douro Valley, to visit a winery, and take a short boat ride. The area is gorgeous and well worth visiting. We also enjoyed Museu de Serralves, and Parque de Serralves. The gardens are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. In the evenings we enjoyed watching the sunset from different locations. The best part of Porto are the people! They are very gracious, and welcoming. Getting around Porto is easy! We walked almost everywhere. The hills are steep, but very doable. We took cabs for sites outside of the city. They are very affordable. I hope to go back to Porto and explore more of northern Portugal.
Lovely city but try to avoid to pick days that's raining...
6 May 2024
Lovely city but try to avoid to pick days that's raining every day. If it stops and starts it's ok but If the rain is non-stop for hours we might end up on a Sunday with many places closed under a tent for 30 mins because all the uber/bolt are taken, like we did. Dont thing the umbrella will do you any good. The rain arrives horizontally in this city as it does in Lisbon. The city is pretty and it has a lot of character. The wineries are an interesting experience but not so value for money, at least the one we went. The wine tour guide didn't know much except for what she learned by hard (ex. she didn't know that Port and Madeira are both fortified wines)
Nice town with specific architecture and beautiful ...
5 May 2024
Nice town with specific architecture and beautiful sight-seeing spots. The river is amazing from the upper bridge. Good wine and fado. Plus a lot of sun ... Portuguese people are so kind and welcoming too :)
Porto is so beautiful!
5 May 2024
Porto is so beautiful! We found the people to be so friendly, welcoming and helpful. We took a 3 hour walking tour around the city, which gave us a good understanding of the history and provided a taste of some of the places we considered revisiting later on to explore further. The Douro valley / river, was the place I loved the most!! Couldn’t get enough of its beauty. We went back there, for a 2 hour sailing trip, which was pretty awesome. Sao Bento, the train station, is also a popular tourist attraction, which definitely should be visited. Each wall of the station has its own unique story. We are coffee lovers and enjoyed quite a few of the coffee shops around. Our favorite restaurant was “honest greens” and I highly recommend it. Overall, Porto is a place you’d really enjoy exploring when in Portugal. Please post my review with my first name; Ayala, not my last name (Levy-Harari).
Porto itself is a wonderful city.
3 May 2024
Porto itself is a wonderful city. We were dismayed to find the hotel closed and boarded up. However, another hotel was available and this was very good. We would have struggled without the help of our very friendly taxi driver. Porto is very steep and has many steps, which would not be ideal for anyone with mobility issues. There are tuk-tuks available for tours, also plenty of buses and a couple of tram routes. We enjoyed visiting many sites of interest, including buildings and gardens. We took a trip on the river - a coach took us one way, and we sailed back. This was a full day trip which was wonderful. There are many, many places to eat.
Porto is centred around Port wine (obviously) and a trip...
1 May 2024
Porto is centred around Port wine (obviously) and a trip round one of the Port Houses is essential (we visited Taylors). There are many Restaurants in Porto and it is best to find the Portuguese ones to get an authentic taste of Portugal.
Popular places to stay in Porto
Stay in some of the best accommodation Porto has to offer
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Casa da Companhia Hotel, Vignette Collection Porto City Centre , Porto
From £270 per night
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GA Palace Hotel & Spa, a XIXth-Century Villa Sé, Porto
From £257 per night
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Laranjais Boutique Suites & Apartments Porto Porto City Centre , Porto
From £156 per night
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PortoBay Flores Porto City Centre , Porto
From £237 per night
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Catarina Serviced Apartments Porto City Centre , Porto
From £149 per night
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Other accommodation in Porto
Choose from a wide variety of places to stay in Porto
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Apartments
From £10 per night
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Villas
From £39 per night
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Cabins
From £253 per night
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Cottages
From £26 per night
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Serviced Apartments
From £50 per night
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Holiday Homes
From £26 per night
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Guest Houses
From £10 per night
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Hostels
From £6 per night
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B&Bs
From £23 per night
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Homestays
From £11 per night
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Boats
From £61 per night
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Self Catering Accommodation
From £10 per night
