What to do in Porto and where to go for the best wine tasting? Find out in this chapter.
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Wine tasting and cellar visits
Porto is the city that gave the world port wine, and it's certainly not some long-ago historical event that only a few museums commemorate today.
Wine growing is still an important part of the local economy in Porto and the wine cellars continue to operate. Most of them allow tours and, above all, tastings of their liquid riches.
Direct your steps to Vila Nova de Gaia, which is effectively part of Porto, just across the Douro River from the historic centre. It's easy to get here by taking the metro (or fast tram) line D to Jadrim de Morro station, from where you'll walk down the winding streets to the river.
And along the way you'll encounter wine cellars. Lots of wine cellars. There's nothing easier than popping into one of them and deciding whether to just taste and move on, or pay for a tasting tour, or stay for the evening...
How much do cellar tours cost?
You will be pleasantly surprised by the prices.
Cellar tours usually cost around 15 eur and if they are combined with a tasting, then around 25 eur.
Where to book a tour?
There are dozens of wineries in Vila Nova de Gaia, including world famous ones, here we list just a sample of the best:
- Cálem, Taylor's, Graham's, Cockburn's, Sandeman, Porto Cruz, Quevedo, Ferreira, Ramos Pinto...
It's definitely worth booking a tour online, as places are limited. Some wineries don't even allow tours without an online reservation. Click on the name of the winery in the listing above.
Vila Nova de Gaia is simply full of them, and you'll come across them all at one time or another without having to wander for long.
Enjoy the divine views of the city
Porto's hilly topography and the deep valley of the Douro River make for beautiful views of a very photogenic city. Where can you find the best of them?
The top 4 sights of Porto
- Jardim de Morro Gardens (see map) - a beautiful view of the centre of Porto and the Douro River from a nicely landscaped park, accessible for free
- Serra do Pilar Monastery(see map) - the walls of the monastery offer the most beautiful view of Porto, which appears on all postcards. In fact, apart from the centre and the river, the Luís I Bridge is also visible from here, free of charge.
- Ponte Luís I (see map) - the view from the main landmark of Porto, the famous Luís I Bridge, offers a breathtaking view of the river, the centre of Porto and the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, free admission
- The tower of the Clérigos Church (see map) - a different perspective of the centre of Porto from the 76-metre high tower, accessible for 8 eur
Excursions to the Douro Valley
Wine tasting is one thing, but a visit to the vineyards offers an experience of another dimension. These can be found in a wide and long area stretching east from Porto in the Douro Valley to more than 250km from the ocean.
The picturesque hilly and very rugged landscape with its deep river cut plays with many shades of green, and in autumn, golden and bronze. Vineyards alternate with villages of clean white houses and churches, and winding roads alternate with breathtaking views of the countryside.
While in spring and summer the Douro Valley is an oasis of peace and tranquillity, from about mid-September to the end of October it comes alive with the harvest, with its many local festivities.
To visit the villages and vineyards, you will need to rent a car in Porto (prices 33 eur per day). Public transport to the smaller villages is often only once a day or even not at all.
Sitting in taverns
Eating out is generally great in southern Europe, and Porto is no exception. The experience here is not just the food itself, but more importantly the environment in which you enjoy the goodies.
You can easily spend an entire evening in the small pubs in the historic city centre, all of which offer gardens in quiet courtyards or alleyways, just for the peace and quiet. Prices are not drastic and are not out of line with the usual Portuguese average.
For a full dinner with even a bottle of wine, you'll pay around 25 eur per person.
If you spend the evening in Vila Nova de Gaia, where the main concentration of wineries is, you won't come short on food either. You'll find plenty of restaurants and pubs here too.
In addition to traditional Portuguese dishes, you must try the local speciality Francesinha in Porto.
To be honest, you probably won't be thrilled with it, if we had to be a bit cheeky and compare Francesinha to something, it would probably be a boiled sednwich. However, the locals are proud of this dish and you should definitely try it at least once.
Architecture and wandering the narrow streets
Porto will offer a great experience for admirers of specific architecture. Whether it's the bridges led by the "Eiffel" Ponte Luís I, the traditional Portuguese palaces or the interiors richly decorated with "Azulejos" tiles...
Hand in hand with the architectural gems is wandering the winding and steep streets of the historic centre, where you can kill half a day. In hot weather, the narrow streets provide pleasant shade.
And what are the most famous sights in Porto?
- Sé do Porto - The main cathedral
- Igreja dos Clérigos - the Baroque church with its tall tower, which has a lookout point.
- Igreja do Carmo - a pair of closely adjacent churches with rich golden interior decoration and a magnificent facade of azulejos
- Serra do Pilar Monastery - a large monastic complex with a circular church, which is one of the landmarks of Porto
- São Bento Station - a train station with an interior decorated with azulejos
Beaches and swimming
Right in Porto you will find beautiful long sandy beaches, easily reached by metro (line A to Matosinhos) or by buses (200, 202, 203, 500) to the most famous beaches Praia de Matosinhos and Praia do Carneiro.
Swimming in the Atlantic has its pitfalls, however, and they are quite significant. Apart from the big waves, you have to take into account that even in the hottest summer the water temperature rarely exceeds 18 °C. The beaches will be ideal for catching bronzes, but the sun can get pretty hot in summer.
A ride on the historic tram
It's easy to get sore feet in hilly Porto, but there's nothing easier than waiting for an old historic tram and exploring the streets on the move without walking. The local trams may not be as beautifully yellow as those in Lisbon, but the experience is similar.
The streets of Porto are ploughed by three lines: 1 and 18 from about 8:00 to 20:30. You always have to buy a special ticket from the driver or conductor for 5 eur or 2 rides for 7 eur.
There is also a 2-day unlimited ticket for 10 eur. Children under 12 ride for half price.
Andante day tickets are not valid here. Especially on weekends and holidays, it is a sure thing to get on some of the final ones. It can easily happen that you simply can't fit in the small car during the route.
Excursions in the surroundings
In addition to the aforementioned Douro Valley, where grapes are grown, head to one of the many surrounding towns. You'll see some of Portugal's countryside and especially beautiful small towns with almost no tourists and lower prices in restaurants.
The easiest towns to reach are Guimaraes and Braga, which can be reached in 45 minutes by train. In both of them you will come across nice castles and forts and picturesque centres.
The hilly Vila Real is also beautiful, and there is an absolutely wonderful atmosphere in the more distant Braganza, which is quite a long bus ride away (over 3 hours). You'll be rewarded with a pretty town with a castle overlooking the wide countryside and a sample of the unspoilt Portuguese countryside, free of any tourist influences.
Boat rides on the Douro River
If you get tired of travelling on land, head to the river and board a boat at one of the many marinas and enjoy the port panoramas right from the surface of the Douro.
Average prices for a 40-50 minute cruise between Porto's main bridges range between 20 and 25 eur, but there are also far more attractive day trips deep inland and into the vineyard kingdom, where you can expect to pay between 80 eur and 100 eur
Surfing
Portugal is Europe's surfing superpower and it's the north coast around Porto that offers the best conditions, especially for beginners and intermediates.
You'll find surf schools and hostels right in Porto, most along the coastal Avenida do Brasil and then further north towards the Spanish border. The coastal town of Póvoa do Varzim is a direct metro ride from the centre.
