Historic Bridge, Lookout

One of the most famous bridges in Europe, created by Gustave Eiffel's collaborator in 1886, can be found in Porto. It is the Ponte de Dom Luís I, the King Louis I Bridge, which crosses the Douro River between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia on two different levels. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-most] The lower bridge deck connects the banks just a few metres above the…

Cathedral, Lookout

One of the oldest monuments in Porto is the Roman Catholic cathedral on a hill overlooking the Douro River. The first Romanesque building on the site was built in 1147 and, despite the Gothic elements, was completed in Baroque style almost 600 years later in 1737. Search for the cheapest accommodation in Porto The cathedral is the main Catholic church in Porto and is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Architecture and form …

Library

One of the oldest bookstores in Portugal (1881) and indeed in Europe can be found in a beautiful historic house in the city centre. It is popular with travellers not only for its wide range of books, but especially for its richly decorated interior and the world-famous staircase from the ground floor to the second floor. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-livraria] The…

Church, Lookout

The Baroque Church of the Clergy (Igreja dos Clérigos) is famous for its slender, 76-metre-high tower, visible from almost everywhere in Porto. The bell tower is decorated with 49 bells and there is a public observation deck at the top of the tower. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-clerigos] Architecture and history The magnificent Baroque church bears the…

Market

The liveliest and one of the oldest markets, the "Mercado do Bolhão" is located near the main Avenida Aliados and is the ideal place to discover local life. The main products on sale are food, meat, flowers, fruit and vegetables, so the market is mainly used by the inhabitants of Porto itself. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-bolhao] Enjoy the hundreds of scents and…

Station

The São Bento Municipal Station, opened in 1916, still serves regular rail traffic, especially suburban rail traffic. As well as being popular for its location right in the middle of the city, the station is also one of the most visited attractions in the city. [btn "Book a hotel in Porto in advance" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-sao-bento] From the outside, the station has a Beaux-arts…

Church

The church of the Franciscan Order from 1245 impresses especially with its interior. More than 300 kg of real gold was used to decorate the three main naves. The statues and richly decorated columns are only a complement to the interior's uniqueness. The exterior, although originally Gothic (especially the rosette window in the front), has been mostly rebuilt in Baroque style. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt…

Modern Building

Porto is not only home to historical monuments, but also to avant-garde contemporary art. One example is the Casa da Música concert hall, built in 2005, which is somewhat reminiscent of the opera house in Oslo, Norway. [btn "Top 10 hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-casa-musica] The architect of this interesting building, whose facade is made of Jordanian marble, is Dutchman Rem Koolhaas…

City Quarter

This photogenic and charming district, right on the banks of the Douro River and just a few steps from the Luís I Bridge, is particularly attractive for its narrow streets, shady corners and dozens of outdoor restaurants and bars. [btn "Top 10 hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-ribeira-barrio] Barrio La Ribeira will be the perfect place for lunch or a romantic dinner and is a great base…

Church, Monastery, Lookout

The main landmark of Vila Nova de Gaia, which is effectively just a suburb of Porto on the other bank, is undoubtedly the former convent of Serra do Pilar, which stands on a high cliff above the Douro River. [btn "Hotels with the best views of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-serra-pillar] From the terrace in front of the monastery's walls, the best views are of the Douro River, Porto and the…

City Quarter

The town on the other side of the Douro River is famous for its wine cellars, and this is where you need to head if you want to do wine tastings and cellar tours. [btn "Hotels with the best views of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-villa-nova] The riverside promenade then offers plenty of restaurants and bars, which are generally a little cheaper and quieter than the other side in Barrio La…

Stony Beach, Sandy beach, Pebble beach

Porto is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and beautiful wide sandy beaches interspersed with photogenic cliffs run practically the entire length of the city's coastline. [btn "Book a hotel by the sea" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-carneiro] The closest to the centre is Praia do Carneiro, near the fortress of São João da Foz. But don't expect to be splashing around in the sea, as the water…

Sandy beach, Aquarium, Statue

The most popular beach among the locals is in the Matosihnos district. This beach is by far the widest in Porto, without rocky cliffs and protected on one side by a harbour pier, which causes smaller waves. [btn "Book a hotel by the sea" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-matosinhos] Praia de Matosinhos is the liveliest beach in town, with several bars and restaurants, and in summer it acts as a major…

Palace

The Exchange Palace is one of Porto's most famous landmarks and can be found next to the Convent of St. Francis. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-bolsa] The palace's grey neoclassical façade, dating back to 1850, may not particularly impress visitors at first glance, but it certainly shouldn't deter you from visiting the magnificent inner halls. The…

Stadium

One of the largest football stadiums in Portugal, the architecturally interesting Estádio do Dragão, with a capacity of 51,000 spectators, is located in the eastern part of Porto, near the A, B and F fast tram lines. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-dragao] The Dragão Stadium was built for the Euro 2004 football championship. It is currently the home stadium…

Palace

One of Porto's main landmarks towers over the Douro River near the main cathedral and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-episcopal] The monumental building and former residence of the bishops of Porto, built at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, is currently open to the public on a limited basis. Architecture and history …

Street

The heart of Porto and the city's most important avenue stretches from São Bento Station to the Town Hall and the Church of the Holy Trinity. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-aliados] Avenida dos Aliados is more like a long stretch of square with a large pedestrianised area in the middle, and is a popular place for locals to meet and celebrate sporting events…

Church

The Carmelite Monastery impresses with its unusual church, which is actually made up of two churches, even from completely different periods. Both of them are impressive both in their interior and in their rich interior decoration. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-carmo] These two churches are connected by a façade about 1 metre wide, which is often claimed to…

Garden

When you want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, look for the "Jardim do Palácio de Cristal" on the western edge of the centre. The large park is much more like a botanical garden with thousands of ornamental flowers, shrubs and trees laid out according to a precise architectural plan. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-cristal] However,…

Museum

The history of the oldest museum in Portugal dates back to 1833 and even today it is one of the most important in the country. The museum is best known for its extensive collection of sculptures and paintings by Portuguese artists, and it also exhibits ceramics, glass and antiques found in Portugal. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-soares] The museum is housed in the…

Lighthouse

Sea lovers will head to the mouth of the Douro River into the Atlantic Ocean, where three long piers jut out from the land to protect the river from the big waves. [btn "The best hotels by the sea" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-farolim] On one of the piers, the shortest, stands the small, historic 19th-century Felgueiras Lighthouse, which only adds to the nautical atmosphere and the smell of the…