Porto is smaller, steeper and grittier than Lisbon, its Ribeira district tumbling down to the Douro River across from the port wine lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia. It's an easy base for the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley upstream.
Good to know
- The historic centre is steep — the São Bento funicular and tram 1 help on the hardest hills.
- Port wine cellar tours in Vila Nova de Gaia include a free or cheap tasting.
- Card payments are widely accepted, but small cafés and markets may prefer cash.
Eat this
Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
An ornate neo-Gothic bookshop with a red spiral staircase, said to have influenced the Harry Potter films — timed tickets required.
A 240-step climb up a baroque bell tower for the best rooftop panorama of the old town and the river.
Porto's signature sandwich: layers of meat under melted cheese and a beer-spiked tomato sauce, best on an empty stomach.
A recently restored 19th-century market hall selling fish, produce and flowers under a wrought-iron roof.
A tour through one of the historic lodges ageing port in oak barrels, ending in a guided tasting of tawny and ruby styles.
Riverside wine bars across from Ribeira with views of the illuminated old town after dark.
A UNESCO-listed tangle of narrow, tiled-façade streets tumbling down to the Douro, most atmospheric at golden hour.
A short boat ride passing under all six of Porto's bridges, including the double-decker Dom Luís I.
A fortress-like Romanesque cathedral with a cloister covered in 18th-century azulejo tile panels.
Where the river meets the Atlantic — a breezy promenade of lighthouses, surf breaks and seafood restaurants.
A contemporary art museum set in an Art Deco villa surrounded by formal gardens and woodland trails.
Terraced vineyard hillsides upriver from Porto, visited by train, car or a scenic river cruise with wine estate stops.