The Portuguese love their old-world ways too much to pimp out their cities for tourists. The result? An ancient metropolis with cobbled streets, beautifully tiled buildings, cool bars, charming restaurants, and northern friendliness. This city really is the best of both worlds.
Here’s how to spend a day in Porto.
Morning
Start your day with a pastel de nata at Bolhao Market, a culinary hub since 1914. If you are looking for brunch classics such as Eggs Benedict and pancakes, try Zenith, named one of the most Instagrammable restaurants in Europe. There are a lot of healthy options, vegan and gluten-free dishes.
After breakfast, head to the famous bookshop, Lello, known for its Hogwarts-style staircase and voted one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. From here, spend the rest of your morning walking around the city and taking it in. Stop at São Bento station, where the walls are thousands of tiles depicting some of the most important historic moments in Portuguese history.
Make sure you use Google Maps to add any landmark you don’t want to miss so you’re not retracing your steps; time is of the essence!
For lunch, go to Semea by Euskladuna, down by the river, and sit on the terrace. Order the piri-piri chicken or the Bacalhau a Bras for something authentic.
Afternoon
Finally, it is time to cross the river! First, stroll through the medieval district of Ribeira, which has become popular with tourists but preserves its character. From here, cross the river on the Ponte D. Luis 1 bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia. I suggest you then take the cable car which gives you insane views over the river and only costs 9 euros for a return ticket.
Right by the river, you can jump onto a traditional Portuguese cargo boat used for centuries to carry goods and people along the river. The trip is one hour long, only costs 15 euros and you can even bring your drinks to enjoy on the water.
Before crossing back over the river, make sure you climb up and take in the view at Mosteiro da Serra do Pillar, a world heritage site that gives you panoramic views of the city, before heading over for an afternoon snack of French toast at Majestic Café which has been around since 1921 and voted one of the top ten most beautiful cafes in the world.
Evening
For dinner, you can visit Cozinha das Flores, where the menu is a contemporary twist on northern Portuguese food, or Casa de Cha da Boa Nova. The restaurant perches on the cliff edge, so go early enough to see the view before sunset.
Night
End the day at Base Porto, a cool, open-air bar with great cocktails in the city’s center. The Royal Cocktail Club is a sophisticated option, with a cocktail lounge downstairs open until the early hours.
