Weekend in Porto: 11 things to do
Wild Atlantic beaches, the most beautiful bookstore in the world and Michelin-starred Portuguese flavors. Here are the places and experiences you can’t miss if you go on a weekend in Porto. Find on this page 11 ideas if you are wondering what to do during a weekend in Porto. This list is not exhaustive and I urge you to continue your research on Essencial Portugal, you will find many other ideas.Before starting, you will find at the top of this page under the image a selection of activities and guided tours of Porto.
The Mercado do Bolhao, the oldest market in Porto, caters to almost every palate. Tourists come for the port wine tasting, the colorful porcelain cups and the sardine jars with the words “bought in Porto” written in four languages.Locals, on the other hand, crowd the narrow alleys, where they can buy locally grown fruit, freshly caught fish, butchers stuffing sausages, roosters and chickens sold by bird vendors, and small stalls selling petisco, the Portuguese version of tapas, in the form of, for example, rissois de carne stuffed with shrimp and béchamel sauce for half a euro a bite or pastel de nata of course.Finally, you will find many cafes, a local institution in Portugal. Here is a list of what you can find at the market: cafeterias and drinks, meat, flowers, fruits and vegetables, bread, cakes, dairy products, fish and seafood, restaurants and stores.
Portuguese trading ships crossed the Atlantic and the equator for centuries, carrying goods and imperial treasures. While Lisbon focused on culture, art and good living, Porto remained focused on work and commerce.Porto displays its bag of gold coins in the old exchange house of the Palacio da Bolsa. Admire the Alhambra-inspired Salao Arabe, studded with 18 kilos of gold, which rises above the magnificent Patio das Naçoes.
Is it beautiful, ugly, or somewhere in the middle? In any case, the Ponte Dom Luis I in Porto is worth seeing! A two-story bridge that connects the city center to the vineyard of Vila Nova de Gaia on the south bank of the river by a black iron arch.The second floor of the bridge is dedicated to vehicle and bus traffic. Take a deep breath and climb to the upper level, which is 60 meters above the waters and boats of the wine river. Then, on the other side, you’ll be greeted by the roar of the subway trains. Theophile Seyrig, Gustave Eiffel’s collaborator, was the master builder of this marvel, which was first opened to traffic in 1896 and is today as much a part of Porto as its wine.
In the summer in the city center, or just on a Friday night and a weekend, the people of Porto like to go to the beach to sunbathe, swim and dine, or to take a quiet walk in the evening in front of the Atlantic waves.Yellow streetcars run from downtown Ribeira to Foz do Douro and the Avenida do Brasil promenade. Local buses go to the fishing port of Matosinhos, where you can find grilled sardines on the sidewalk and restaurants like Os Lusiadas that serve lobster, sea bass and salt-scented bacalhau.Near Castelo do Queijo Castle, you’ll find one of Portugal’s largest parks, Parque da Cidade, and a beautiful green landscape. You will find gentle beaches in Foz do Douro and Matosinhos, as well as in Espinho, just under three kilometers south of the city.
The flavors of Porto will accompany you for a long time. At least, if it’s up to Rui Paula, the famous chef. At his Michelin-starred DOP restaurant, he experiments with old recipes and local ingredients to create new flavors.Lamb is served with eggplant ravioli while suckling pig is served with a cider sauce. Quince apples are paired with wine, while sweet potato surprises in the handmade fish ceviche. Waiters stroll between the polished tables and mint green couches of the beautiful Palacio das Artes, where the dishes are also served.The atmosphere is casual, but the food isn’t cheap: DOP’s carefully crafted five-course meals start at 90 euros, and if you want wine with your dinner, you’ll have to pay more.
Porto has towers and hills, but it also has deep river valleys that plunge into the earth and crawl toward the Atlantic with buildings and communities. From the imposing Sé do Porto church, one can get a great view of the sprawling metropolis of one million inhabitants.Bridges and palaces are visible from the terrace next to the granite sanctuary. Admire the patchwork of carrot-colored tile roofs, creaky TV antennas and silver turkeys that melt into the sea. Then, after climbing the steep steps to the Douro River, stop for a coffee or other refreshment at one of Ribeiras’ open-air cafes, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Entering the Livraria Lello de Porto, one has the impression of visiting a temple dedicated to books. From floor to ceiling, volumes by José Saramago, Antonio Lobo Antunes and Miguel Torga are displayed. The most beautiful staircase outside of Hollywood continues the journey to the non-fiction books on the second floor, with sensual art nouveau and dark wood.Perhaps you’ll see yourself there? J K Rowling, who visited Porto in the early 1990s. However, Harry Potter aficionados around the world agree that this is where the Hogwarts location was born. Since then, the demand for fun selfies has grown to the point that the Lello bookstore has implemented a €5 admission fee (refundable with book purchase). Still, the waiting lists are long for the bookstore that the BBC, Fodors and The Guardian have ranked among the most beautiful in the world.
Is it possible that Homer Simpson tampered with the formula for francesinha, the iconic dish of Porto? Layers of beef, ham and sausage-laden bread make up this giant shredded cheese. It’s served with an ethereal tabasco sauce and, ideally, a fried egg.Francesinha is available throughout the city, but many foodies prefer Café Santiago, Rua de Passos Manuel 226, which serves it with a local beer, the famous Super Bock.
The facades of Porto are dressed in blue and white azulejos when it wants to be restored. The beautifully decorated entrance hall of the grandiose Sao Bento train station, one of the most beautiful in the world, is more like a national museum.20,000 tiles make up a story describing, among other things, life and harvests in the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley. Take a look, then take the train to Regua and Pinhao to see this breathtakingly beautiful environment for yourself.
Tours and activities in Porto, Portugal
To begin with, if you don’t want to organize everything in advance, you should know that there are many guided tours of the capital of northern Portugal, Porto. I’ve made a selection below of activities that are conducted by English-speaking guides and that have been rated 5 stars by the many visitors who came before you. A way to prepare a successful weekend in Porto without any risk: the reservation as well as the cancellation are free in case you change your mind, so you can book without any problem.Mercado do Bolhão
The Mercado do Bolhao, the oldest market in Porto, caters to almost every palate. Tourists come for the port wine tasting, the colorful porcelain cups and the sardine jars with the words “bought in Porto” written in four languages.Locals, on the other hand, crowd the narrow alleys, where they can buy locally grown fruit, freshly caught fish, butchers stuffing sausages, roosters and chickens sold by bird vendors, and small stalls selling petisco, the Portuguese version of tapas, in the form of, for example, rissois de carne stuffed with shrimp and béchamel sauce for half a euro a bite or pastel de nata of course.Finally, you will find many cafes, a local institution in Portugal. Here is a list of what you can find at the market: cafeterias and drinks, meat, flowers, fruits and vegetables, bread, cakes, dairy products, fish and seafood, restaurants and stores.Port Wine Museum
Alexandre Delmar
Porto is Porto in the same way that fish and chips are London and oysters are Dubrovnik. Discover the distinctions between a tawny, ruby and vintage port. Explore the history of fortified wine at the Museu do Vinho do Porto, Rua de Monchique 45-52, or visit the pavilions and wineries in the Vila Nova de Gaia neighborhood.From the impressive oak barrels of the wine cellar, guided tours lead to informative tasting sessions. A delicious port sorbet is also available at the Fish Fixe restaurant in Cais da Ribeira, in Porto’s Ribeira district.It’s best to leave a weekend in Porto with a little more culture than when you arrived regarding the now-famous wine of northern Portugal.Palacio da Bolsa in Porto
Portuguese trading ships crossed the Atlantic and the equator for centuries, carrying goods and imperial treasures. While Lisbon focused on culture, art and good living, Porto remained focused on work and commerce.Porto displays its bag of gold coins in the old exchange house of the Palacio da Bolsa. Admire the Alhambra-inspired Salao Arabe, studded with 18 kilos of gold, which rises above the magnificent Patio das Naçoes.Ponte Dom Luis I
Is it beautiful, ugly, or somewhere in the middle? In any case, the Ponte Dom Luis I in Porto is worth seeing! A two-story bridge that connects the city center to the vineyard of Vila Nova de Gaia on the south bank of the river by a black iron arch.The second floor of the bridge is dedicated to vehicle and bus traffic. Take a deep breath and climb to the upper level, which is 60 meters above the waters and boats of the wine river. Then, on the other side, you’ll be greeted by the roar of the subway trains. Theophile Seyrig, Gustave Eiffel’s collaborator, was the master builder of this marvel, which was first opened to traffic in 1896 and is today as much a part of Porto as its wine.Fishing port of Matosinhos
In the summer in the city center, or just on a Friday night and a weekend, the people of Porto like to go to the beach to sunbathe, swim and dine, or to take a quiet walk in the evening in front of the Atlantic waves.Yellow streetcars run from downtown Ribeira to Foz do Douro and the Avenida do Brasil promenade. Local buses go to the fishing port of Matosinhos, where you can find grilled sardines on the sidewalk and restaurants like Os Lusiadas that serve lobster, sea bass and salt-scented bacalhau.Near Castelo do Queijo Castle, you’ll find one of Portugal’s largest parks, Parque da Cidade, and a beautiful green landscape. You will find gentle beaches in Foz do Douro and Matosinhos, as well as in Espinho, just under three kilometers south of the city.DOP Michelin star restaurant in Porto
The flavors of Porto will accompany you for a long time. At least, if it’s up to Rui Paula, the famous chef. At his Michelin-starred DOP restaurant, he experiments with old recipes and local ingredients to create new flavors.Lamb is served with eggplant ravioli while suckling pig is served with a cider sauce. Quince apples are paired with wine, while sweet potato surprises in the handmade fish ceviche. Waiters stroll between the polished tables and mint green couches of the beautiful Palacio das Artes, where the dishes are also served.The atmosphere is casual, but the food isn’t cheap: DOP’s carefully crafted five-course meals start at 90 euros, and if you want wine with your dinner, you’ll have to pay more.Sé do Porto
Porto has towers and hills, but it also has deep river valleys that plunge into the earth and crawl toward the Atlantic with buildings and communities. From the imposing Sé do Porto church, one can get a great view of the sprawling metropolis of one million inhabitants.Bridges and palaces are visible from the terrace next to the granite sanctuary. Admire the patchwork of carrot-colored tile roofs, creaky TV antennas and silver turkeys that melt into the sea. Then, after climbing the steep steps to the Douro River, stop for a coffee or other refreshment at one of Ribeiras’ open-air cafes, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Livraria Lello of Porto
Entering the Livraria Lello de Porto, one has the impression of visiting a temple dedicated to books. From floor to ceiling, volumes by José Saramago, Antonio Lobo Antunes and Miguel Torga are displayed. The most beautiful staircase outside of Hollywood continues the journey to the non-fiction books on the second floor, with sensual art nouveau and dark wood.Perhaps you’ll see yourself there? J K Rowling, who visited Porto in the early 1990s. However, Harry Potter aficionados around the world agree that this is where the Hogwarts location was born. Since then, the demand for fun selfies has grown to the point that the Lello bookstore has implemented a €5 admission fee (refundable with book purchase). Still, the waiting lists are long for the bookstore that the BBC, Fodors and The Guardian have ranked among the most beautiful in the world.Museum of Contemporary Art of Porto
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto is a work of art in itself. The minimalist structures of Porto’s intriguing architect, lvaro Siza Vieira, sit alongside contemporary Portuguese art. Stroll through the ponds, fountains and rose garden of this pedestrian-friendly park. In a rather fantastic environment, discover the spectacular art deco structure of the Casa de Serralves. End the day with an open-air jazz concert at the museum’s café and restaurant.Francesinha of Porto
Is it possible that Homer Simpson tampered with the formula for francesinha, the iconic dish of Porto? Layers of beef, ham and sausage-laden bread make up this giant shredded cheese. It’s served with an ethereal tabasco sauce and, ideally, a fried egg.Francesinha is available throughout the city, but many foodies prefer Café Santiago, Rua de Passos Manuel 226, which serves it with a local beer, the famous Super Bock.Sao Bento Station in Porto
The facades of Porto are dressed in blue and white azulejos when it wants to be restored. The beautifully decorated entrance hall of the grandiose Sao Bento train station, one of the most beautiful in the world, is more like a national museum.20,000 tiles make up a story describing, among other things, life and harvests in the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley. Take a look, then take the train to Regua and Pinhao to see this breathtakingly beautiful environment for yourself.
