Guide

July 04,2018 | 956 0

If you haven’t heard of Porto for anything else, you’ve mostly certainly heard of it as the birthplace of Port Wine. Set in the wine producing banks of the Douro river, Porto (or Oporto as some people like to refer to it or Portu if you are Portuguese) remains one of the oldest cities in Europe, dating back to 300 BC and its historical center has been named a UNESCO world heritage site.

We only had one night in Porto on our way to Lisbon. On arrival we were surprised by the music, lights and atmosphere on the streets. We had been, by complete coincidence, lucky enough to be in Porto on one of it’s biggest days of the year. The festival of St. John or the Festa de São João do Porto (which happens during Midsummer, the eve of 23rd June, every year) people plan a trip to Porto specifically for this event and we had been lucky to just literally book a night in Porto exactly on this day. This happens to me quite often actually, I was in Paris by chance during Bastille day, and we were in Venice during the Carnival. Don’t ask me how. It’s some luck I have with planning trips that now Honza benefits from by association 😀

The streets of Porto were full of people. And the thing that startled us the most on arrival was that everyone was holding these plastic hammers with which they were tapping the heads of everyone who passed by. Little kids, teens, adults, even grandma’s and grandpa’s participated in this interesting tradition and I must admit, by the end of the night, I may have felt a slight headache coming on because the more drunk people got the harder they hit.

But this celebration, which mostly concentrated on the bank of the Douro river in the Ribeira region, was truly one I would never forget. People were letting out lanterns into the sky and there were fireworks at midnight. And I had never seen a city as alive as I did even at 1am in the morning. Also check out a small video glimpse into our trip below! 🙂

Close to the aforementioned Ribeira region is where I will start my itinerary for a perfect stay in Porto!

Ribeira riverfront region during the Festival of St. John (Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar shown on the hill top)

One or Two Day Itinerary for Porto

Start your day at Jardim de Morro, which is across the river from the Ribeira region. It can be accessed by metro or via the iconic Luis I Bridge by foot. As you know from my previous itineraries, I love viewpoints and this place will serve one of the best places from which you could see the beauty of the city you are about to explore. From here you could also head a little uphill to Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar which is a former monastary with an interesting round church on it’s hilltop. The view you would get from Jardim de Morro is only made wider and more beautiful from up there.

Pro tip no 1: You could think that taking public transport won’t necessary in Porto as it is relatively small and walk-able, however it is very hilly. You may just be grateful for public transport when you feel like you can’t walk uphill anymore or if your accommodation is not very close to the centre (as is the case with many of the more affordable places to stay). The metro (light rail actually) is Porto’s most reliable public transport with 6 different lines named by letters and unique colours. One of them extends all the way to the airport. With this in mind, it is worth it to buy a Andante 24 (7 euros) or 72 hour ticket (15 euros) for 1 day or 3 respectively which lets you use the metro system extensively and it’s worth it compared to buying single tickets at 1.5 euros each. Buses and trams are also present but were not very reliable from our experience.

From here you could either take the metro one station to São Bento where the main railway station is.

Pro tip number 2 : Even if you have no train to catch go inside the railway station. It has beautiful ornate tilework inside.

The walk is up hill to Sao Bento is through some beautiful squares, tiled facades and typical cobbled colourful streets so don’t miss out. Or if you are feeling adventurous you could take the Funicular Of Guindais (for about 2.5 euros I believe) which takes you up to the church Igreja de Santa Clara do Porto from which you could walk to Porto cathedral. This Romanesque cathedral with its gothic cloisters also offers nice views of the city. And there is some of that ever famous, typically Portuguese – blue and white tile on the side of the church.

Then get yourself, in the search of more blue and white tile, to the Chapel of Souls. A beautifully decorated chapel, inside and out. With the tile painted with angels and the lives of saints.

Chapel of Souls

Walk downhill from the Chapel of Souls, through the Avenue Aliados, to get to the Livraria Lello bookstore.

Pro tip number 3 : This lavish historic book store is better booked in advance as there are often very long lines to get in. We didn’t get to see it ourselves but the pictures look beautiful. JK Rowling wrote the first few chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and it’s influence is said to be seen here.

In this area, there are plenty of bakeries, restaurants and places to eat. Try something typically Portuguese here. We had maybe the most famous must-try food of Porto. A dish called Francesinha (pictured below) which is basically a meat sandwich filled with 4 or 5 meats, covered in cheese and dripping with sauce. I wasn’t the biggest fan of it but it is very filling! Perfect if you want to save money on food.

Francesinha – the most typical dish with an additional shrimp twist

Rumor has it that different chefs have their own sauce recipes and that no two sauces are the same. More tips on what food to try in Porto below!

From the Livraria Lello, head to Clérigos church. The bell tower of this church is a symbol of Porto and can be seen from almost every view point of Porto. You could also climb this tower for city-wide views. The church is in close proximity to the Liberdade Square which is also a sight to see.

Now, if you have only one day in Porto you could also go to the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal (Gardens of the Crystal Palace – which is a beautiful garden with peacocks and wonderful views over the city, Vila Nova de Gaia and the Luis I bridge) before heading down to the Ribeira region for dinner and an evening stroll. But if you have two days, relax and head directly to the Riberia region / Bairro da Ribeira. You could see the Monument Church Of St Francis. Or just stroll along the Duoro river, eat at one of the many restaurants while sipping some delicious port wine.

For day 2, in addition to the Gardens of the Crystal Palace, I’d recommend further exploring the area of Porto around Sao Bento. See the Igreja do Carmo which is very close to Livraria Lello bookstore. Find the Porto sign (pictured below).

Porto is definitely a city to indulge in wine! So try some Port if you haven’t already. Most of the port wine cellars are over the Douro river in Vila Nova de Gaia area. And there are boat rides that you could also take along the river.

Another thing that could been seen with more time in Porto is the Casa da Musica, this home of the symphonic orchestra has a very interesting architectural style and just maybe you will hear a snippet of their rehearsals! And there you have it. All the top things to do and see in Porto

View from Park Jardins do Palácio de Cristal (Gardens of the Crystal Palace)

How to get into Porto

From the airport, the cheapest and easiest option would be to take the metro that runs directly from inside the airport into the city centre. But taxi is also an option.

Where to stay

Booking.com and Airbnb as always offers some good options. And Hostels are also quite popular here and can be booked through websites such as HostelWorld. We stayed in a nice place called Myosotis Oporto.

Must try Portuguese foods that are typical for Porto

• Francesinha – I spoke of this above
• Cozido a Portuguesa – a stew with many different types of meat, with cabbage, carrots, onions and potatoes
• Bacalhau (codfish) – is the most widely eaten fish in Portugal. And codfish with cream is one of the many dishes with cod
• Caldo Verde – kale soup
• Patais de Nata – custard tarts which are typical in all of Portugal

Where to go if you have more time in Portugal

• Lisbon (Coming up in another guide)
• Algarve
• Faro
• Sintra (Coming up in another guide as well)