Things to do · Porto · Portugal
19 best things to do in Porto
19 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: xiquinhosilva from Cacau, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Porto are Ribeira waterfront, Dom Luís I Bridge and Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia. Of the 19 picks below, 8 are free, 8 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Ribeira waterfront
- Free sights
- 8
- Good on a rainy day
- Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribeira waterfront | Ribeira | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Dom Luís I Bridge | Ribeira | 30 minutes | Free |
| Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia | Vila Nova de Gaia riverfront | 1–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Livraria Lello | Baixa and Aliados | 30–45 minutes | Low cost |
| Clérigos Church and Tower | Baixa and Aliados | 1 hour | Low cost |
| São Bento railway station | Baixa and Aliados | 20 minutes | Free |
| Porto Cathedral (Sé) | Sé | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Palácio da Bolsa | Ribeira | 45 minutes | Mid-priced |
| Church of São Francisco | Ribeira | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Serralves Museum and Park | Boavista | 3–4 hours | Mid-priced |
| Casa da Música | Boavista | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Jardins do Palácio de Cristal | Massarelos | 1 hour | Free |
| Foz do Douro and the seafront | Foz do Douro | Half a day | Free |
| Bolhão Market | Baixa and Aliados | 1 hour | Free |
| Six bridges river cruise | Ribeira | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Capela das Almas | Baixa and Aliados | 15 minutes | Free |
| Serra do Pilar and Jardim do Morro | Vila Nova de Gaia riverfront | 1 hour | Free |
| Historic tram line 1 | Ribeira | 1 hour return | Low cost |
| Sea Life Porto | Foz do Douro | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
The 19 best things to do
Waterfront · Ribeira
1.Ribeira waterfront
The riverside quarter of narrow, colourful houses piled up the hillside is the heart of Porto's UNESCO-listed historic centre. The Cais da Ribeira promenade runs along the quay below arcades of cafés, with rabelo boats on the water and the iron arch of the Dom Luís I bridge overhead.
Wander the stepped lanes behind the quay, such as Escadas do Barredo, to see everyday life away from the restaurant terraces.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Photo spot
- Couples
- After dark
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Landmark · Ribeira
2.Dom Luís I Bridge
Designed by Théophile Seyrig, a former partner of Gustave Eiffel, and opened in 1886, this double-deck iron arch bridge links Porto with Vila Nova de Gaia. Metro line D and pedestrians cross the upper deck 45 metres above the river, while cars and walkers use the lower deck at quay level.
Walk across the upper deck at sunset towards the Serra do Pilar for the classic view over Ribeira.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
Experience · Vila Nova de Gaia riverfront
3.Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia
For centuries, port wine was shipped down the Douro and aged in lodges on the Gaia riverbank. Houses such as Taylor's, Graham's, Sandeman, Cálem and Ferreira run cellar tours explaining ruby, tawny and vintage styles among giant oak casks, ending with a tasting.
Compare a tour at a large house with a tasting at a smaller producer, and try an aged tawny alongside the ruby.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Tours at popular houses fill up in summer; reserving a slot online a day or two ahead helps.
- Iconic
- Food
- Couples
- Rainy day
- History
Architecture · Baixa and Aliados
4.Livraria Lello
Opened in 1906, this neo-Gothic bookshop has a carved wooden interior, a stained-glass skylight and a curving crimson staircase. It is one of Porto's most visited sights, so entry is by paid voucher, which can be deducted from the price of a book.
Book the first time slot of the day online; queues on Rua das Carmelitas grow quickly.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Timed tickets are sold online; buying ahead avoids the outdoor queue.
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Viewpoint · Baixa and Aliados
5.Clérigos Church and Tower
Nicolau Nasoni's 18th-century baroque church is topped by a tower of about 75 metres that dominates Porto's skyline. More than 200 steps lead to a panorama over the terracotta roofs, the river and Gaia's port lodges.
Climb in the late afternoon for softer light on the river and Gaia.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Architecture · Baixa and Aliados
6.São Bento railway station
The entrance hall of this working railway station is lined with about 20,000 blue-and-white azulejo tiles by Jorge Colaço, completed in the early 20th century, showing battles, royal events and scenes of rural life in northern Portugal. Trains still depart for Guimarães, Braga and the Douro Valley.
Step inside even if you are not catching a train; stand back from the centre of the hall to take in all four walls.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Religious site · Sé
7.Porto Cathedral (Sé)
The fortress-like Romanesque cathedral, begun in the 12th century, crowns the hill above Ribeira. Its Gothic cloister is decorated with 18th-century azulejo panels, and the square in front, the Terreiro da Sé, is one of the best free viewpoints over the old town and river.
Visit the cloister and upper terrace for the tiles and views, then walk down through the Barredo lanes to the river.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Views
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Palace · Ribeira
8.Palácio da Bolsa
The 19th-century neoclassical stock exchange was built by Porto's merchants to impress foreign investors. Guided tours lead through the glass-domed Hall of Nations and end in the Arab Room, a lavish Moorish Revival hall covered in gilded stucco.
Visits are by guided tour only; buy a ticket on arrival for the next tour in your language.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Religious site · Ribeira
1.Church of São Francisco
A plain Gothic exterior hides one of Portugal's most extravagant baroque interiors, with almost every surface covered in gilded carved woodwork, including a Tree of Jesse altarpiece. The visit includes a small museum and catacombs beneath the church.
Combine it with Palácio da Bolsa next door, and allow a few minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dim, gold interior.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
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Museum · Boavista
2.Serralves Museum and Park
Porto's main contemporary art museum occupies a white building by Álvaro Siza, set in large gardens with an Art Deco villa, a farm, woodland, a treetop walkway and outdoor sculptures. The park alone makes a pleasant half day.
Allow time for the Treetop Walk and the pink Art Deco Casa de Serralves.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Outdoors
- Architecture
- Kids
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Architecture · Boavista
3.Casa da Música
Rem Koolhaas's angular white concert hall, opened in 2005, is home to the Porto symphony orchestra. Guided tours show the main hall with its corrugated glass walls and the azulejo-tiled VIP room, and concerts range from classical to jazz and electronic music.
Check the programme for an evening concert; tickets for smaller shows are often reasonably priced.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- After dark
Garden · Massarelos
4.Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
These hilltop gardens laid out in the 19th century have shaded paths, fountains, peacocks wandering the lawns and several terraces with views down the Douro towards the sea. The domed pavilion at the centre hosts concerts and sports events.
Head for the terraces on the southern edge at sunset, a favourite local picnic spot.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
Waterfront · Foz do Douro
5.Foz do Douro and the seafront
Where the Douro meets the Atlantic, a promenade runs past the Felgueiras lighthouse and its breakwater, the art deco Pérgola da Foz and small sandy coves towards the Castelo do Queijo fort. Waves crash dramatically over the breakwater in winter storms.
Ride historic tram line 1 along the river from the centre and walk the seafront back towards Matosinhos.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
- Couples
Market · Baixa and Aliados
6.Bolhão Market
Porto's main 19th-century market reopened in 2022 after a long restoration, with two levels of stalls selling fish, fruit, flowers, cheese, cured meats and preserves, plus small restaurants serving market-fresh dishes.
Go in the morning for the liveliest atmosphere and the best produce.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Experience · Ribeira
7.Six bridges river cruise
Boats styled on the traditional rabelo cargo boats leave from Ribeira and Gaia for a cruise of about 50 minutes under Porto's six bridges, from the Arrábida bridge near the river mouth to the São João and Maria Pia railway bridges upstream.
Sit on the upper deck on the Gaia side for the best views of Ribeira.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Views
- Couples
Religious site · Baixa and Aliados
8.Capela das Almas
This small chapel on Rua de Santa Catarina is covered outside in blue-and-white azulejo panels depicting the lives of saints, added in the early 20th century. It is one of the most photographed facades in the city.
Visit in the morning when the low sun lights the tiled side wall along Rua Fernandes Tomás.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Art
- Architecture
Viewpoint · Vila Nova de Gaia riverfront
9.Serra do Pilar and Jardim do Morro
On the Gaia end of the bridge's upper deck, the terraced Jardim do Morro and the circular church of the Serra do Pilar monastery give the widest view over Ribeira, the bridge and the old town. The monastery is part of the UNESCO site.
Bring a drink and arrive 30 minutes before sunset; the lawns fill with locals and buskers.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- After dark
Experience · Ribeira
10.Historic tram line 1
Vintage wooden trams run from near the Church of São Francisco along the north bank of the Douro to Passeio Alegre in Foz, a scenic ride of about 20–25 minutes past the Arrábida bridge and the old customs house.
Board at the Infante stop near São Francisco and sit on the left side for river views.
- Time needed
- 1 hour return
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Views
- History
Aquarium · Foz do Douro
11.Sea Life Porto
A compact aquarium beside the Castelo do Queijo on the seafront, with tanks of Atlantic marine life, a walk-through ocean tunnel and touch pools, plus a rescue area for seahorses and turtles.
Combine it with a walk in the Parque da Cidade or on the beach nearby.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | São Bento railway station, Church of São Francisco, Serralves Museum and Park and Capela das Almas |
| History | Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto Cathedral (Sé), Palácio da Bolsa and Church of São Francisco |
| Views | Dom Luís I Bridge, Clérigos Church and Tower, Porto Cathedral (Sé) and Jardins do Palácio de Cristal |
| Outdoors and nature | Serralves Museum and Park, Jardins do Palácio de Cristal and Foz do Douro and the seafront |
| Food and markets | Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia and Bolhão Market |
| After dark | Ribeira waterfront, Casa da Música and Serra do Pilar and Jardim do Morro |
| With children | Serralves Museum and Park, Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, Six bridges river cruise and Historic tram line 1 |
| On a rainy day | Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia, Livraria Lello, São Bento railway station and Palácio da Bolsa |
What to book ahead
- Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia: Tours at popular houses fill up in summer; reserving a slot online a day or two ahead helps.
- Livraria Lello: Timed tickets are sold online; buying ahead avoids the outdoor queue.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Porto?
Ribeira waterfront. The riverside quarter of narrow, colourful houses piled up the hillside is the heart of Porto's UNESCO-listed historic centre.
+What can you do for free in Porto?
Ribeira waterfront, Dom Luís I Bridge, São Bento railway station, Jardins do Palácio de Cristal and Foz do Douro and the seafront. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Porto when it rains?
Head indoors to Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia, Livraria Lello, São Bento railway station and Palácio da Bolsa.
+What is there to do in Porto at night?
Ribeira waterfront, Casa da Música and Serra do Pilar and Jardim do Morro are best after dark.