Porto is a fascinating and vibrant city that is rapidly becoming one of Western Europe’s most respected tourist destinations. The city boasts an extensive history, interesting tourist attractions, and a buzzing nightlife. There is a lot to see and do in Porto and the city will appeal to a wide range of different visitors.
Source: https://www.europeanbestdestinations.com
Porto is exceptional. In more ways than one. Elected Best European Destination 2017 by the travelers from 174 countries, Porto, the "Cidade Invicta" (unvanquished city) is history, is architecture, culture, gastronomy, trade, encounters, and discoveries.
Porto has all the charm of towns which happily cohabit with their river. You can stroll along the River Douro (river of gold) in the Ribeira, fly over it by helicopter or discover Porto ‘s architecture, its amazing landscapes, and magnificent bridges by taking a cruise on this majestic river. Porto is also a sea city and in the briefest of time a tram will bring you to Foz do Douro’s gentle beaches face to face with the Atlantic.
The ideal place for a weekend trip and to get a great dose of culture, architecture and top-notch food and wine all in one. I hope this Porto city guide gives you the necessary insider advice for amazing days in the city. The unique sweetness of world-famous Port wine has been putting Porto in the spotlight of wine lovers for many years. But this city is much more than good wine. It might be the second-largest city in Portugal but it feels much more authentic and traditional in comparison to Lisbon. Plus it has the ideal size to create a bubble boasting with the lively culture, great tasty food, and inspiring architecture.I’ve updated this Porto travel guide in 2018 after been living here for 6 months. I was here before and now in total, this means I’ve lived in Porto for almost a year. I hope this helps you see Porto through the eyes of a local, without skipping the must-go places for a first-time tourist. Enjoy!
Tourist Attractions and Objectives at Porto:
The historic center of the city is in itself an attraction. However, in order to get to it, one might just as well visit the Ribeira, which is a riverside promenade hosting a few important landmarks, such as the Bolsa Palace (nowadays hosting the Stock Exchange), the San Francisco Church (beautiful Gothic work), or the Caso de Infante. The Porto Cathedral is said to be the oldest structure. The Avenida dos Aliados, the Cordoaria, and the Boavista represent further landmarks or areas of the city bristling with attractions. Despite the fact that Porto does not excel in terms of museums, certain valuable establishments of this kind should be mentioned: the National Museum Soares dos Reis, the Portuguese Photography Center, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Port Wine Musem and the Tram Museum. The Lello Bookshop is also an interesting objective since it is one of three finest bookshops in the world.
Traditional Portuguese cuisine at Porto:
Tripe is, in terms of cuisine, not just the basic ingredient for the famous tripe stew or soup of Porto, but a tradition which goes back to the Middle Ages. On account of the fact that tripe has been so long popular among locals, the inhabitants of the city are called tripe eaters. Thus, tasting this local specialty might be considered a gastronomic must. The little french lady (or francesinha, as the locals call it), as well as the bacalhau bring their contribution to the culinary picture of the place. All in all, eating in Porto is quite an experience, given the fact that the many eating venues in the cities are among the best restaurants in the entire country. The Port wine may come in hand in order to wash down the reach meals offered by the city.
Best time to go to Porto:
Porto is a city to be enjoyed with sunny weather. I think all the cities are like this to some extent, but I found this to be especially true there. Might have to do with the architecture, the colors of pavements and buildings or just with the light reflecting in the traditional tiles of the houses.So the best time to visit Porto is anywhere between March and October. During peak winter months the temperatures are cold – yet not freezing – but the days tend to be very dark and gloomy. In July and August the crowds take over Porto and prices get inflated. It might also be too hot to be wandering around, even though there some nice Atlantic beaches close by.
Accommodation in Porto:
http://www.ellada.net/PortoCarras/Meliton-Hotel
The camping site Prelada is the most popular establishment of this kind among budget travelers, despite its main downside of being situated about 4 kilometers from the center of Porto. On the other hand, the center of the city is replete with accommodation solutions provided by numerous hotels, may them be the mid or high rate. Most of them are located alongside the famous streets of the city, which offers tourists the possibility to get really quickly to the main attractions of Porto.
Language Used in Porto:
English is also widely spoken by those who work within the tourist industry. Tourists with only English language skills will not experience any language barriers. All transport hubs, including railway stations, metro and airports also have full English translations and signposting. When dining out, most restaurants and cafes in Porto have English menus and, if not, waiters are always happy to translate.
Famous places to go in Porto:
http://www.abccasadamusica.com/
The Casa da Música concert hall (auditorium and backstage visits from €6, performance tickets around €15) is perhaps Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas’ best building. It’s four stops from Metro Trinidade station, a five-star stunner.
https://www.serralves.pt/en/museum
Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art (€8.50) is Portugal’s most important modern art museum. The building, filled with light and shade, was designed by local architecture god Siza Vieira (he’s 82 and still working). As well as exhibitions, there’s a cinema, a performance space, and a huge, elegant park.
http://www.helloguideoporto.com/en/oporto
Casa Museu Fernando de Castro (€5, €2.50 concessions, free first Sunday of every month) is a house on a quiet residential street, filled with the wild jackdaw finds of the collector, poet, and cartoonist Fernando de Castro, from jokey ceramics to 17th-century church paneling.
http://www.mottsmilitarymuseum.org/
The Military Museum (€3.50) is where dictator António Salazar’s goons tortured anti-fascists. Five steps away, a disused shopping mall, Centro Comercial Stop (enter at the Gala sign), has been appropriated by Porto’s rock and jazz musicians: each shop is now a rehearsal studio or tiny concert space.
The iconic symbol of Porto, Torre dos Clérigos (Clérigos Tower) is a Baroque bell tower of the church with the same name. At the moment of its construction in the 18th century, the tower was the tallest building in Portugal!
The most traditional neighborhood of the city is Ribeira right next to the river Douro. Bearing World Heritage status, it’s easy to fall in love with the tiny streets where you can indulge in local’s lifestyle. Housewives putting their laundry out to dry on the balconies, the chit-chatter of the men in the local bar and kids playing football outside.
Source of Information:
1. https://www.geekyexplorer.com/porto-city-guide
2. https://www.independent.co.uk
3. http://portoportugalguide.com/index.html
4. http://www.porto-tourism.com/
5. https://www.theguardian.com
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