Porto in 4 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Although it is not a very big city, Porto has many attractions to surprise you and one of the most varied offers for tourism. Not only does it boast a picturesque historic centre and some of the most beautiful panoramic views in Europe, but also exquisite gastronomy and first-class wineries.

Porto is also an ideal city for a stay of just a few days, as its main attractions are concentrated in the historic centre or along the coast, so with an organised itinerary you can get to know it on foot. Here's what you can see and do in Porto if you're planning a 4-day trip.

On your first day in Porto I propose a tour of the historic centre including some of the most famous churches in Portugal, a country with a large number of Catholics, as well as a visit to the Vitoria viewpoint so you can enjoy the wonderful architecture of the city from the heights.

Lunch will be at the picturesque Mercado do Bolhao and you will watch the sunset from the Don Luis I Bridge, which is the most important bridge in Porto.

St. Ildefonso Church

The tour starts at Sao Bento Station, one of the main points of Porto, and the first stop is the Church of San Ildefonso, which stands out for the two towers of its bell tower and the eleven thousand tiles with allegories of the Eucharist that crown its entrance.

This baroque religious building is the starting point of the Route of the Churches, has free admission and is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 15.00 hours.

Chapel of the Souls

Five streets away from the Church of San Ildefonso is its younger sister, the Chapel of the Souls, which is one of Porto's best kept secrets.

This temple stands out for its exterior cladding, an unusual element in religious buildings, which nourishes the façade with thousands of tiles depicting the life and work of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catherine. It can be visited free of charge from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

Bolhao Market

Continuing in the neighbourhood and two streets away, you can visit the Bolhao Market, which reflects the alternative atmosphere that characterises the area.

In this market, which is the most important in the city, you will be able to experience the local lifestyle and find fresh fish, flowers, delicious bakeries and gift shops. If you visit Porto during Christmas time, you will find the best Christmas stalls in Bolhao.

The market is also a must on a gastronomic tour of Porto. Here you can enjoy an affordable lunch menu of typical food and taste wines from local wineries before continuing your tour.

Church of the Clérigos

By taking tram line 22 or walking seven streets you can get from the Bolhao Market to the Church of the Clérigos, which marks the beginning of the rococo style associated with religious temples.

This work, the most important by the architect Nicolau Nasoni, stands out for the Clérigos Tower, which is one of the main emblems of Oporto.

From its 75-metre height you can enjoy one of the best panoramic views of the city. It is open every day from 9.00 am to 11.00 pm and the entrance fee is approximately 10 euros.

Lello Bookshop

Opposite the Church of Los Clérigos, on the other side of Calle de Las Carmelitas, you can't miss the Lello Bookshop, which is considered one of the most beautiful in the world and one of the most visited since the emergence of an urban legend according to which J.K. Rowling was inspired by it for the setting of the Harry Potter story.

True or not, Lello is one of the must-see places in the city, to the point that it has become one of the fixed stops on Porto's tourist buses.

Porto Cathedral

The next stop, five streets away, is Porto Cathedral, the main attraction on the Route of the Churches. The Cathedral is located in the heart of the historic centre of the city and has a mixed Gothic and Baroque style that gives it a very particular look.

I recommend that you pay special attention to the rose window, the tile-decorated cloister and the bell tower. Admission is free and it is open every day from 9.00 am to 6.30 pm.

Vitoria Viewpoint, Stock Exchange Palace and St. Francis Church

From the Oporto Cathedral you can take bus lines 303 and 403 and tram line 22 or walk the six streets to the Mirador de Vitoria, which is the next stop, to enjoy the most famous panoramic view of the city.

This viewpoint is free, open daily from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm and from there you can see the Don Luis I bridge, the Douro River and the immensity of Gaia.

Three streets away from the Mirador you will find the Palacio de la Bolsa, which can only be visited with the assistance of a local guide by booking in advance on their website, but which stands out for its beautiful architecture and themed rooms.

Opposite the Palace you can finish the Route of the Churches by visiting the parish church of San Francisco, which stands out for its catacombs and altarpiece.

Admission to the Church of San Francisco is free and it is open every day from 9.00 am to 8.00 pm.

Don Luis I Bridge and dinner in a tavern

The Don Luis I Bridge is the most famous of Porto's six bridges and because of its cast iron design it was long believed to have been designed by Gustave Eiffel.

In reality, it was actually designed by a disciple of his under his supervision and is now one of the most visited sites in the city. You can reach the bridge by walking five streets from the Church of San Francisco to find it on the banks of the Duero.

The bridge, which links the historic centre with Vilanova de Gaia, has a funicular at its base that leads to the narrow streets surrounding Batalha and has two platforms for pedestrians.

From here you will be able to see one of the most beautiful sunsets in the city, even if you visit Porto in winter, as drizzle is rare.

To end the first day of intense sightseeing, you can go for dinner at one of the taverns in Clérigos.

After the intense walk of the first day, during the second day I propose you to visit the Avenida dos Aliados, one of the main arteries of the city, and the colourful Cais da Ribeira.

Crossing the Douro you can relax in the Hill Garden and enjoy a local wine in a winery in Gaia.

Allies Avenue and Liberty Square

The Avenida dos Aliados is a popular destination for all tours and excursions in Porto because it is not only the main street of the city, but also one of the most beautiful in Portugal, with its stately buildings, marble statues and the immensity of the City Hall in the background. I assure you that you will love to get lost in its cobbled streets!

At the end of the Avenida dos Aliados you can visit the Praça da Liberdade, crowned by the equestrian statue of Dom Pedro IV and the main fountain.

From there you can see the white granite buildings that during the 19th century housed the banks and insurance companies that gave Porto its reputation as a global financial city.

Cais da Ribeira and lunch on a terrace

Buses 10M and 905 take you from Praça da Liberdade to Cais da Ribeira, which is the waterfront area from the Ponte Dom Luís I to the Ponte da Arrábida.

There you can lose yourself in a leisurely stroll to enjoy the picturesque colourful houses, the murmur of the river and, if you want to have lunch, a fresh cod and a glass of wine on one of the open-air terraces.

Cais da Ribeira adds a medieval touch to the Porto picture, housing some of the oldest buildings in the city, and on your walk along the waterfront you'll see rabelos, the traditional Portuguese boats used to supply the city with barrels of wine made in the Douro Valley, the wine-growing region that you can visit on day trips.

Hill Garden

After lunch at Cais da Ribeira, for the next stop I suggest you use the pedestrian crossing of the Don Luis I Bridge to walk the 400 metres to the Gaia Hill Garden.

From there you will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of this city devoted to wine production and if you are visiting Porto with children you can also visit the Children's Park.

Tasting in a Gaia winery

In Gaia you can spend the afternoon strolling along the riverside and through its winding alleyways and then enter a winery to learn about the process of Port wine production on a guided tour.

There you can opt for tastings including a four-course dinner with a typically Portuguese menu at one of the city's traditional wineries, such as Ferrerira, Sandeman, Croft or Cálem.

To return to Porto you can use the Gaia Cable Car, which costs approximately six euros per person and offers one of the most beautiful views of the city, especially at night.

After touring the historic centre and the main sites of Porto during the first two days, for the third day I propose a tour away from the city centre including a boat trip and a visit to the Portuguese Atlantic coast visiting some of the best beaches.

Boat trip on the Douro River

The Douro not only flows through Porto and divides it, but also provides the city with its vital energy. For centuries Portuguese trade moved freely through its waters and today it is possible to travel along it on a boat trip.

The most common of the tours is the one that includes an itinerary across the six bridges, but you can also opt for a cruise to Aveiro from Porto, a tour of the Douro Riviera or a full day trip to Pinhao.

You can also choose to take a trip to the mouth of the Douro by rabelo, which is Portugal's traditional boat and is nowadays mainly used for tourism.

Boat tours on the river are inexpensive and start at 17 euros, so it is worth including it in your itinerary to see the city and the bridges from the calm waters of the Douro.

All tours usually start from the Cais da Ribeira area and can be done during daylight hours. Exceptionally there are some evening sightseeing services, especially if you are visiting Porto during the summer.

Felgueiras Lighthouse

Due to its proximity to the mouth of the Douro, Porto was born as a port city. This not only gave its name to the city but also to Portugal and the maritime tradition is still maintained in every corner of the country. From Porto it is possible to visit the picturesque Felgueiras Lighthouse.

From Sao Bento Station you can reach the Felgueiras Lighthouse by taking bus lines 500 and 200 and there, in addition to the old granite maritime signalling tower and the mouth of the Douro, you can visit the Paseo Alegre Garden and the boardwalk.

Matosinhos Beach

Buses 500 and 200 also take you to the Foz enclave and then to Matosinhos Beach, which is the largest beach on the Atlantic coast and offers golden sands and waves ideal for surfing.

This beach will surprise you because it is only a few minutes away from the historic centre of Porto, but also because it is hidden behind a fishing village, which makes it even more enigmatic.

Attend a Fado concert

Fado is Portugal's folk music and also a declaration of principles because of its nostalgic and melancholic style that condenses sadness, loss, heartbreak and social injustice in its melodies.

This artistic expression is typical of the cities located further south in Portugal, with Lisbon as the main representative, but it is also possible to attend a Fado show in Porto, which could be an interesting experience if you are looking for a typical activity.

The best places to attend a Fado show are in the historic centre of Porto, but you can also find them in Gaia or Foz.

Some places like Casa de Guitarra offer genuine and indigenous shows so that visitors can discover the magic of Fado, which is the highest artistic expression of Portuguese music, in shows lasting about an hour and starting at 17 euros.

For the last day of your itinerary in Porto, I suggest a visit to the Crystal Palace Gardens, which is one of the most beautiful green spaces in the city.

Another great activity is to walk around the Arrábida district, which has much more than just one of the most picturesque bridges in Portugal.

Crystal Palace Gardens

Porto is a tangle of interwoven alleyways that create a beautiful city atmosphere, but leave little room for green space, so the presence of the Crystal Palace Gardens in an area close to the centre is good news for those looking for a space to rest, relax, take pictures and have lunch.

These gardens are built around the now defunct Crystal Palace, which was built in the 19th century for an International Exhibition, emulating London's Crystal Palace. Here you will find camellias, fountains, sculptures, artificial lakes and a public library.

It is also very close to some of Porto' s best museums, such as the National Art Museum and the World of Discoveries theme museum, which explores the history of Portuguese navigators.

The Crystal Palace Gardens are an ideal place to relax during your last day in Porto or to take a break from visiting the museums. You can get there from Sao Bento on bus lines 200, 302 and 501. Admission is free.

Arrábida district and Casa da Música (House of Music)

The Arrábida district is known for its reinforced concrete bridge, which is one of the largest in the world and one of the six bridges that cross the Douro.

It is also worth a visit to see the 19th century houses that make it one of the most exclusive areas of Porto, far from the bohemian atmosphere of Vitoria or the picturesque medieval houses of the riverside.

The Arrábida is also home to the Casa da Música, an eclectic concert hall that revolutionised the city with its design and helped make Porto an icon of contemporary architecture.

This building, which with its polyhedral layout breaks the canons of traditional music halls, will attract your attention from the Rotunda de Boavista, which serves as its stalls.

Say goodbye to Oporto by savouring its exquisite flavours

Porto will delight your eyes but also your palate, as in addition to its marvellous landscapes, it has one of the best gastronomies in Europe.

Its typical dishes are as varied as they are exquisite and range from simple tapas such as cod fritters or grilled sardines to more elaborate and traditional dishes such as octopus with green sauce, aletria or francesinha, a delicious sandwich with béchamel sauce.

You can accompany any meal in the city with a Port wine or any other variety. For dessert I recommend the natas or the Belem cakes, which are very common in Lisbon and have their own local variation, but which will be ideal for you to say goodbye to Porto with the exquisite taste of its sweets.