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Porto’s rooftops and the Douro seen from the top of Clérigos Tower

Things to see

Things to see and do in Porto

Porto’s sights are close together but spread across steep hills. Here is what to see in the old town, the centre, across the river and beyond, and how to fit it into your days.

Ribeira and the riverside

Porto’s UNESCO-listed old town tumbles down the hillside to the Douro. Start here.

The colourful houses of Ribeira stacked above the Douro, seen from the Dom Luís I Bridge Old town

Ribeira

Porto’s riverside heart

Colourful houses stacked above the Cais da Ribeira, with restaurants along the quay and rabelo boats on the river. The best place to start, and to end the day.

A metro tram crossing the upper deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge above the Douro Landmark

Dom Luís I Bridge

Two decks of iron over the Douro

The double-deck iron arch bridge between Porto and Gaia, opened in 1886. Walk the upper deck for the classic view over Ribeira.

The twin towers of Porto Cathedral above a cobbled street Church

Porto Cathedral

The Sé on its hilltop

A fortress-like cathedral with Romanesque origins, a tiled Gothic cloister and wide views over the old town from the terrace in front.

The neoclassical façade of the Palácio da Bolsa behind a garden and statue Palace

Palácio da Bolsa

The 19th-century stock exchange

Porto’s former stock exchange, visited on guided tours. The highlight is the lavish Arab Room, inspired by the Alhambra.

Baixa: the city centre

Grand avenues, tiled churches and Porto’s most famous bookshop, all within a short walk of each other.

Blue and white azulejo tile panels and an arched window in the hall of São Bento station Station

São Bento Station

History told in blue and white tiles

A working railway station whose entrance hall is lined with around 20,000 azulejo tiles showing scenes from Portuguese history.

The baroque Clérigos Tower rising above a street of tiled buildings Viewpoint

Clérigos Tower

Porto’s baroque landmark

Climb the 18th-century bell tower designed by Nicolau Nasoni for a 360-degree view over the rooftops, the river and Gaia.

The carved wooden interior and forked staircase of Livraria Lello Bookshop

Livraria Lello

The famous neo-Gothic bookshop

A carved wooden interior, stained-glass skylight and forked red staircase have made this bookshop, opened in 1906, one of the most visited in the world.

Blue and white azulejo tiles covering the outer wall of the Capela das Almas Tiles

Capela das Almas

A chapel wrapped in azulejos

A small chapel on Rua de Santa Catarina whose outer walls are covered in blue-and-white tiles showing scenes from the lives of saints.

Across the river and out to the sea

Port lodges in Gaia, art in Serralves, the Atlantic at Foz and the vineyards of the Douro Valley.

Long rows of oak port casks inside a cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia Port cellars

Vila Nova de Gaia

Where port wine comes of age

Across the river from Ribeira, the historic port lodges open their cellars for tours and tastings, and the riverside has the best view of Porto.

The white modernist building of the Serralves museum beside a lawn and cypress tree Art

Serralves

Contemporary art in a park

A contemporary art museum designed by Álvaro Siza, an Art Deco villa and large gardens in the west of the city. Allow at least half a day.

A small lighthouse at the end of a breakwater where the Douro meets the Atlantic Seaside

Foz do Douro

Where the river meets the ocean

Atlantic promenades, lighthouses and seafood restaurants at the mouth of the Douro. Take the historic tram along the river to get there.

A wide view of terraced vineyards above the Douro River Day trip

Douro Valley

Terraced vineyards upriver

The UNESCO-listed wine region where port grapes are grown, east of Porto. Visit on a day tour, a river cruise or by train.

Planning your days

Porto is small enough to see the highlights in two or three days, but the hills slow you down. Plan each day around one area and use the metro or a taxi for the longest climbs.

One day

  1. Start at São Bento station and walk up to the cathedral.
  2. Head down through the old town to Ribeira for lunch by the river.
  3. Cross the Dom Luís I Bridge to Gaia for a port cellar tour.
  4. Watch the sunset from Jardim do Morro, then cross the upper deck back to Porto.

Two days

Add Clérigos Tower and Livraria Lello in the morning, the tiled Capela das Almas and the Bolhão market at lunchtime, and a Six Bridges cruise in the afternoon. Finish with the historic tram to Foz do Douro to see the Atlantic at sunset.

Three days or more

Spend a day in the Douro Valley, or take a day trip to Braga and Guimarães, Aveiro or Coimbra. Fit in Serralves on a morning when you want something quieter.

Good to know

Many churches close for lunch, and some sights close on one day a week. Check opening times before you go, and book Livraria Lello and popular cellar tours ahead in summer.

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