Experience Gritty Old World Charm with My Porto Itinerary
It’s not an exaggeration to say that my two days in Porto were my favorite days spent in Portugal. Lisbon gets all the fanfare, but Porto is the place to be if you want to experience what a real Portuguese city feels like. This is why I’m sharing my Porto itinerary with you.
Whereas Lisbon felt just a bit too good to be true, Porto seemed to take pride in every gritty, unpolished facade and alleyway. It’s filled with personality around every turn and feels like the type of place where real people live out their daily lives while tourists happen to be passing by.
With all that said, you definitely need at least two days in Porto to fully appreciate everything it has to offer. My Porto itinerary takes full advantage of those days.
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My Two-Day Porto Itinerary
The nice thing about my Porto itinerary – and Porto in general – is that because it doesn’t include many busy museums and churches like other popular tourist cities, you aren’t as confined to a set schedule. This leaves you free to take your time without the stress of having to plot your days around having to be at several places at specific times.
Still, it can be nice to have at least a framework of a set itinerary to keep things somewhat organized. Otherwise, you run the risk of having lots of unnecessary backtracking throughout the day. Here’s our rough itinerary to help make things a bit easier for your Porto trip. I describe more about each stop below.
- Day One
- Arrive and check in to hotel
- Reserve a time for Stock Exchange Palace
- São Francisco Church
- Porto Cathedral
- Return at your chosen timeslot for your visit to the Stock Exchange Palace
- Walk Around Riverfront
- Day Two
- Torre dos Clérigos
- Explore Upper Porto, including São Bento Train Station, Avenida dos Aliados and Carmo Church
- Misericordia Museum
- Port and wine tastings in Vila Nova de Gaia
Top Sights of My Porto Itinerary
Stock Exchange Palace
| Hours: | Daily 9:00 – 6:30 |
| Length of Visit: | Guided tour lasts about 30 minutes |
| Cost: | €14 |
| Highlights: | several rooms filled with exquisite art and architecture |
As one of the city’s must-see attractions, the Stock Exchange Palace should be one of the first things you do on your Porto itinerary. It deserves to be seen early on, but its reservation system almost requires that you get to the ticket office early.
Contrary to its name, the Stock Exchange Palace is not a palace in the common use of the word. No royalty lives or has ever lived here. Rather, it’s the home of Porto’s Chamber of Commerce. However, upon entering the building, you’ll quickly understand why it’s referred to as a palace.
After a fire destroyed the convent connected to Sao Francisco Church, the ruins were given to Porto’s merchants in 1841. They rebuilt the structure into what we see today, and in so doing, they used the opportunity to showcase their skills and wealth while designing the building. This is reflected in the impressive architecture and artistry throughout the Stock Exchange Palace.
The highlight of all this is the Arabic Room. It’s one of the last rooms you’ll see on your tour, and it’s the definition of saving the best for last. It’s a large, symmetrical room decorated with Moorish and Arabic motifs. Our tour guide gave us a bit of much-needed extra time here to take it all in.
One negative about the Stock Exchange Palace is its odd ticketing system. Times need to be reserved ahead of time and can’t be reserved online. Annoyingly, even if you bought a ticket beforehand, you still have to wait in a queue to reserve your time. Because of this, you’ll want to arrive early to reserve a timeslot if you have a specific time you want to visit.
| Hours: | Daily 9:00 – 7:00 |
| Length of Visit: | 45 – 60 minutes |
| Cost: | €10 |
| Highlights: | views of Porto, history of the church |
Torre dos Clérigos
Torre dos Clérigos is the other must-see attraction on your Porto itinerary. This church and its iconic tower were built in the mid-17th century by the Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni. It features Baroque motifs and was one of the first churches in this style built in Portugal.
The actual church is nice enough and worth a quick look. The main reason Torre dos Clérigos is so iconic is its tower, which visitors can climb for the best views of Porto. It’s a long climb up the tower with 240 stairs. If you’re concerned about your ability to make the climb, much of it is broken up by museum exhibits and views of the church.
On the way up the tower is a museum detailing the history of the church and its Italian architect, Nicolau Nasoni. The historical sections were pretty interesting and much more engaging than the religious artwork on display. I particularly enjoyed the room that described a recently uncovered crypt and the investigation that was done to determine who was buried in it. The various works of art had some nice pieces, but they’re mostly retreads if you’ve seen lots of religious art.
Torre dos Clérigos has an online reservation system. It’s highly encouraged to take advantage of this to guarantee your visit at the time you need, since Torre dos Clérigos is one of Porto’s most popular attractions.
You should also try to visit early in the day to avoid crowds. The top of the tower is a confined space, so it may take a long time to get up there during peak hours. It likely won’t be as enjoyable, either, if you’re jostling for viewing space with lots of other people.
It’s worth noting that you can visit the church without a ticket if you don’t want to climb the tower. While the best views are from the upper gallery during the climb, this option may be worthwhile for guests who only want a quick peek of the church.
When booking your tickets, keep in mind that this attraction is a tower climb, not just a tower visit. I wasn’t thinking about how we would do the climb with our 1-year-old when I purchased these for our Porto itinerary. My wife, who isn’t a big fan of tower climbs to begin with, decided to stay in the church with our daughter while I ascended the tower. In other words, we wasted money on that ticket.
Porto Cathedral
| Hours: | April – October Daily 9:00 – 6:30 November – March Daily 9:00 – 5:30 |
| Length of Visit: | 30 – 45 minutes |
| Cost: | €3 |
| Highlights: | cloisters, Portuguese tilework, impressive altar |
I ended up enjoying Porto Cathedral more than I thought I would. The iconic blue tilework contained within its cloisters was some of the best I saw throughout Portugal, and the 12th-century, Romanesque cathedral itself is equally impressive.
It’s not an elegant cathedral by any means. In fact, it’s a bit forbidding, but that’s what I liked about it. It was like walking into a fortress, especially with its placement atop a hill overlooking Porto.
Because of its location, Porto Cathedral offers guests some fine views of Porto. The best views of Porto are from Torre dos Clérigos, but the nice thing about the views here is that they include the tower.
From Porto Cathedral’s main square, you’re able to get panoramic views of Vila Nova de Gaia, too. If you’re lucky, you’ll be serenaded by street performers while taking it all in.
São Francisco Church and Museum
| Hours: | April – September Daily 9:00 – 8:00 October – March Daily 9:00 – 7:00 |
| Length of Visit: | 15 – 30 minutes |
| Cost: | €11 |
| Highlights: | Grand walkway and terrace leading up to entrance, burial space in crypt, a couple interesting murals |
São Francisco Church is a convenient sight to see if you just reserved your time at the Stock Exchange Palace and need to kill some time while you wait. It’s right next door, and it shouldn’t take you too long to visit.
My favorite part of São Francisco Church is its exterior, which fortunately can be seen for free. The unique granite facade and grand staircase combine to create a dramatic first impression that demands your attention. Before or after your visit in the church, you can also enjoy some nice views of Vila Nova de Gaia and the riverfront from the terrace.
Unfortunately, the inside didn’t do much for me. The church is ornately decorated, with gold leaf and various works of art scattered throughout, but after the initial impression, the effect wore off fairly quickly. It was almost too much gold, with no singular features to focus on. The one highlight is the Tree of Jesse on the left side of the nave. This work of art is a carved masterpiece covered in gilded wood that shows Jesus’s family tree.
Apart from the church interior, your ticket includes visits to the crypt and a small museum. The museum is lackluster and is only worth a few minutes of your time. The crypt is a bit more interesting because of its eerie atmosphere, but it’s still a pretty quick visit. There isn’t much to see besides a lot of coffins and a small window in the floor that shows the bones of former worshipers.
My major complaint with São Francisco Church is its ticket price. €11 is a bit steep considering the length of a visit and what’s inside. If you’re new to grand old European churches, it may be worth it. However, if, like us (and I realize this sounds a bit snooty), you’ve seen a lot of them, the cost may not be worthwhile. I liked the church, but I came away a bit disappointed after spending €11 to see it.
It’s important to note that pictures aren’t allowed inside the actual church. If that’s your main reason for visiting, you can give Sao Francisco Church a pass.
Misericordia Museum
| Hours: | April – September Daily 10:00 – 6:30 October – March Daily 10:00 – 6:00 |
| Length of Visit: | 30 – 60 minutes |
| Cost: | €10 |
| Highlights: | Artifacts from former residents, history of the organization, Church interior |
The Misericordia Museum (official name: Museum and Church of Misericordia do Porto) is a small museum and church tucked away somewhat discreetly on Porto’s busy Largo Sao Domingos.
Santa Casa da Misericordia do Porto is a charitable organization founded in Portugal that has provided assistance to the sick, disabled and orphans across Portugal and its former colonies. The Misericordia Museum tells the history of this institution through a variety of interesting artifacts and artwork.
And this museum tells that story excellently. Even though I knew nothing about Santa Casa da Misericordia do Porto beforehand and had no connection with it, that didn’t keep the Misericordia Museum from holding my attention.
Perhaps partly because I went into it without any expectations, I actually left considering this museum one of the better ones I visited in Portugal. Even though the artwork on display wasn’t anything especially memorable, it was still interesting and arranged in a way that wasn’t overwhelming.
Even better than the artwork were the various items left behind or donated by people who received help from the organization. Most of the objects are fairly mundane, but it helps to put a human touch on Santa Casa da Misercordia’s do Porto’s efforts. They also offer a glimpse into life in Porto as a whole in years gone by.
The attached church is included with your ticket and worth at least a quick look. It has some nice tilework and is charming in its relative simplicity.
Vila Nova de Gaia
| Hours: | Hours vary by tasting house |
| Length of Visit: | At least a couple hours, more if doing a tour |
| Cost: | Basic wine tastings run about €20 for a flight |
| Highlights: | Al fresco port and wine tastings with views of Porto |
Vila Nova de Gaia is the smaller town right across the river from Porto. It’s famous as being the final resting place of the Douro Valley’s port wine while it ages.
The importance of Vila Nova de Gaia to the port-making process is evident in the numerous signs proclaiming the names of various wineries. Besides making for an interesting view from Port, these signs show where each winery is located.
If you enjoy wine and port, you’ll want to set aside at least a couple hours to visit Vila Nova de Gaia. You can add another hour or so to that if you plan on doing a tour of any of the cellars.
Don’t worry if you aren’t sure where to start once you get to Vila Nova de Gaia. Some wineries are more notable than others. These are obvious because they’re usually larger and more crowded. Unless you want to try a specific winery, just stroll along the riverfront till you find one with an open table. That’s what we ended up doing, and we weren’t disappointed with the result.
If you aren’t a wine aficionado, you can probably skip Vila Nova de Gaia during your two days in Porto. The views of Porto from here are pretty, but I don’t think they’re particularly worth making the trek. Aside from that, Vila Nova de Gaia didn’t have much else to do besides people watching.
Make sure to check ahead of time to book reservations if you have a specific winery you want to tour. Every place had an extended wait by the time we arrived in Vila Nova de Gaia around early afternoon.
Explore
My favorite thing to do during my two days in Porto was simply wandering around and getting a bit lost while seeing some of the city’s smaller sights. Porto is one of those cities where you’re likely to find something interesting around each corner, and even if you don’t, it’s still fun to wander around its twisty, cobblestoned roads and alleyways.
While it’s fun to just explore during your Porto itinerary, there are several stops you should make a point of seeing during your time here. Most of these spots are pretty close to each other and can be seen within an hour or so. Here’s a brief overview:
- Joalharia do Carmo – a carnival-like jewelry store where you can see filigree jewelry being made
- Imperial McDonald’s – the fanciest McDonald’s you’ll likely ever set foot in
- Avenida dos Aliados – Porto’s seat of government capped by the city hall and lined by impressive buildings and monuments
- Carmo Church – elaborate tilework on the outside of the church
- São Bento Railway Station – more elaborate tilework telling the story of Portugal’s history
- Padaria Ribeiro – a bakery frequented by locals, fun to just go inside to experience the hustle and bustle but also a good time for a pastry break
Other Things to do During Your Porto Itinerary
One of the more popular things to do during a Porto itinerary is to take a Douro River cruise along the river to see the vineyard-lined terraces of the Douro Valley. A cruise is a great way to see the Douro Valley, but I say that with two caveats. First, instead of cruising along the Douro from Porto, I recommend staying a night or two in the Douro Valley so you can take your time here. Second, a Douro Valley cruise from Porto is basically an all-day affair. You should add a third day in Porto if you’re planning on a cruise.
If you want to get away from the dense historic center of Porto, Foz may be the place for you. Foz is where Porto’s citizens go to get away for a day at the beach. It has a more laid-back atmosphere and has parks, beaches, markets and cafes for guests to kick back and relax.
On your way to Foz, stop at the Porto Tram Museum. This museum showcases over 20 different types of trams from the city’s past for visitors who want to learn more about this facet of Porto’s history. The downside to visiting the Porto Tram Museum is that it’s a bit out of the way from Porto’s other attractions.
Finally, Livraria Lello is considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. It gained popularity after being featured in the Harry Potter films. While pictures of Livraria Lello are quite attractive, it’s a very busy attraction, with lines often extending well beyond the entrance. If you’re a huge Harry Potter fan or just really love libraries, it may be worth the effort to visit.
Is it Worth Spending Two Days in Porto?
I highly recommend a full two days to make the most of your Porto itinerary. My recommendation differs from much of what I read about visiting Porto during my own research for our trip, where many people suggest that a single day is enough.
It’s true, you can see many of Porto’s main sights in one day, but by doing that, you’d miss much of what makes Porto special. Porto is filled with sleepy back alleys and residential areas that are worth taking your time to seek out.
Besides that, Porto has a kind of gritty, lived-in characteristic that needs a bit of time to truly appreciate. You aren’t going to become an expert on Porto’s culture in only two days, but it will be enough time to at least give you a taste of it.
Where to Eat During Your Porto Itinerary
After several days of eating hearty Portuguese dishes, we were in the mood for something different for dinner on the first night of our Porto itinerary. Sibuya was perfect for that. Besides being right across the road from where we were staying, it had a menu filled with sushi and Japanese noodles at reasonable prices. Everything we had was pretty tasty, but I could have done with slightly bigger servings. Aside from that minor quibble, Sibuya was a nice break from Portuguese fare.
You’ll find plenty of restaurants along Porto’s riverside, from touristy cafes to finer dining options. Casa Deolinda is definitely one of the more touristy options, but it’s good enough if you’re in a pinch and want cheap and quick food that still tastes decent. It has good views and people watching, too.
Ar de Rio is another touristy restaurant on the far end of Vila Nova de Gaia’s busy riverfront. Online reviews of this place aren’t great, but the guidebook we used recommended it for its francesinha sandwich. Since everything on this stretch of Vila Nova de Gaia looked just as touristy, we decided to give Ar de Rio a try despite the reviews. We shared a francesinha sandwich with a fried egg on top, and it was delicious! I can’t speak for anything else on the menu, but if you want a good francescinha, give Ar de Rio a try.
Our final meal in Porto and Portugal was at LSD Restaurant. This restaurant is found in the busy Largo de Sao Domingos square, but despite this touristy location, LSD Restaurant was surprisingly good. We sat inside, where the restaurant has a dark, chic ambience. It also has an outdoor terrace overlooking the square. Our server was great and very patient with us while our daughter had a bit of a temper tantrum. The food was equally impressive. I had a seafood stew and Michelle had cod with rice. Both were excellent.
So, what’s a franceschina sandwich? It’s a hearty sandwich Porto is known for. Take two pieces of bread, stuff steak, ham and sausage in between them, and then smother the whole thing with melted cheese and a beer-based tomato sauce. It’s a lot, but it’s very good and worth trying at least once.
Where to Stay During Your Porto Itinerary
We stayed at Mouzinho 244 – Porto Houses & Suites during our Porto itinerary. This apartment building contains several units on Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira.
Our room was located on the third floor, at the top of several steep stairs. Like nearly all of our accommodations in Portugal, Mouzinho 244 has no elevator. That’s something to keep in mind if you have lots of luggage or mobility issues. It wasn’t the easiest apartment to get to with a baby.
Aside from that, Mouzinho 244 was pretty nice, if not especially memorable. Our accommodation was a studio apartment. It had a kitchenette, two twin beds, a couch and a private bathroom. It’s a fine place to stay, especially if you’re traveling with kids because it has lots of space and the kitchenette.
Mouzinho 244’s best part is its location. The street itself doesn’t have any tourist sights, but we were just a short walk away from many of the stops on my Porto itinerary, like Porto Cathedral and Torre dos Clérigos. We were also only one block away from Rua das Flores, one of Porto’s main tourist drags.
One thing it didn’t have was air conditioning. The owners supplied several fans to help keep our room cool. However, these weren’t enough for us during our visit in September, even with all the windows open. Our apartment wasn’t sweltering, but if you’re used to air conditioning, you may get uncomfortable overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions About Porto
Is Porto expensive?
I found Porto to be pretty affordable, especially when compared to Lisbon, Portugal’s other major city. Lisbon was by far the most expensive part of our trip to Portugal. Everywhere else we visited was very cost-effective. Porto was a bit pricier than some of the smaller towns, but it wasn’t bad compared to most other large cities in Europe.
If I can only pick one, should I visit Porto or Lisbon?
I recommend Porto. I wanted to fall in love with Lisbon like so many visitors before me, but something about it just didn’t quite click with me. On the other hand, I absolutely adored Porto. Porto was grittier and felt more like a city where real people live as opposed to Lisbon’s somewhat touristy atmosphere.
Both are worth visiting, but if I were going back to Portugal and only had time for one, I would definitely revisit Porto.
When is the best time to visit Porto?
The best time to visit Porto is during the shoulder months between early spring and summer (March to May) and then summer to early autumn (September and October). These months are when you can expect the most mild weather, least precipitation, smallest crowds and best prices.
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