Let’s be honest, we all like to scroll. Shortcuts w/ Command F:
site ; restaurants ; hostel ; transport ; bookstore ; church ; weather
4 full days in Porto, Portugal was good.
I loved the area, and I could have stayed longer–taken it slow, worked remotely, and found new niches to spend my time.
In terms of a visit, 2 to 4 full days is what I’d recommend; ideally, 3 to 4. Maybe 1 of those is a day trip. I chose to go to the Douro Valley for my own day trip: If you want to spend the money on a vineyard tour, do it! For me, it was a relaxing day and was worth it. If I had a 5th full day, I would have taken a day trip to Braga–I heard a few fellow hostel guests express their own interest in this.
Hotel & Transportation
I stayed in The Passenger Hostel. This is a great option for anyone on a budget and looking for a friendly, convenient hostel stay. The crowd tended to be around 20-30 years old, and they had activities going on each night, which made it super easy to make friends. (Shout out to Lo Hanye, who played a gig one night. @lohanye)
Its location in São Bento train station is not only cool, but it’s also ideal location-wise. It was central to many sites, and when I was walking home at night, I never got lost. It was my beautiful, blue tiled covered beacon in the night.
Porto is very walkable, so you’ll find it an accessible city no matter where you stay. Unlike Lisbon–where you need to consider either taking public transport or Ubering–I would recommend staying anywhere near the Historic Center. Easy distance to the Ribeira riverfront, which is across the bridge from port wine-hub, Gaia.
(I did a lot of Ubering in Portugal, noticing that Ubers were really cheap compared to US prices. I probably would have saved even more if I did public transport for everything. Conversely, when I have the option, I always walk.)
Food & Drink
Apparently, there’s €5 port wine tastings all over Gaia (and most likely on the Ribeira/Porto side too), so take advantage of that!
Oddly enough, (very unlike me), I went to the same restaurant twice in Gaia: Tempêro D'Maria. Cozy, delicious food, and reasonable prices. (Get the crispy pastry starter!)
My friend and I ended up taking some of our tapas to go and climbed a short distance to Jardim do Morro, where we sat down on the grass to watch the sun set over Gaia and Ribeira. I was delighted to see that the area was swarming with locals doing the same. It seemed to be a favorite spot for everyone to take their food and wine to-go for an evening. We even clapped for the sun when it officially completed its journey dipping under the horizon.
Anyway, back to restaurants:
Terra Nova - The ambience is stellar, facing the Douro River. For €23, it's not a bad riverfront option. Heads up, it opens at 7 pm, and it was booked on a Thursday for indoor seating, so you might want to call ahead.
Pipa Velha - This is a snack bar. If you are in the mood for a small meat and cheese plate, then go here and grab a drink. It’s a dark, moody wine bar in town that dates back to the 80s. Posters on the wall, loud music... That kind of vibe.
Impar - I plopped in a seat here as soon as I got into Porto, as it’s right down the street from São Bento. The place was decorated in a modern style, and there is tight seating that extends outside. I had a good experience, so you could give it a go if you are so inclined.
Sites
Church-going is definitely a site-seer’s delight in Europe–and there are plenty of gorgeous options in Porto. To be frank, I always peek initially at Google Images when I’m researching churches to see if I get drawn toward the architecture and design in particular.
First up, Clérigos Church and Tower. For €6, it was worth it. It had a small museum of relics that led to a winding, narrow staircase to the top. There, you'll find beautiful, orange rooftop views of the city. This is definitely a good first-day activity.
But, my favorite was Igreja de São Francisco. An €8 ticket gets you entry into the church, as well as a museum and the catacombs. The church and catacombs were the best parts. I was disappointed that the main altar was under restoration, but it didn’t take away from my personal experience.
(We love restoring and preserving works of art!!! Keep it up!)
Other sites? The Palácio da Bolsa is the Stock Exchange Palace, which is actually still in use today by the city officials. Do this in conjunction with Igreja do São Francisco, as they are right around the corner from one another. It’ll take about one whole half day for the pair. It was €10 for a 30-minute tour, which for me, felt a bit quick. However, the rooms were architecturally eye-catching, and the tour guide was very informative and funny. I’d share a few fun facts, but I don’t want to ruin it if you end up choosing to visit this...
If you are either a Harry Potter fan or book nerd, then consider Livraria Lello. If you are neither, don’t worry about putting this at the top of your to-do list.
The story goes that JK Rowling lived in Porto for a few years and was inspired by this very library, as well as many other parts of Porto. She utilized rulers’ names (Salazar, in Salazar Slytherin) and symbols around the city (Gryffindor’s lion, etc) when creating the book’s world.
The line is always long at the library. Why? Because it is very beautiful. A friend and I grabbed a coffee to pass the time while queued up, and it wasn't too bad of a wait. For me, it was worth it to pay the fee and walk around to browse. But I must admit, this isn’t everyone’s jive.
Into music? Stop in Porto Guitarra. I was so giddy to pick up a classical and Portuguese guitar at the permission of the owner.
Mercado do Bolhão. This is simply a hall/market of fresh food, sweets, alcohol, etc. Take some time to stroll, taste, and sip.
I didn’t have the time to go on a boat ride on the Douro River or visit the port wine cellars, but if I did, I would have chosen those experiences.
Rain or Shine!
It says it’s going to rain like 90% of the time, but it always turns out nice. So when it is sunny, take advantage of the outdoor activities, because you really can’t predict what’s going to happen, and you can’t trust the weather app. Always bring an umbrella.
Porto was my strolling city, rain or shine. When you wander, you find. Trust the soft pulse, the sweet peace. Be open to slow down. Don’t expect to be running around to fill your days. Fill your days with opportunities to sip at a leisurely pace–both the port wine and the city’s atmosphere.
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