I’d like to share my tips on how to spend four days in picturesque Porto. A long weekend is perfect for visiting the vibrant city of Porto. Picture green trees, cloudless turquoise skies, and a city humming with life.
This city has everything a novice or experienced traveler could want: beautiful architecture, interesting history, a diverse choice of restaurants and warm weather (most of the time).
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Why I went
I visited Porto in July 2015 as part of my year of travel. Because I was travelling whilst being employed full time, long weekends were an ideal choice. The short flight time from the UK meant this trip worked well with my other travel plans. My parents, who are also keen travelers, didn’t hesitate to join me for four days in picturesque Porto!
The adventure
Start with tours
Most cities have a hop on hop off bus tour option. It’s a good way to maximise your time. You see a lot of the key sites and city views (all whilst saving your feet, as Porto is hilly), and can make a of note where you want to go back to.
As the tickets are often valid for 24 or 48 hours, you can get on and off as many times as you like anywhere along the routes.
We arrived early on a Thursday, and immediately jumped on the hop on hop off bus tour (luggage and all). By arriving in the morning, we had a chance to acclimatise to the warmer weather, all whilst getting a glimpse of the city.
Another good exploration option during your four days in picturesque Porto is a walking tour (prepare your legs for those inclines!) Many are “tip-based” – where you give a tip at the end depending on how much you enjoyed the tour. We arranged our tour through Porto Free Tour ahead of our arrival. As the guides live in Porto, they know the city intimately, and are able to share information and interesting stories.
This tour filled most of our second day. We meandered through the streets with our wonderful guide André, and visited the iconic Clérigos Tower and Sé Cathedral, briefly seen from the open top bus the previous day. We stopped at the churches Igreja do Carmo and dos Carmelitas to learn why they are separated by an exceptionally narrow house!
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Don’t miss the port and wine tasting
After walking around the city, it’s easy to build up an appetite. There is no shortage of places to choose from! My recommendation has to be Linha 22, close to Clérigos Tower. It accommodates around six or seven small groups, but you will find it’s cosy rather than cramped. The staff are passionate about providing an exceptional experience, and we stayed for over 3 hours chatting with them!
We ordered tapas, a few dishes at a time, along with different glasses of port. Being a known as the fussy eater in my family, even I was impressed with the food. The cod balls were very tasty! I can wholeheartedly recommend the chocolate and raspberry cake washed down with a glass of Bulas Fine Ruby port. The experience was so enjoyable, we couldn’t leave without another visit on our last night. My dad even arranged for 12 bottles of Bulas to be shipped to the UK!
Explore further afield
Porto has a lot to offer, and I recommend on one of your four days, you explore outside the city centre. For example, head to the beautiful coastal area of Foz do Douro.
You can catch the vintage tram that ambles along the riverfront. Look out over the Douro river, and see the water sparkle as it catches the sun. Within 30 minutes you’ll arrive at the tree lined shore. All we could manage was a knee high paddle in the chilly morning sea – but you may be braver than us!
After a stroll down the promenade, there are several restaurants ready to serve you sangria or cocktails. We enjoyed a beach bar lunch whilst topping up our tans. It’s the kind of place where you can take your time, and enjoy life at a relaxed pace.
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Where to stay
On our final morning, we ate out for breakfast, just soaking up the atmosphere of families enjoying time together.
The Airbnb we chose was on Rua dos Caldeireiros. By staying in this area, we were close to several eateries, all offering tasty treats, such as gelato and pastries! The house, which was right on the curve of the street, was architecturally stunning. It was even exhibited as part of Open House Porto on the day we left! It was the perfect place when spending four days in picturesque Porto.
Top five tips
- Taste the Port and Wine. The city is known for its Port and Wine tasting tours, and there are lots of options for you to partake in this pastime.
- Wear comfortable shoes. The streets go up and down – a lot! Bring your favourite trainers for pain free exploring.
- Base yourself in the city centre. You don’t want to be walking for miles (except on your walking tour) to join the action. It’s best to stay within the Riberia district. Most of the attractions are within walking, tram or bus distance from here.
- Strike up conversations. The locals are friendly, and love interacting with visitors. Initiate conversations at dinner, or ask a resident for the best attractions to visit.
- Explore the wider city. Go further outside the city. Take a boat trip on the Douro River, or hop on one of the tram routes.
Why you should go
Porto is a wonderful city; full of culture, beautiful sites, and welcoming residents. Four days in picturesque Porto is a perfect amount of time, as you won’t be rushed. As a result, you can really immerse yourself in the lifestyle, and most importantly, enjoy this beautiful city at your leisure.
Good to know
- Most countries do not need a visa to visit Porto. Check the Visit Portugal website for entry requirements:
- The airport Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is around 10 miles north-west of the city centre. It’s really easy to get the Metro from the Airport to the city centre on line E.
- The currency used in Porto is the Euro.
- The plug type in Porto is the European 2 round pins.
- Whilst English is spoken (to varying degrees) by a lot of locals, the official language is Portuguese – you can find some basic phrases here.
- The emergency number to use (i.e. for police or an ambulance) is 112.
- Ensure you have a valid travel ticket for any type of transport. Grab your ticket before you board as they often have plains clothes inspectors and you don’t want to be fined.
- Something I always advise is to buy travel insurance. You never know what will happen and while it’s great to always plan for the best, it’s best to be prepared for the worst.
A quote to sum it all up
I love reading travel quotes for the images and feelings they stir up. The quote that resonates with me for Porto is:
“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”
Martin Buber
I came here with my parents, and for me, had one of our most memorable nights. Being a really picky eater, it’s always me that chooses where we eat. We passed such a small place that had a great quote in the window, and whilst the menu didn’t jump out at me, I knew my parents liked the sound of it.
We went in, tried the different tapas offerings and more importantly, tried the port. It was amazing! I’ve never tried so many new things (some that I didn’t like), however but the experience of being there in that moment, was fantastic (the alcohol really helped). I think the restaurant was the secret destination and I’m so glad I got to enjoy that.
Have you traveled to Porto? Did you stay longer or manage to see everything in four days? Let me know in the comments…
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