How Many Days in Porto Do You Need?
If your wondering how many days in Porto do I need? I can help, well at least with how many as a minimum if you want chance to get a true feel for the place and not have to feel you have rushed anything. Additionally, I’ll provide you with an excellent three-day itinerary.
Porto is particularly well-known for its azulejos (decorative tiles) and its namesake, port wine. However, this city is occasionally overshadowed by the larger Lisbon. When planning your road trip through Portugal, you likely didn’t want to spend all your time in cities. Thus, you had to choose Porto over Lisbon, and undoubtedly don’t regret it.
Tips for Your Porto Visit
Many places in Porto surprisingly don’t accept cards, which you might find odd for a large city. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure you have some cash on you.
Porto is a compact and easily walkable city. You can ditch your rental car and explore on foot instead.
While Porto has plenty of great hotel options, you could also consider an Airbnb rental. Specifically, an Airbnb at the northern end of the Baixa area puts you close to everything, but not directly on a huge tourist street. Plus, you can likely find a beautifully appointed apartment at a perfect price point.
How Many Days in Porto: Day 1
Let’s Do Lunch
If you planned it like us, you will arrive in Porto mid-morning. Check in to your accommodation and be ready to start enjoying your three days in Porto.
By the time you settled, it’ll be nearing lunchtime. Luckily, a highly recommended place, Antunes, is likely nearby. If you’re in that area, I’d definitely suggest Antunes for lunch.
While they offer a full menu of delicious options, you’ll only want one thing: the pernil assado – a pork knee slow-cooked with potatoes, onions, spices and herbs. Go there, order this flavourful dish; you won’t be disappointed.
Explore Porto’s Architectural Gems
After fuelling up at Antunes, make your way through the streets toward the river area, taking in the scenery along the way. However, be sure to stop at the notable churches and buildings en route, including a stroll down the Praca da Liberdade toward the iconic São Bento Train Station.
Additionally, stop at the Church of São Francisco, which is well worth the small entry fee. Next door, get a ticket for a tour of the Palácio da Bolsa. Despite its name suggesting a palace, it actually serves as a government building for notable visitors. The Moorish Room here is particularly impressive with its intricate carvings and bright colours, reminiscent of the country’s Islamic heritage.
Stroll Along the Ribeira and Cross to Vila Nova de Gaia
Spend an hour or so wandering the riverfront area, stopping at one of the many spots to grab a cocktail for your walk. As the afternoon settles in, walk across the famous Luís I Bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia. Here you’ll find all the port houses, with tasting rooms and/or rooftop bars or outdoor seating areas.
Porto Day Tours
Even if port wine isn’t your favourite, you can hardly visit Porto without at least sampling it. Pick a spot and enjoy a glass (or two). We ended up at Espaco Porto Cruz, which has a trendy rooftop with awesome views overlooking the city of Porto.
Sunset Views From Vila Novade Gaia
As sunset draws near, walk over to Parque Jardim do Morro. This is where locals gather to watch the sunset, and it can be quite lively, especially on a Friday evening when we visited. From this park, you’ll be facing the setting sun, but you’ll also get a lovely view back over the river to the Porto side.
Dinner and Drinks After Sunset
After watching the sunset from Vila Nova de Gaia, walk back across the bridge into Porto for a casual dinner. I’d suggest finding a spot to try the infamous Francesinha sandwich – the city’s renowned speciality. While many places claim to have “the best,” you likely can’t go wrong with most restaurants serving this iconic dish.
When you’re ready for a break from wine, walk over to A Fabrica Craft Brewery, which offers tasty food options along with a good beer selection. We opted to split a few appetizers here, all of which were great. Head downstairs toward the back courtyard area for a relaxing spot to dine and drink.
Porto Day Tours
That wraps up a full first day of eating, drinking, and exploring Porto’s top sights! Get some rest for another day of adventures.
How Many Days in Porto: Day 2
Let’s Start With a Coffee
With limited time in Porto, you’ll want to get an early start on your second day. Despite its small size, Porto is extremely walkable with numerous places worth exploring.
If you need a caffeine boost, you’ll find plenty of small cafes catering to locals. One spot you could try is Cristo Rei, an unassuming cafe that was packed when we visited. The pastries in the window will likely entice you inside.
Once there, you may feel overwhelmed by the bustling scene. Try to grab a seat if possible. Otherwise, squeeze up to the counter wherever you can and place your order. Another popular cafe option near the centre is Confeitaria do Bolhão.
Discover Porto’s Flavours on a Food Tour
Try to skip the pastries at local cafes for now, even though they look really good. A better way to start your second day is by going on a food tour with guides who really love Portuguese food and culture.
Your excited guide will walk you around the city to visit real shops and restaurants. These are places where locals go to eat authentic Portuguese food. Your guide will take you there. Not only will you learn about Portugal’s delicious food traditions, but you’ll also get some historical background. The amazing food tour we took really enriched our experience – we highly recommend it!
Porto Day Tours
After indulging on the tour, you might feel like taking an afternoon siesta. But don’t give in! Use that post-food tour energy boost to power through and check out any Porto sights you haven’t visited yet.
With only three days here, you’ll want to make the most of your time exploring this charming, flavourful city. A food tour provides the perfect culinary and cultural introduction. Just save room for more eating later!
More Porto Sights to Explore
After the food tour, walk over to the Clérigos Church and climb the stairs up into the bell tower for amazing views over the city. Be sure to also stroll down Rua Santa Catarina, a major shopping district. If the line isn’t too long, queue up for the famous Majestic Cafe. While touristy, it’s still impressive to see in person as long as you don’t mind the indifferent service.
From there, you can continue exploring Porto’s charming side streets and alleys at your own pace. When you’re ready for pre-dinner drinks, head to Champs de Braixa for tasty sangria options. Try to snag an outdoor table if possible. For dinner, I highly recommend Flor dos Congregados if you can get a reservation. We got lucky and managed to reserve one for the same day.
Lively Nightlife to Cap Your Porto Stay
If you’re up for it, Porto offers plenty of nightlife options, with some areas hopping until 3 or 4am. We had an early flight out the next day, so nursing a hangover didn’t appeal to us. But the vibrant late-night scene is there if you want to experience it.
No matter how you spend your evenings, you’ll absolutely love Porto! Three days gives enough time to see the city’s top sights, but will likely leave you wanting to return for more. This charming destination makes a memorable Portuguese getaway.
Porto Day Tours
How Many Days in Porto: Day 3
Explore the Douro Valley’s Stunning Vineyards
For your third day, head out to what we feel are the best vineyards in the Douro Valley region.
When choosing which ones to visit, I use a few key criteria:
Port Wine Focus: If you mainly want to learn about Port wines, definitely book a guided visit and tasting at Quinta do Bomfim. It’s touristy but the winery is beautiful, and they really know their Ports!
Scenic Views: Some vineyards offer particularly breathtaking scenery, like Quinta do Tedo with its amazing view of the Tedo River. Quinta do Pôpa and Quinta do Crasto also have gorgeous vistas.
Convenient Location: If you don’t have a car or want to avoid winding roads, stick to vineyards close to the town of Pinhão, such as Quinta do Bomfim, Quinta da Roêda or Quinta das Carvalhas.
Find Family-Run Vineyards
Besides these famous properties, the tours in Douro Valley always include small family-owned producers. We find them much more interesting.
The wine tours are conducted by a family member, not a guide. Also, the wine tastings usually let you try much more wine – and often much better wines.
Bonus Activities
Join a Douro River Cruise
A fun thing to do in the Douro Valley is go on a relaxing 1-hour river cruise. You ride in a traditional rabelo boat. Rabelo boats carried Port wine for hundreds of years. They went down the Douro River from the Douro Valley to Porto. The Douro Valley is where Port wine was made. Porto is where it was aged, bottled, and shipped all over the world.
It’s an activity that people of all ages enjoy – from young kids to older visitors, whether you love wines or couldn’t care less. It’s also a great way to relax for an hour between wine tastings. Accordingly, we always include it on our Douro Valley river cruises and private wine tours.
Porto Day Tours
If you prefer a private river cruise, you can book a private yacht cruise. They depart hourly and accommodate up to 14 people, which is ideal for groups.
Need a Break From Wine Tastings?
You can visit one of the six wine villages in Douro Valley. There, you’ll discover Portuguese religious heritage at Monastery of Salzedas. Additionally, you’ll be amazed at the aromatic garden built on ruins of Monastery of São João de Tarouca. You can also walk on an old, fortified bridge from medieval times in Ucanha.
Another enjoyable place to visit is tiny Tabuaço village. There, you’ll find the world’s most complete watch – I’m not kidding! It’s a massive timepiece made by hand, occupying three large wardrobes crafted by a wonderful local artisan.
Enjoy a Picnic in Douro Valley
My third recommendation is a lovely vineyard picnic! Several Douro Valley properties organize picnics, but my favourite (and most affordable) is at Quinta do Tedo. The picnic basket includes local cheeses, charcuterie, home-made jam, marinated olives, a fresh salad with organic veggies, traditional codfish cakes, bread, fruit (or dessert if you prefer sweets), orange juice, and a bottle of wine.
Quinta do Pôpa (25 minutes’ drive from Peso da Régua and Pinhão) and Quinta da Roêda (6 minutes from Pinhão) also provide picnics in beautiful settings. Undoubtedly, it’s a delightful way to experience the Douro Valley.
Discover Stunning Douro Viewpoints
If you are on a romantic trip in Douro, you should visit one of the pretty viewpoints in the area. The most famous ones are São Leonardo da Galafura (28 minutes to drive from Peso da Régua), Casal de Loivos (10 minutes from Pinhão), and São Salvador do Mundo (10 minutes from São João da Pesqueira). They are all beautiful with great places to take photos.
These viewpoints will give you something special to see with the person you love. The views will amaze you. Also, the drive to get to each viewpoint has pretty scenery. So your romantic trip will be even more fun.
Our Guides to Portugal
Travel Planning Guide for Porto
Travel Insurance for Your Trip to Porto
Buying insurance is always valuable when travelling abroad. Therefore, enjoy your holiday in Porto stress-free with one of my favourite providers, Visitors Coverage Insurance.
Renting a Car in Porto
Indeed, renting a car in Porto is easy and is a great way to explore the island freely. Consequently, I recommend booking yours with Rentalcars.com – they offer a variety of operators for all budgets.
Finding the Perfect Accommodation
The best way to book your accommodation in Porto is with Booking.com. In fact, it’s my go to site to compare and reserve places to stay each night, from affordable guesthouses to luxury hotels.
Booking Flights to Porto
Lastly, for air travel, I recommend booking your flight with Omio. Moreover, it has been my favourite platform for years, as it allows me to book the cheapest flights to visit Porto.
Conclusion
I hope we’ve helped you answer how many days in Porto? And by including the Douro Valley, we’ve shown you two of Portugal’s best destinations. They offer a blend of romance, beauty, and unique charm. Your perfect 3-day trip awaits in Portugal!
