Three Awesome Days in Porto
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Porto has got all that and more. Located at the confluence of the Douro River and Atlantic Ocean in northern Portugal, the city has preserved its historic core and vintage Iberian atmosphere to an even larger extent than Lisbon.
The food is fabulous – especially the fresh-from-the-boat seafood. Port wine is named for the fact that it originates from Porto and the nearby Douro Valley. There are cool museums, gorgeous beaches, stunning Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and even heritage trams similar to the cable cars of San Francisco.
What’s the best way to discover the city? Check out this three-day itinerary.
Day One
An ideal way to start any Porto visit is getting out on the water on one of the many boat trips that ply the river between the Atlantic Ocean and the Douro Valley.
There are tons of choices, from narrated journeys in tourist boats with large picture windows to boozy party boats or reproductions of the traditional wooden rabelo watercraft once used to transport barrels of port wine from the vineyards to aging caves and cellars in the city.
For those who don’t like to share their deck space with strangers, Feel Douro offers private sailboat and motor yacht excursions on the Douro. Their voyages range from two hours to a full day, the riverside scenery complemented by snacks, port wine and knowledgeable guides and skippers.
Stepping off the boat, it’s time to dive into a sumptuous seafood lunch at the Taberna do São Pedro in Vila Nova de Gaia, the waterfront neighborhood on the south bank. Featuring a façade covered in vintage green tiles, the little restaurant is located on Rua Costa Goodolfim near Douro Marina. Grilled sardines, barbecue shrimp skewers and fabulous baked potatoes are among the house specialties.
Set aside the afternoon for exploring landmarks in the historic city center like the elegant Palácio da Bolsa. Despite the name, the imposing structure isn’t a royal residence but the flamboyant home of the city’s merchant association. Guided tours take visitors through the vast Hall of Nations with its glass dome, an office occupied by engineering maestro Gustave Eiffel while he was building a bridge across the Douro, and the exquisite Salão Árabe (Arabian Hall).
For dinner, try another local favorite – a Francesinha (“Little French Girl”) sandwich at the old and venerable Café Guarany (opened in 1933). This legendary dish includes beef, ham, sausage and cheese between two pieces of bread all served in a beer-and-tomato sauce with a fried egg. One is enough to feed two people.
Wooden rabelo boats and old town Porto. (photo by Joe Yogerst)
Day Two
Ready for some exercise? Rent an e-bike at Blue Dragon, carefully make your way down the city’s steep cobblestone streets to the waterfront and cycle along the river to the Atlantic coast. Along the way you pass beneath two of the city’s six bridges – including the Ponte da Arrábida which you can ascend on a crazy bridge climb activity.
Reaching the ocean, you can return along the same route or continue along a spacious seafront promenade that doubles as the first leg of Portugal’s version of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. A string of gorgeous beaches culminates in the Piscina das Marés, manmade saltwater swimming pools and an oceanfront café that blend perfectly into the natural rock formations.
Back in the historic city center, pop into Porto’s other over-the-top building: Livraria Lello. The “World’s Most Beautiful Bookstore” is a feast for both the eye and the intellect, thousands of books (including richly illustrated coffee table versions of the Harry Potter series) and architecture that blends Art Nouveau and Neo Gothic. Platinum Tours of the bookstore include exclusive entry to a basement filled with rare first edition English-language books (like Moby Dick, Lolita and Alice in Wonderland) and the private book collections of celebrities like the late Amy Winehouse.
The bookstore lies within a short walk of other landmarks like the Fonte dos Leões (Lion Fountain), the blue-and-white tile covered Igrejado Carmo church (opened in 1768) and the Museum of Natural History & Science inside the University of Porto. If your feet are feeling a bit weary by now, chill in the leafy Jardim da Cordoaria behind the university or a bar along the Rua da Galeria de Paris, one of Porto’s nightlife hot spots.
Believe or not, Porto has a small Asian-flavored neighborhood, a cluster of restaurants around the Largo do Dr. Tito Fontes that includes Chinese, Middle Eastern and Japanese food. New on the scene is local favorite Ramen Joe.
Day Three
After breakfast, get your mind blown by the offbeat modern art and eclectic architecture of the Serralves Foundation Complex in the city’s western burbs. The former estate of a wealthy local family, the 44-acre compound includes a contemporary art museum with edgy painting and photographic exhibits, and a pink Art Deco mansion filled with bizarre and surprising conceptual art like Maurizio Cattelan’s famous banana duct taped to a wall.
Another local art form is port wine, produced in steep hillside vineyards upstream from Porto and aged in the caves and cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia on the south bank. Founded in the late 1700s and early 1800s, many of the port makers run tours of their underground wonders. For instance, Graham’s Port Lodge offers an hour-long guided visit that culminates with a tasting of three different ports paired with chocolate, cheese, and a pastel de nata custard tart.
Continue your journey through the world of port at the riverside Sandeman Terrace, an al fresco bar that complements its colorful port sangria cocktails with a panoramic view across the Douro to the old town.
Spurge on dinner at Restaurant DeCastro Gaia in the wonderfully restored Espaço Porto Cruz building. Reserve a window table with a river view and order from a menu that includes local favorites like bacalhau (codfish), entrecôte à Portuguesa (veal steak) and choco salteado (sautéed cuttlefish).
After dinner, take a romantic stroll along the waterfront and across the pedestrian portion of the Dom Luis I Bridge to the old town.
In three activity-filled days, you’ve maximized your year of travel without ever leaving the city.
-Joe Yogerst
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