By rail
Porto Campanhã, ~3 h from Lisbon
Europe · Portugal
Porto, Portugal
Port-wine cellars in a hillside river town
Getting there
By air
Francisco Sá Carneiro, Porto (OPO), ~11 km
Best time to visit
May to September — warm and dry
Don't miss
The Ribeira
The Dom Luís I Bridge
The São Bento station tiles
The Clérigos Tower
Things to do
Port tastings in Vila Nova de Gaia
The Ribeira
A Douro cruise
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Rititaneves · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes, a rain layer
A quieter corner
The Foz do Douro seaside promenade
Questions travellers ask
Which months are best for Porto?
May to September, when it is warm and dry. Pack comfortable shoes and a rain layer all the same.
How do I get to Porto from Lisbon?
The train to Porto Campanhã takes about 3 h. If you fly in instead, Francisco Sá Carneiro airport (OPO) is about 11 km out.
What are Porto's highlights?
Wander the Ribeira, cross the Dom Luís I Bridge, and take in the São Bento station tiles and the Clérigos Tower. Save time for a Douro cruise.
Where can I taste port wine in Porto?
At the port tastings in Vila Nova de Gaia. Try a francesinha sandwich too, then walk it off along the Foz do Douro seaside promenade.
About Porto
- Riverside
- Coastal
Where it is
Porto is Portugal's second-largest city, built on steep hillsides on the north bank of the Douro river near its mouth on the Atlantic coast of northern Portugal, facing Vila Nova de Gaia across the river.
History
Porto's Celtic-Latin name, Portus Cale, is thought to be the origin of the name Portugal. The city was the birthplace of Henry the Navigator, English merchants came to dominate its port wine trade in the 18th century, and Porto withstood an 18-month siege in 1832–1833; its historic centre became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
People
Portuenses speak Portuguese, and the city's great festival is São João, on the night of 23–24 June, when crowds fill the streets, tap each other on the head with soft plastic hammers and watch fireworks over the Douro. Rabelo boats, which once carried port wine down the river, still line the quays.
Known for
- Port wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia
- The Ribeira riverfront
- The Dom Luís I Bridge
- The azulejos of São Bento station
- The francesinha sandwich
Did you know?
Porto's people are nicknamed tripeiros, tripe-eaters: legend says they sent their best meat with the fleet that sailed to conquer Ceuta in 1415 and kept only the offal, giving rise to the dish tripas à moda do Porto.
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