Porto
Updated October 19, 2026
Also known as: Oporto, OPO, Cidade Invicta
Main Landmarks in Porto
Ribeira
The Ribeira, Porto's riverside district, a UNESCO site, has colourful tall houses, narrow alleys and a waterfront promenade, the Cais da Ribeira, lined with restaurants and cafés, with views of the Dom Luís I bridge and the port cellars of Gaia across the river. The Praça da Ribeira and the Church of São Francisco, with a lavish gilded Baroque interior, about €10, are nearby. Rabelo boat cruises of the six bridges leave from here, costing about €15–20. Entry is free. Visit at sunset, and avoid overpriced restaurants on the front.
Dom Luís I Bridge
The Dom Luís I Bridge, completed in 1886, is a double-deck iron arch bridge connecting Porto with Vila Nova de Gaia, designed by Théophile Seyrig, a former partner of Gustave Eiffel. Pedestrians can walk on both decks: the lower deck links the Ribeira with the Gaia waterfront, and the upper deck, about 45 m high, shared with the metro, offers spectacular views over the city and the river. Crossing is free. Walk across the upper deck at sunset, and continue to the Serra do Pilar Monastery viewpoint.
Port Wine Cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia
The port wine cellars, caves, of Vila Nova de Gaia, across the Douro from the Ribeira, store and age port in thousands of oak barrels. Houses such as Taylor's, Graham's, Sandeman, Cálem, Ferreira and Cockburn's offer guided tours, explaining how port is made, with tastings of two or three ports. Tours cost about €15–30, with premium tastings more. Allow about one hour per cellar. Book online in advance in summer. The Gaia cable car, about €7, offers views over the cellars and the river.
São Bento Railway Station
São Bento railway station, opened in 1916 on the site of a former convent, has a grand entrance hall decorated with about 20,000 azulejo tiles, painted by Jorge Colaço between 1905 and 1916, showing scenes from the history of Portugal, such as the Battle of Arcos de Valdevez and the arrival of João I in Porto, and rural life. Trains go to the Douro Valley and Guimarães from here. Entry is free. Visit in the morning, when the light is soft, and take the train to the Douro.
Livraria Lello
The Livraria Lello, opened in 1906, is a bookshop in a neo-Gothic building with a carved wooden ceiling, a stained glass skylight and a curving red staircase, often called one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world, linked by popular legend to Harry Potter. Entry requires a ticket, about €10–16, partly deductible from a book purchase. Book a timed slot online, and visit at opening time or in the evening to avoid long queues. Photography is allowed. Allow about 30 minutes.
Clérigos Tower
The Clérigos Tower, built between 1754 and 1763 by the Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni, is a Baroque bell tower about 75 m high, a symbol of Porto. Visitors climb about 225 steps to the top for panoramic views over the city, the Douro and the sea. The Clérigos Church, with an oval nave, and a museum of religious art are part of the visit. Tickets cost about €8–10. Allow about one hour. Visit in the late afternoon or at night, when the tower is open for evening visits in summer.
Palácio da Bolsa
The Palácio da Bolsa, the Stock Exchange Palace, built from 1842 to 1910 by the city's commercial association, is a neoclassical building next to the Church of São Francisco, known for its lavish interiors, especially the Arab Room, decorated in Moorish style with gold and coloured stucco, inspired by the Alhambra. It is still used for official events. Visits are by guided tour only, in several languages, costing about €12–14. Allow about 45 minutes. Book in advance, especially in summer.
Serralves Foundation
The Serralves Foundation, in the west of the city, includes the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by Álvaro Siza and opened in 1999, the Art Deco Casa de Serralves, a pink villa from the 1930s, and an 18-hectare park with gardens, woods, a farm and a treetop walk. It hosts exhibitions of contemporary art and the Serralves em Festa festival in June. Tickets cost about €15–25. Allow about three hours. It is about 20 minutes by bus from the centre. Visit on a sunny day to enjoy the park.
History
Porto, on the steep northern bank of the Douro River, about 5 km from the Atlantic, was a Celtic and then Roman settlement called Portus Cale, the port of Cale, which gave its name to both the city and the country, Portugal. In the 9th century, it was the centre of the County of Portucale, the core of the future kingdom. In 1415 the shipyards of Porto built the fleet that conquered Ceuta, beginning the Age of Discoveries, and according to tradition the townspeople gave all their meat to the sailors, keeping only the tripe, which is why the people of Porto are called tripeiros. Prince Henry the Navigator was born in Porto in 1394. In the 17th and 18th centuries, English merchants developed the trade in port wine, shipped down the Douro on rabelo boats to the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, and in 1756 the Marquis of Pombal created the Douro demarcated region. In 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars, French troops captured Porto, and many people drowned when a bridge of boats collapsed. In 1832–1833 the city resisted a siege during the Liberal Wars, earning the title Invicta, unconquered. The Dom Luís I bridge was completed in 1886. In 1996 the historic centre became a UNESCO site. Today about 230,000 people live in the city and about 1.7 million in the metropolitan area.
Culture
Porto is a proud, hard-working city, known for its strong sense of identity, its rivalry with Lisbon and the saying that Porto works while Lisbon plays. Its people, the tripeiros, are known for their warmth, directness and love of food. Port wine is central to its culture and economy, and the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river, with names such as Taylor's, Graham's, Sandeman and Cálem, have welcomed visitors for generations. The city's architecture ranges from medieval streets and Baroque churches covered in blue and white azulejos to the modern works of the Porto School of architecture, led by Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura, both Pritzker Prize winners, and Rem Koolhaas's Casa da Música. The biggest celebration of the year is the São João festival, on the night of 23 to 24 June, when people fill the streets, hit each other on the head with plastic hammers, release lanterns, eat grilled sardines and watch fireworks over the Douro. Football is a passion, with FC Porto, one of the most successful clubs in Portugal, winner of the European Cup in 1987 and the Champions League in 2004. Porto has a lively arts scene, with the Serralves Museum and street art. Its cafés, such as the Majestic, are elegant meeting places.
Climate
Spring
8–21°C
March to May brings mild days of about 16–21°C, with frequent rain in March and April, and more sunshine in May. It is a…
Summer
15–27°C
June to September is warm, with days of about 23–27°C, cooled by Atlantic breezes, and occasional fog in the mornings. T…
Autumn
9–22°C
October and November bring mild days of about 15–22°C and increasing rain. September and October are the harvest season …
Winter
5–15°C
December to February is cool and wet, with days of about 13–15°C and nights of about 5–7°C, and frequent rain from the A…
Fun Facts
The city that named a country
The name Portugal comes from Portus Cale, the Roman name for the settlements at the mouth of the Douro, today's Porto an…
Tripe eaters
The people of Porto are nicknamed tripeiros, tripe eaters, because, according to tradition, in 1415 they gave all their …
A bridge by an Eiffel disciple
The Dom Luís I Bridge, completed in 1886, is a double-deck iron arch bridge about 172 m wide, connecting Porto with Vila…
Hammers on heads at São João
During the São João festival, on the night of 23 to 24 June, the people of Porto walk the streets until dawn, hitting ea…
A bookshop people queue for
The Livraria Lello, opened in 1906 in a neo-Gothic building, with a carved wooden ceiling, stained glass and a curving r…
Wine that travelled by boat
For centuries, port wine was transported in barrels from the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley down the river to Vi…
Local Cuisine in Porto
Practical Travel Information
Transport & Accessibility
International Transport
Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, OPO, about 11 km north of the centre, is the second busiest airport in Portugal, with flights across Europe and to the Americas and Africa. The Metro Line E connects it with the centre in about 30 minutes, and taxis cost about €20–30. Campanhã station has Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains to Lisbon, in about three hours, Coimbra and Braga, and international trains to Vigo, in Spain. São Bento station has regional trains to the Douro Valley and Guimarães. Intercity buses go to Spain and other Portuguese cities.
Local Transport
Porto has a light metro with six lines, mostly above ground, connecting the centre with the airport, Gaia, Matosinhos and the suburbs, buses run by STCP, three historic tram lines, the Guindais funicular between the Ribeira and Batalha, and the Gaia cable car. The rechargeable Andante card costs €0.60, with trips from about €1.40–2.60 depending on zones, and the Andante Tour pass covers 24 or 72 hours. Uber, Bolt and taxis are cheap. Walking is the best way to explore, but streets are steep and cobbled. Boats cross the river.
Safety & Health
Personal Safety
Porto is very safe, with low crime rates. Pickpockets operate in crowded tourist areas, such as the Ribeira, São Bento, the Dom Luís I bridge and on trams and the metro, so keep bags closed. At night, some streets around the Batalha and parts of the Ribeira can be quiet, so stay in busy areas. The cobbled streets and steep stairs are slippery when wet. At beaches, swim only where lifeguards are present, as Atlantic currents are strong. During São João, crowds are large, so watch your belongings. In an emergency, call 112.
Medical Services
Porto has excellent hospitals, such as Hospital de São João, one of the largest in Portugal, Hospital de Santo António and private hospitals, such as CUF and Hospital da Luz, with English-speaking doctors. EU citizens can use the European Health Insurance Card, while others need travel insurance. The SNS 24 line, 808 24 24 24, gives medical advice. Pharmacies, marked with a green cross, are common, and some are open 24 hours on a rota. Tap water is safe to drink.
Budget & Costs
Travel Costs
Porto is one of the most affordable cities in Western Europe. A hostel bed costs about €20–40, a mid-range hotel €80–150 and a luxury hotel from €200 per night, with higher prices in summer and during São João. A francesinha costs about €10–15, an espresso €0.80–1.20, a lunch menu €9–14 and dinner in a mid-range restaurant €20–35 per person. A metro trip costs about €1.40–2.60, a port cellar tour €15–30, Livraria Lello €10–16, the Clérigos Tower €8–10 and a six-bridges cruise €15–20. A mid-range traveller should budget about €80–140 per day.
Budget Tips
Buy an Andante card or an Andante Tour pass for public transport. Walk across the Dom Luís I bridge, explore the Ribeira and visit São Bento station for free. Eat lunch menus at local restaurants, and try sandes de pernil at Casa Guedes. Avoid restaurants on the Ribeira front, which are overpriced. Visit port cellars that offer cheaper basic tastings. Take the train to the Douro Valley instead of a tour. Visit in the shoulder season. Walking is free and often the best way to explore.
Culture & Traditions
Social Norms
People in Porto are friendly, direct and proud of their city. Greet people with bom dia or boa tarde. English is widely spoken, but a few words of Portuguese are appreciated, and it is impolite to address people in Spanish. Tipping is not obligatory, but leaving about 5–10% for good service is appreciated. Lunch is from about 12:30 to 14:30 and dinner from about 20:00. The couvert, bread and olives served at the start, is charged if eaten. Dress respectfully in churches.
Cultural Activities
Celebrate São João on 23–24 June with hammers and sardines. Take a port cellar tour in Gaia. Cruise the six bridges on a rabelo boat. Visit São Bento station and the azulejo churches, such as Capela das Almas. Attend a concert at the Casa da Música. Explore the Serralves Museum and park. Watch an FC Porto match at the Estádio do Dragão. Have coffee at the Majestic Café. Walk along the coast to Foz do Douro at sunset. Take a trip to the Douro Valley during the harvest.
Unique Experiences in Porto
Walk across the upper deck of the Dom Luís I bridge at sunset, about 45 m above the Douro, for the best views of the Ribeira and the port cellars, then continue to the Serra do Pilar Monastery viewpoint. It is free. Watch out for the metro, which shares the deck, and arrive early in summer.
Take a tour and tasting at a port wine cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia, such as Graham's, Taylor's or Cálem, learning how port is made and aged in oak barrels, and tasting ruby, tawny and white ports. Tours cost about €15–30. Book online, and combine several cellars.
Celebrate São João on the night of 23 to 24 June, walking the streets until dawn with plastic hammers, eating grilled sardines, dancing and watching fireworks over the Douro at midnight. It is free. Book accommodation months in advance, and keep valuables secure.
Take the train from São Bento along the Douro to Pinhão, in about 2.5 hours, through the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley, a UNESCO site, and visit a quinta, a wine estate, for a tasting. Tickets cost about €10–15 each way. Visit in September or October for the harvest.
Cruise the six bridges of Porto on a traditional rabelo boat, seeing the city from the river, from the Ribeira under the Dom Luís I, Maria Pia and Arrábida bridges. Cruises cost about €15–20 and last about 50 minutes. Go in the late afternoon for the best light.
Travel Recommendations for Porto
Wear comfortable shoes with good grip, as Porto's streets are steep, cobbled and often wet. Use the Guindais funicular, …
Book tickets for Livraria Lello, the Palácio da Bolsa and port cellar tours online in advance, especially in summer, to …
Take a day trip to the Douro Valley, by train, boat or tour, to see the terraced vineyards where port is produced, espec…
Eat away from the Ribeira front, where restaurants are often overpriced, and try local tascas for francesinha, tripas an…
Visit Foz do Douro, where the river meets the Atlantic, for a walk along the promenade and beaches at sunset, reached by…