best things to do in Porto

Porto, a historic mercantile city on the Douro Estuary, is a World Heritage site with a diverse and rich heritage, including ancient walls, Baroque churches, narrow lanes, and the Romanesque Cathedral. Lisbon, Western Europe’s oldest city, dates back to the fourth century and grew into the middle Ages.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Porto

1. Cais da Ribeira

Porto’s riverbank area is a lively and fun spot for tourists and residents, with bars, restaurants, and a river walk. It offers a stunning view of the historic Lush I Bridge and a maze of steep stairs between pastel-painted houses. The Cais da Ribeira has been repurposed with information boards about the district’s characters and enterprises.

It’s a great place to see the neatly packed pastel-coloured cottages facing the ocean during the day. Many of the restaurants in the vicinity offer terraces where you can enjoy the nocturnal views of the river and the bridge, as well as traditional cuisine.

2. Serralves Museum & Villa

Charles Siclis designed the elegant Art Deco residence Casa de Serralves, built between 1925 and 1944. The home offers a terrific day out with its lush terraced grounds and contemporary art museum. The park hosts high-profile exhibitions, featuring artists like Joan Miró and Liam Gillick.

The cultural institution aims to raise awareness and knowledge about contemporary art, architecture, and landscape. The foundation’s villa and park, first opened in the 1930s, are considered a national monument. The villa, designed as a private residence, presents temporary art exhibits and overlooks the park’s lush gardens, exotic flora, and winding walks.

3. Luís I Bridge

The Eiffel Company co-founded Ethnophile Seyrig, who designed the twin-level metal arched bridge in 1886, a symbol of Porto. Located above the River Douro, the bridge connects the Cathedral of Porto and the Serra do Pillar escarpment. It is one kilometre from the D. Maria Pia Bridge and Arrábida Bridge.

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4. Church of São Francisco

This church, erected in 1425, is Porto’s final Gothic monument. Wander around to the apse to admire the tall lancet windows, then return to the main facade, which features an intricate portal crowned by a magnificent rose window.

The interiors were redecorated between the 1500s and the 1700s and feature some of the most ornate gilded woodwork you could wish to see.

Intricately carved panels depicting birds, cherubs, and vegetation cover the original Gothic vaults, walls, and pillars.

 

5. Palácio da Bolsa

The Neoclassical design of the Church of So Francisco was restored after the Siege of Porto in 1832. The building’s exterior, completed in 1850, features a neoclassical exterior with eclectic interiors until the early twentieth century. The church’s stuccoed Moorish Revival Salo rabe and octagonal metal and glass roof add to its unique charm.

6. Clérigos Church

The highest building in Portugal, the Clérigos church, features a 75.6-metre-high tower with fine carvings and a clock inspired by Tuscan campaniles. Designed in 1763, it offers a panoramic view of the city despite the 240 stairs.

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7. Praça da Liberdade

The enormous open areas of Santo Ildefonso’s square and boulevard feel a world away from the Cais da Ribeira’s little alleyways.

The Praça da Liberdade was designed in the 18th century as a new urban arrangement and is limited to the south by the Neoclassical Palácio das Cardosas, an 18th-century monastery turned hotel.

There is an equestrian statue of Brazil’s Pedro IV, who is known as a democratic reformer.

With stately civic buildings, fashionable stores, and the Belle Époque Majestic Café on Rua Santa Catarina, the streets around are some of the most upscale in the city.