![Porto, Portugal](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/porto-guide-lead-image.jpg?imwidth=680)
48 hours in . . . Porto, an insider guide to Portugal's splendid second city
![Porto, Portugal](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/porto-guide-lead-image.jpg?imwidth=680)
Old world charm – with a burst of new world energy
Long regarded as Lisbon’s quieter sibling, Portugal’s second city is currently undergoing a magical moment of rejuvenation. Centuries ago, British merchant ships would cluster in Porto’s medieval harbour to ferry the region’s eponymous port wines back home. Now, the city’s river banks are crowded with hip new bars and cool pavement restaurants. Helping drive Porto’s transformation is its resurgent cultural scene, from world class concerts at Casa de Musica to exciting art exhibitions along Rua de Miguel Bombarda. But this ancient metropolis is not about to tart itself up and pimp itself out for the tourists like so many other popular European destinations. Portuenses love their old world ways too much to give them up. So staying put are the city’s cobbled streets and beautifully tiled churches, its lazy lunchtimes and touching friendliness. In short, what’s on offer is the best of both worlds.
Day one
Morning
Porto is a city best seen on foot. Not that walking is a breeze: steep slopes and stone cobbles proliferate in this hilly metropolis. To prepare for all the pavement pounding ahead, head over to Manteigaria (Rua de Alexandre Braga 24) for the best pastéis de nata (custard tarts) in the city. From outside, you can see aproned chefs rolling out the pastry and stirring vats of creamy custard as they prepare this Portuguese classic. A handbell is rung when a fresh batch of ‘natas’ are out of the oven.
Make sure you pop into the traditional shops around the corner including Merceria de Bolhão (Rua Formosa 305) and Comer e Chorar por Mais (Rua Formosa 300) - translated ‘eat and cry for more’, and look out for the decorative tiles of A Pérola do Bolhão (Rua Formosa 279). Specialising in local and regional products, these shops have been serving customers for 100 years.
Afterwads, walk up Santa Catarina street until you reach the Church of St. Ildefonso (Rua de Santo Ildefonso 11). The exterior provides a wonderful example of the ornate blue azulejo tiles for which Porto is rightly famous. If you like the church, you’ll love the railway station. Located just down the hill, São Bento (Praça Almeida Garrett) is plastered with around 20,000 azulejo tiles.
![São Bento](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/sao-bento-porto-things-to-do.jpg?imwidth=350)
Afternoon
From São Bento, it’s a stone’s throw to pedestrianised Rua das Flores, a popular street for shops, cafés and restaurants. If you’re feeling peckish, the Mercador Café (Rua das Flores 180; 00 351 22 332 3041) is a great spot for a light snack. Don’t miss popping into the flagship store of Portuguese beauty and fragrance brand Claus Porto (Rua das Flores 22; 00 351 914 290 359), which, as well as being super stylish, has a fascinating mini-museum on the first floor that displays the company's products and packaging through the decades. Another must-visit shop is Livraria Chaminé de Mota, a family-owned book emporium. Ask to see the eclectic collections of music boxes, gramophones and printing ephemera on the upper floors and the basement.
Turn right and wind through the atmospheric streets of Rua de Belomonte and Rua das Taipas up to the Portuguese Centre for Photography (Campo Mártires da Pátria S/N; 00 351 220 046 300). A former prison, the cell (on the top floor) where Portuguese writer Camilo Castello Branco was incarcerated has some of the best views of the city. The other penthouse cells house a fascinating collection of cameras through the ages The fortress-like building now plays host to touring exhibitions.
If you’re after views, the climb up the steps of Torre dos Clérigos (Rua de São Filipe de Nery) is well worth the effort. From the top of Porto’s iconic tower, you’ll get an unparalleled view over the city.
![Mercador Café](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/mercador-cafe-porto-restaurant.jpg?imwidth=350)
LATE
If sunset is late enough, walk the short distance to the viewing point above Parque das Virtudes (Passeio das Virtudes 53-3), where you can revel in the kaleidoscopic evening light over the nearby Atlantic.
For dinner, book a table at Semea (Rua das Flores 179; 00 351 938 566 766), where Vasco Coehlo Santos – one of Porto’s most ambitious chefs – delivers a perfect combination of culinary ambition and cultural authenticity. The food is outstanding, but the setting is intimate and non-formal.
For a nightcap on the way home, drop in at Café Candelabro (Rua da Conceição 3), a low-key hangout popular with locals and visitors alike. It is one of the few places you can buy good wine by the glass. The window displays and artsy interiors are a nod to its previous life as a bookshop.
![Vogue Cafe](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/semea-porto-restaurants-guide.jpg?imwidth=350)
Day two
Morning
All the big wineries offer guided tours with a tasting, but for a more authentic experience check out CV Kopke (Avenida Diogo Leite, 344; 00 351 915 848 484). This is the city’s oldest port wine company (founded in 1638), and their friendly staff really know their stuff. Don’t leave without trying at least a sip of Colheita, a single vintage-dated tawny port for which CV Kopke is famed.
A short (but steep) walk up the hill behind, the museums of WOW Porto (Rua do Choupelo, 39; 00 351 220 121 200) offer a spectacular showcase of Portuguese wine, the regions of Portugal and history of Porto - as well as cork, chocolate and fashion - and are a good wet weather option.
![Wow's central square offers views of Porto's medieval coloured houses](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/2020/September/CROP-central-square-wow-Copyright-Hilodi.jpg?imwidth=350)
Afternoon
Dozens of restaurants line both banks of the river near Dom Luis I bridge, but for a more authentic and charming experience, walk along the south bank to the mouth of the Douro. Just beyond the spectacular Arrábida bridge (the last of Porto’s six bridges before the ocean), you’ll find the old fishing village of Afuruda. There is no shortage of restaurants – but a perfect spot to enjoy a bowl of clams or grilled sardines is the Taberna São Pedro (Rua Vasco de Gama 126; 00 351 915 465 918).
A river taxi will transport you back to the north bank of the river, where you can catch Porto’s historic tram back to the city centre. Or walk back along the north bank of the Douro, popping in to the Tram Museum (Alameda de Basílio Teles, 51) and the former Custom House (Rua Nova da Alfândega) opposite, which hosts periodic exhibitions, is worth a quick visit worth a quick visit.
![Porto's tram](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/tram-porto-things-to-do.jpg?imwidth=350)
LATE
End your visit in the relaxed ambiance of Esporão (Rua do Almada 501; 00 351 22 019 0153), a popular new addition to Porto's downtown gastro scene. Styled by in vogue German furniture and lighting designer Christian Haas, the exquisite yet unflashy decor syncs perfectly with the ethos of the kitchen. Expect not just to eat well, but to drink well as the restaurant's owners also have a side-line (read: hugely successful enterprise) in wine-making.
If you packed your party shoes, then finish the night at Passos Manuel (Rua de Passos Manuel 137; 00 351 22 205 8351), a cool subterranean club underneath the Coliseu do Porto. For a slightly more chilled entry into the early hours, hop over the road to Maus Habitos (Rua de Passos Manuel 178; 00 351 937 202 918), a late-night haunt for Porto’s in-crowd.
![Esporão](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/esporao-no-porto-restaurant-wine-guide.jpg?imwidth=350)
Luxury Living
Situated above the Douro River with glorious views over Porto’s historic old town, The Yeatman is a bastion of style and elegance that deserves its long-standing reputation as one of Europe’s most sophisticated five-star hotels. Owned by the Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman group, one of Porto’s most prestigious port producers, its expansive cellar makes it a haven for wine lovers the world over. Accompanying its oenological delights are the gastronomic marvels of Ricardo Costa, head chef of the hotel’s two-Michelin star restaurant and WOW Porto – the onsite cultural village with five museums giving an expansive overview of wine, cork, Porto history, fashion and chocolate.
Doubles from €130 (£116); Rua do Choupelo (Santa Marinha 345; 00 351 22 013 3100
![The Yeatman](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/the-yeatman-hotel-porto-pool.jpg?imwidth=350)
Boutique Bolthole
Housed in a classic 1930s townhouse in the up-and-coming district of Bonfim, the three-bedroomed myhomeinporto offers a genuine home away from home. Think light-filled bedrooms, homemade cakes and freshly brewed coffee. It's all artfully put together by owner and former interior designer Juan de Mayoralgo.
Doubles from €110 (£98); Rua de Ferreira Cardoso 72; 00 351 960 046 888
![myhomeinporto](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/hotels/europe/portugal/porto/myhomeinporto-bedroom3.jpg?imwidth=350)
Budget Beauty
Belos Aires Apartments comprises five chic but simple apartments in the heart of Ribeira district; it's the perfect bolthole from which to explore the city. Each room has touches of Argentine and Portuguese culture, reflecting the respective origins of the friendly husband-and-wife team who run it. The couple’s popular bar and restaurant is just a stone’s throw away, making up for the lack of on-site facilities.
Doubles from €60 (£53); Rua das Taipas 5, União de Freguesias do Centro; 00 351 916 980 798
![Belos Aires Apartments](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/hotels/europe/portugal/porto/belos-aires-apartments-porto-portugal-p.jpg?imwidth=350)
Claus Porto (Rua das Flores 22; 00 351 914 290 359) now exports its soaps to the UK, but there’s something far better about browsing the shelves at its flagship store and smelling out the perfect one for you.
![Claus Porto](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Europe/Portugal/Porto/claus-porto-shopping.jpg?imwidth=350)
The weather is certainly more reliable in the summer months and that’s when it is most busy. From April to October prices are higher and accommodation harder to find. The city pulls out the stops for Easter, Christmas and New Year with plenty of free cultural events, street music and a celebratory feel. If you come in the autumn and winter, bring a brolly as it likes to rain.
Local laws and etiquette
Porto airport is small and calm, and access to the city is very easy. The Metro station is directly outside the airport (and even has fresh turf between the tracks). For less than €3 (£2.50), you’ll be in the city centre within 25 minutes.
Trindade Metro station, just behind the City Hall at the top of Aliados Avenue, provides the city’s subway system with its central hub. From here, there are bus connections to those areas without a nearby Metro line. Taxis are affordable and the number of Uber cars in the city is growing. Consider downloading Moovit to guide you round the city’s public transport network.
The old town of Porto is compact and it is easy to walk to most places. If you are staying in Ribeira district, where many of the riverside hotels and restaurants can be found, be mindful that everywhere else is uphill. The bumpy cobbles, steep inclines and horn-honking traffic don’t make cycling a great idea in the downtown areas. However, for exploring the city’s outskirts, particularly the Atlantic coast, there are few better options.
A tourist tram runs around the city centre and out along the River Douro, but not as far as the sea. For the sun and sand, jump on the No. 500 bus. Alternatively, Porto also has several excellent tour bus operators, which provide another viable, if slightly more expensive, option.
For day-trips out of Porto by train, the main departure point is São Bentos station. If you do end up booking a ticket, be sure to arrive early so you can properly take in the fabulous tiled departure hall.
Porto residents are characteristically relaxed, quiet and courteous. Life doesn’t move quickly, so don’t expect express service. If you can adjust to the local pace, you will enjoy the benefits. Many people speak English, especially the city’s younger population, and they are pleased to use it. Tipping isn’t mandatory or expected. Wages for waiters and hotel staff are low, however, so anything you can spare will be appreciated.
Portuenses like the good life, although public drunkenness is frowned on. Crime levels are low and walking at night is safe in most of the city’s central districts. Although Porto has an active nightlife scene, it’s far from being a party town. Restaurants will stay open late throughout the week, but the midweek vibe is generally low-key.
The basics
Currency: Euros €
Telephone code: 00 351 [Portugal] 22 [Porto]
Time difference: 0
Flight time: 2hrs 20 mins from London
Essential contacts
British Embassy: Rua de São Bernardo 33, 1249-082 Lisbon, 00 351 21 395 4082
Police: 121 or 00 341 222 081 833
Tourist office: Central Tourist Information Office, Rua Clube Fenianos 25, 00 351 223 393 472, visitporto.travel
Author bio
Oliver is a British writer with a serious Iberian addiction. If he’s not sitting in one of Porto’s cafés enjoying a pastel de nata, he’s out jogging beside the river Douro to work off the calories.
Telegraph Travel's best hotels and holidays in Porto, tried, tested and recommended by our Porto experts.