Trip video

Full itinerary — 4 days

DAY1

Ribeira and historic centre

Arrive in the morning and head straight to the Ribeira. Walk along the Douro waterfront, up Rua das Flores to Praça da Liberdade. Afternoon: Livraria Lello (online booking required — €8). Dinner with octopus à lagareiro in the Ribeira.

DAY2

Port wine caves (Vila Nova de Gaia)

Walk across Ponte Dom Luís to Gaia. Guided tour at Graham's or Taylor's (€15–20 with tasting). Afternoon: take the Gaia cable car for the best view of Porto. Francesinha for dinner — try Café Santiago.

DAY3

Foz do Douro and beaches

Take tram 1 to Foz. Seafront promenade, Castelo do Queijo and a fresh fish lunch with Atlantic views. Afternoon: Jardins do Palácio de Cristal with stunning views over the Douro.

DAY4

Bonfim and Miragaia + departure

Morning in Bonfim — an authentic neighbourhood with less tourism and beautiful azulejos. Last coffee in a local pastry shop. Check-out and departure. The airport is 20 min by metro from the centre.

Personal tips

Transport

Get an Andante Tour card (24h = €7, 72h = €15). Covers metro, tram and buses. Metro connects the airport to the centre in 20 min.

The francesinha

Porto's iconic dish: a sandwich covered in beer sauce and egg. Sounds heavy but it's mandatory. Café Santiago is the most famous — go at lunch to avoid the queue.

Budget

€60–90/day for the average traveller. Porto is cheaper than Lisbon — meals and accommodation cost less.