Rainy Day Porto
Indoor places for a wet day
Porto has plenty of indoor places, from tiled churches and museums to market halls and cellars. The places here are mostly indoors or under cover. Check each place's own page for opening hours and closing days before you go, because many museums close one weekday.
79 places
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The places
Landmark · Ribeira Palácio da Bolsa The 19th-century stock exchange palace of the Associação Comercial do Porto, a national monument. It's visited on a guided tour of about 30 minutes in Portuguese, Spanish, French or English.
Church · Ribeira Igreja da Misericórdia The church of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia, begun around 1550 in Renaissance style. Its baroque façade on Rua das Flores was redesigned by Nicolau Nasoni after 1740.
Church · Ribeira Igreja de São Nicolau A late 17th-century church with a retable of St Eligius, patron of metalworkers. It mixes mannerist structure with some baroque influence.
Museum · Ribeira Casa do Infante A municipal museum on Rua da Alfândega in Ribeira, part of the Museu do Porto network. The Cabinet of Time exhibition has free entry and the house visit is ticketed online.
Landmark · Ribeira Mercado Ferreira Borges An iron market hall built in 1885 to replace the old Ribeira market. It's now an events venue and home to the Hard Club.
Church · Sé and Vitória Porto Cathedral A Romanesque cathedral begun in the 12th and 13th centuries, with a 14th-century Gothic chapel and cloister. The cloister has tiles by Vital Rifarto and the main chapel has frescoes by Nicolau Nasoni.
Museum · Sé and Vitória Paço Episcopal The 18th-century bishop's palace beside the cathedral. The visit climbs a neoclassical staircase with mural painting, passes portraits of Porto's bishops and ends with a view over the Douro.
Museum · Sé and Vitória Casa-Museu Guerra Junqueiro A house museum near the cathedral, part of the Museu do Porto network. The Cabinet of Drawing has free entry and the house visit is ticketed online.
Museum · Sé and Vitória Centro Português de Fotografia A free public photography centre in the former Court of Appeal building. It holds temporary exhibitions, a permanent display of rare cameras, a specialised library and a shop.
Church · Sé and Vitória Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Vitória A church built between 1755 and 1769, with rococo carved altars and pulpits. The Virgin on the main altar was sculpted by Soares dos Reis.
Church · Sé and Vitória Igreja dos Grilos A church begun in the 16th century with a monumental baroque-Jesuit mannerist façade. Inside is a baroque altar of Nossa Senhora da Purificação.
Museum · Sé and Vitória Museu das Marionetas do Porto A small museum on the work of João Paulo Seara Cardoso and the Teatro de Marionetas do Porto, opened in 2013. It shows puppets, props and objects from the company's shows.
Church · Miragaia Igreja de São Pedro de Miragaia One of the city's oldest churches, reworked in the 1830s. The chancel is covered in carved wood from several periods, and a Flemish triptych shows the Pentecost.
Church · Miragaia Igreja do Convento de São João Novo A 17th-century church whose façade resembles that of São Lourenço. It has a rococo altarpiece and tiles showing the life of Santa Rita of Cascia.
Museum · Massarelos Museu Romântico da Quinta da Macieirinha A municipal museum in the Quinta da Macieirinha house, part of the Museu do Porto network. Visit tickets are sold through the network's ticket office.
Museum · Massarelos Museu do Carro Eléctrico The tram museum, opened in 1992 in the old Massarelos power station by the Douro. It holds trams and service vehicles from Porto's lines and part of the original generating equipment.
Landmark · Massarelos Biblioteca Municipal Almeida Garrett The municipal library inside the Palácio de Cristal gardens, opened in 2001 in a building by architect José Manuel Soares. It has children's, general reading and multimedia sections over two floors.
Museum · Massarelos Soares dos Reis National Museum Portugal's first public art museum, founded in 1833 and housed in the 18th-century Carrancas Palace. Its collection includes António Soares dos Reis's sculpture O Desterrado, and two gardens are open to visitors.
Church · Massarelos Igreja do Corpo Santo de Massarelos A church begun in 1776 and dedicated to São Pedro Gonzalez Telmo. The river-facing rear façade has a tile panel on the Age of Discovery showing Prince Henry.
Church · Cedofeita Igreja de Cedofeita A Romanesque church whose chancel dates from the 11th century. The north portal tympanum shows the Agnus Dei.
Church · Cedofeita Igreja do Carmo A late 18th-century rococo church whose side façade was covered in tiles in 1912, with scenes drawn by Silvestre Silvestri. The visit also covers the Casa Escondida and historic rooms.
Church · Cedofeita Igreja dos Carmelitas A 17th-century church with a classical façade from the 1850s attributed to Nicolau Nasoni. The altarpiece is a rococo piece in the Porto style.
Landmark · Cedofeita Palacete dos Viscondes de Balsemão A palace remodelled in the 19th century that received the exiled King Carlos Alberto of Sardinia in 1849. It has belonged to Porto city council since 1959 and hosts temporary exhibitions and events.
Shopping · Cedofeita Livraria Almedina A bookshop on Rua de Ceuta, in a street known for bookshops, opened in the early 1980s. It specialises in law and technical titles and also stocks literature and children's books.
Shopping · Baixa and Aliados Livraria Lello A bookshop in a neo-Gothic building from 1906, with two floors, a crimson staircase and a lit stained-glass window. Every ticket works as a voucher towards a book bought in the shop.
Landmark · Baixa and Aliados São Bento Station A working railway station built in the early 20th century on the site of a former convent. The entrance hall is covered with 20,000 azulejo tiles by Jorge Colaço showing the history of transport and scenes of Portuguese life, under a glass and cast-iron roof by Marques da Silva.
Church · Baixa and Aliados Church of Santo Ildefonso A church built between 1709 and 1739 on Praça da Batalha. The facade is covered in azulejo panels by Jorge Colaço showing scenes from the life of Saint Ildefonso, and inside is a carved altarpiece with a design by Nicolau Nasoni.
Church · Baixa and Aliados Carmo Church A Rococo church from the second half of the 18th century, with carved woodwork inside. The side wall is covered by a 1912 azulejo panel designed by Silvestre Silvestri, and the church is a national monument.
Church · Baixa and Aliados Trindade Church A church built over the 19th century to a design by architect Carlos Amarante Cruz. A large panel of the Baptism of Christ by José de Brito hangs above the main altar.
Church · Baixa and Aliados Congregados Church An early 18th-century church next to São Bento station, with a Baroque facade. Exterior tiles and interior wall paintings show scenes from the life of Saint Anthony.
Landmark · Baixa and Aliados Teatro Nacional São João The national theatre on Praça da Batalha. The same company also runs the Teatro Carlos Alberto on Rua das Oliveiras.
Landmark · Baixa and Aliados Batalha Centro de Cinema A cinema centre on Praça da Batalha with screenings, retrospectives and themed programmes, plus a café and bar that stay open all day.
Landmark · Baixa and Aliados Rivoli Municipal Theatre The municipal theatre on Praça D. João I, with a programme of theatre, dance and music.
Market · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Bolhão Market The city's central municipal market on Rua Formosa, with fresh produce stalls and a separate food-service area with longer hours.
Cafe · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Café Majestic A Belle Époque café on Rua de Santa Catarina. The menu runs from breakfast and 5 o'clock tea to sandwiches, tapas, salads and main dishes.
Shopping · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Via Catarina A shopping centre on Rua de Santa Catarina with 93 shops, restaurants and 600 parking spaces.
Landmark · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Coliseu Porto Ageas A theatre that opened on 19 December 1941 and became the largest in the country. It hosts music, ballet, theatre, opera and circus.
Nightlife · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Maus Hábitos An art space, concert room, bar, restaurant and club on the fourth floor, with an Italian-style rooftop restaurant and an agenda of concerts and club nights.
Museum · Bonfim Estádio do Dragão and FC Porto Museum FC Porto's stadium, opened in 2003 and designed by Manuel Salgado, with a museum of about 7,000 square metres in 27 themed areas. It shows more than 200 trophies and 280 interactive videos, plus Joana Vasconcelos' artwork Valquíria Dragão.
Museum · Bonfim Porto Military Museum A museum of weapons and equipment from the 16th to the 20th century, with a focus on events in Porto such as the French Invasions, the Liberal Wars and the 1891 republican uprising. It also holds a collection of toy soldier miniatures.
Museum · Bonfim António Carneiro House-Studio A 1920s studio built for Symbolist painter António Carneiro and his son Carlos. It holds about 300 of his works, including the final study for A Vida.
Museum · Bonfim Casa São Roque A contemporary art centre in a mansion with a history dating to 1759, remodelled between 1900 and 1911 by José Marques da Silva. The garden was designed by Jacinto de Matos.
Museum · Bonfim Fine Arts Museum (FBAUP) The museum of the University of Porto's Faculty of Fine Arts, created in 1992. It shows temporary exhibitions in the Pavilhão de Exposições and has a garden of sculptures from various periods.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Cálem Cellars Port lodge on the Gaia quay with an interactive museum, a cellar visit and a tasting. The house dates from 1859.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Sandeman Cellars Port lodge run by Sandeman with guided visits that start with a costumed guide and end with a tasting. The Porto Sandeman Visit lasts 50 minutes and includes three ports.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Taylor's Port Cellars Uphill Port lodge with a self-guided cellar visit and a tasting room. A shop sells current and older Port.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Graham's 1890 Lodge Port lodge of the Symington family on the hillside above the quay, with guided visits and tastings. Visits need a reservation.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Ferreira Cellars Port lodge of the house founded in 1751, with a guided visit through the long warehouse, a vintage museum and a garden. The standard visit ends with a tasting of three Ports.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Burmester Cellars Port cellar under the lower deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge on the Gaia bank, with guided tastings in the lodge.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Cockburn's Lodge Port lodge with a large wooden-roofed cellar and a team of in-house coopers who work Monday to Friday. Visits, including a tasting, last about 90 minutes and need a reservation.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Real Companhia Velha Cellars Port wine cellars of Real Companhia Velha, the company chartered in 1756, with a premium visit that ends in a tasting of four Ports. Reservations are mandatory.
Museum · Vila Nova de Gaia WOW World of Wine Entertainment district in restored Port wine warehouses in Gaia, opened in July 2020. It has five permanent museums, the Atkinson Museum for temporary exhibitions, and restaurants, cafes and shops.
Museum · Vila Nova de Gaia Casa-Museu Teixeira Lopes Municipal house museum of the sculptor Teixeira Lopes in Mafamude, with paintings, period furniture and a collection of ceramics from Gaia factories. The adjoining Galerias Diogo de Macedo hold sculpture and decorative arts.
Museum · Vila Nova de Gaia 17.56 Museum and Enoteca Museum of the First Demarcation of the Douro wine region and enoteca of Real Companhia Velha at Cais de Gaia. The museum is interactive and ends in a shop.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Ramos Pinto Visitor Centre Port house founded in 1880 on the Gaia quay. The visit covers the Adriano Ramos Pinto museum and the cellars, with tastings.
Museum · Boavista Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art Contemporary art museum in a building by Álvaro Siza, inside the Serralves Foundation grounds.
Landmark · Boavista Casa de Serralves Art Deco villa in the Serralves grounds, used for exhibitions.
Museum · Boavista House of Cinema Manoel de Oliveira Cinema and screening venue in the Serralves grounds named after the Porto film director.
Museum · Foz do Douro Sea Life Porto Aquarium beside the Castelo do Queijo, with an underwater tunnel and daily feeding sessions.
Museum · Matosinhos Casa da Arquitectura Architecture centre in a former industrial building in Matosinhos, with exhibitions, an archive and a shop.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Experiência Fonseca Fonseca's Port cellars in Gaia, with an audio-guide visit and a tasting room overlooking the Porto old town and the Dom Luís I Bridge.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Kopke House Tasting house of Kopke, which bills itself as the oldest Port wine house, founded in 1638. The Gaia quay shop and tasting room pair Port with chocolate.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Churchill's Lodge Working Port lodge and visitor centre set back from the Gaia quay, with a tour of the vat room, tawny cave and vintage cellar and a garden bar above the river.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Poças Visitor Centre Family-owned Port house with a visitor centre inside its Gaia cellars. Visits run in Portuguese, Spanish, English, French and Italian.
Wine bar · Vila Nova de Gaia Quevedo Lodge and Wine Bar Port tasting room and wine bar in a 200-year-old former cooperage, a couple of minutes from the Gaia riverfront. It serves tasting flights, Port and Douro wines, cocktails and small plates, with live fado sessions on some afternoons.
Wine cellar · Vila Nova de Gaia Rozès Cellars Port house in the old Rozès cellars in Gaia's historic centre. The visit covers the history of the brand and of Port wine.
Museum · Boavista Paper Money Museum Museum run by a private foundation across from the Parque da Cidade, with a collection of Portuguese banknotes and more than 5,000 miniature cars, plus boats, trains and planes.
Museum · Boavista Holocaust Museum of Porto Museum on the Holocaust run by the Porto Jewish Community, with a reproduction of the Auschwitz barracks, a hall with the names of victims, a memorial flame and a cinema.
Museum · Boavista Porto Planetarium Science centre with a digital planetarium that reopened in June 2015 and shows immersive films and virtual journeys through the cosmos.
Day trip · Braga Braga Cathedral Braga's cathedral, in the old centre, with three separate visit routes: the treasury museum, the chapels and upper choir, and the cathedral itself.
Day trip · Guimarães Palace of the Dukes of Braganza A 15th-century noble residence below the castle, now a museum with period furnishings, tapestries and porcelain.
Day trip · Guimarães Alberto Sampaio Museum A museum of sacred art and decorative arts in the buildings beside the Oliveira church, with medieval sculpture, silver and textiles.
Day trip · Douro Valley Douro Museum A regional museum in the 18th-century Casa da Companhia in Peso da Régua, covering the wine region's landscape, history and trades.
Day trip · Coimbra Joanina Library The baroque library of the University of Coimbra, inside the Palace of Schools, with gilded bookcases and painted ceilings.
Day trip · Ponte de Lima Portuguese Toy Museum A municipal museum of toys in the Casa do Arnado in Arcozelo, across the river from Ponte de Lima's old centre.
Day trip · Amarante Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso Museum A municipal modern art museum in Amarante, centred on the painter Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, who was born in the area.
Day trip · Aveiro Aveiro Museum Aveiro's main museum, in the former Jesus convent, where Princess Joana lived. The ticket can be combined with the Igreja das Carmelitas.
Day trip · Aveiro Aveiro Art Nouveau Museum A small municipal museum on Aveiro's Art Nouveau heritage, in the Rossio area near the canal.
Food · Cedofeita Café Luso A café, restaurant and beer house on Praça de Carlos Alberto, open since 1935 and restored in 2010. The house specialities are the francesinha and salt cod, and there is a smaller room downstairs with outdoor seating.
