Things to Do in Porto: Ribeira, Port Lodges, Lello, Coast

Almost every guide agrees on the same core. Walk the Ribeira waterfront, cross the Dom Luís I Bridge, climb the Clérigos Tower, see the tiles in São Bento Station and spend an afternoon at a port wine lodge in Gaia. That’s two good days, and the old centre is small enough to do on foot. Most of it sits on the hill above the Douro, with the river and the lodges at the bottom, so expect steps and plan the climbs.

The picks below are ordered by how many guides name them. Roam Porto read 21 guides in English, Portuguese, Spanish, French and German, from travel blogs and magazines. Every hour and date on this page comes from the place’s own page or an official body, not from those guides. Check a venue’s page before you go, since hours change with the season.

Then see what’s on while you’re here. The events page lists festivals, concerts and exhibitions from the organisers’ own pages, this weekend shows the Friday to Sunday list, and live music has the gigs and fado nights. The map puts every place below next to the events nearby.

The short list for a first visit

The map shows every place in this guide.

Ribeira and the bridge

Recommended by 21 of 21 guides read, the two picks that every one of them names.

Praça da Ribeira and the quay below it are where most visits start. Every guide sends you here, and the usual advice is to walk the waterfront in the evening and cross the Dom Luís I Bridge on foot for the view back at the old town. The Ribeira page lists the rest of the streets.

The Palácio da Bolsa (16 guides) is the 19th-century stock exchange on Rua Ferreira Borges. Its own site sells the tickets and lists the schedule, which has closures, so look there first. Rua das Flores (7 guides) runs up from the river towards São Bento.

Clérigos, Lello and the Baixa

The Clérigos Tower is recommended by 20 of 21 guides read, Livraria Lello by 18, São Bento Station by 17 and the Avenida dos Aliados by 9.

The Clérigos Tower is open every day from 09:00 to 19:00 according to its own site, and the bell tower is the high point of the old centre. Livraria Lello is open daily from 09:00 to 19:30. Each ticket includes a reading voucher, so the entry fee can go towards a book bought in the shop (the bookshop’s page). One guide tells you to skip it, and the others rate the interior highly, so go early.

São Bento Station is still a working railway station, and its entrance hall is covered in azulejo panels. You don’t need a train ticket to look. Avenida dos Aliados and Praça da Liberdade are a short walk away, finishing at Porto City Hall. The Baixa and Aliados page has the area.

Churches and tiles

The Igreja do Carmo is recommended by 11 of 21 guides read, the Chapel of Souls by 11 and the Church of São Francisco by 11.

The Chapel of Souls has a tiled outside wall, put up in 1929, with scenes from the lives of St Francis of Assisi and St Catherine, according to Visit Porto. It’s open Monday to Friday from 07:30 to 18:00, and at weekends from 07:30 to 12:45 and 18:00 to 19:00. It’s on Rua de Santa Catarina, so it fits with a stroll along that street.

The Carmo Church is named by the same number of guides. The Church of São Francisco is a mixed pick, since one guide says to skip it unless you have time and money to spare. Porto Cathedral (18 guides) is open 09:00 to 18:30 in summer and 09:00 to 17:30 in winter, and it closes at Christmas and Easter, according to the diocese. The Sé and Vitória page covers the viewpoints around it, including the Miradouro da Vitória (4 guides).

Bolhão, Santa Catarina and the cafes

The Bolhão Market is recommended by 16 of 21 guides read, the Café Majestic by 10 and Rua de Santa Catarina by 10.

The Bolhão Market is open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 19:00 and Saturday from 08:00 to 18:00. It’s closed on Sundays, according to the market’s page, and the address is Rua Formosa 322. Rua de Santa Catarina is the pedestrian shopping street beside it, and the Café Majestic is the café on that street. For where to eat, see where to eat in Porto. The Bolhão and Santa Catarina page has the area.

Across the river in Gaia

Port wine lodges are recommended by 20 of 21 guides read, the Gaia Cable Car by 12, the Jardim do Morro by 12 and the Serra do Pilar Monastery by 10.

Port is aged in the lodges on the Gaia bank, and almost every guide builds an afternoon around one. Taylor’s Port Cellars is open 10:00 to 18:15 every day (Taylor’s page). Sandeman Cellars and Ferreira Cellars both open daily from 10:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:00, with the last visit at 12:15 and 17:15 (Sogrape’s page). Other lodges with a page are Graham’s 1890 Lodge, Cockburn’s Lodge, Cálem Cellars and Burmester Cellars. One guide advises against doing several in a day, so pick one or two. Four guides also send you to WOW World of Wine.

The Gaia Cable Car runs from 10:00 to 18:00 every day from 25 October to 31 December (cable car’s page), and other months have other hours. The Jardim do Morro and the Serra do Pilar Monastery are the two viewpoints on this side. Read the Vila Nova de Gaia page.

For the water, 18 guides recommend a cruise under the bridges, and the Manos do Douro 6 Bridges Cruise has its own page.

Parks, music and museums

The Palácio de Cristal gardens are recommended by 14 of 21 guides read, Casa da Música by 11 and Serralves by 8.

The Jardins do Palácio de Cristal are free. They open from 08:00 to 21:00 from April to September and 08:00 to 19:00 from October to March, according to the city council. Casa da Música is the concert hall in Boavista, and its programme appears on the live music page. The Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art shares its grounds with the Serralves Park. The Boavista page covers the area.

The Museu do Carro Eléctrico (7 guides) is the tram museum, and the Rua de Miguel Bombarda and Cedofeita gallery streets (5 guides) are on the Cedofeita page.

The coast

Foz do Douro is recommended by 11 of 21 guides read and Matosinhos by 6.

Foz do Douro is where the river meets the Atlantic, and the usual way to reach it is a walk along the waterfront. Castelo do Queijo and the Praia do Molhe are on that stretch. Matosinhos is further north, with the Praia de Matosinhos.

Less common picks

These are named by only a few guides. Each count is out of 21.

• Soares dos Reis National Museum, 3 guides. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30, and the general ticket is €10. It’s closed on Mondays, 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 24 June and 25 December (museum’s page).
• Jardim da Cordoaria, 3 guides. A garden in the centre.
• Parque da Cidade do Porto, 3 guides. The large park near the coast.
• Muralha Fernandina, 3 guides. The remains of the medieval wall.
• Estádio do Dragão and FC Porto Museum, 3 guides.

Day trips

Braga is recommended by 8 of 21 guides read, Guimarães by 7, the Douro Valley by 6 and Aveiro by 6.

These four are the day trips guides name most. Trains, times and what to book are in the day trips from Porto guide.

If it rains

The Palácio da Bolsa, Livraria Lello, the cathedral, the Soares dos Reis museum and the lodge visits are indoors. For a food plan around them, see where to eat in Porto. For opening days see the Porto travel tips, and for the area compared see where to stay in Porto. If you’re planning around a date, Porto events by season lists the festivals, and the weather guide says when rain is likely.

How many days do you need?

Two days covers the list above without rushing.

1. Day 1: Ribeira and the bridge in the morning, then Gaia for a lodge and the cable car.
2. Day 2: Clérigos, Lello and São Bento, then the Bolhão Market and the Palácio de Cristal gardens.

With a third day, add the cathedral and the churches, Serralves or the coast, or a day trip. The Bolhão Market is shut on Sunday, so move that stop to another day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What shouldn’t you miss in Porto?

The Ribeira waterfront, the Dom Luís I Bridge, the port wine lodges in Gaia, the Clérigos Tower and Livraria Lello. At least 18 of the 21 guides read name each of them.

Is Livraria Lello open every day?

Yes, from 09:00 to 19:30, and each ticket includes a reading voucher towards a book.

When is the Bolhão Market closed?

On Sundays. It’s open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 19:00 and Saturday from 08:00 to 18:00.

What are the free things to do in Porto?

The Jardins do Palácio de Cristal are free, and so is walking Ribeira and the bridge. See the map for the rest.

How many days do you need in Porto?

Two days covers the picks above. Add a third for the coast or a day trip.

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

Clérigos Tower Baixa and Aliados · near São Bento and Aliados Station Photo: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo Livraria Lello Baixa and Aliados Photo: Europeana EU Porto Cathedral Sé and Vitória Photo: Francisco Anzola Bolhão Market Bolhão and Santa Catarina Photo: Reading Tom