If you are visiting Portugal and debating whether to visit Porto or not – I would definitely say yes! The city offers a lot of entertainment and is a very beautiful place for people of all ages and walks of life. Everyone will find something to see or do based on their preferences.
We spent just a few days there and I felt it was not enough – I think I will come back one more time to just enjoy the city a bit more.
- Trendy and authentic restaurants and bars. We loved the bar in the hotel where we stayed – they made fancy drinks in Alice in Wonderland theme and the whole hotel had a circusy feel which was very cool. We also wanted to see the Fado show that’s not too touristy. We went to Taberna Real do Fado – please do not go there for the food, it was ok but not great, but the singers really touched me, especially when the lights went off and there was just the soft light from multiple candles and beautiful soulful songs – it felt like we were transported with a time machine to 18th century.
- World of Wine (WOW) Museum – is a district with multiple museums, almost like a big mall. We went to a Pink Museum and had a lot of fun tasting and learning about Rose vines and taking tons of fun pictures at various stations. A great way to spend a hot day or a rainy day indoors! There were no lines or crowds and we pretty much enjoyed almost a private experience.
- Lovely sunset at Jardim do Morro – an unforgettable view that you probably already heard about from your friends who visited Porto. That is often the one thing people will remember! To be honest it was a bit too crowded for us so we decided to skip it and watched the sunset on the bridge. I think we still got to enjoy the view!
- Explore the streets and see some interesting buildings. You can get a snack at the Imperial McDonalds – it is claimed to be the most beautiful McDonalds in the world with all the mirrors and decorations inside. You can also visit Livraria Lello if you are up for waiting in a long line for it. I really enjoyed visiting the Train Station and walk by many beautiful churches.
We loved Porto! The August weather was really hot so we spent some time shopping and dining. Porto is actually the most beautiful in the morning hours when the streets are not busy yet and the air is still chill from the night. I highly recommend taking a good walk between 7 and 9 am and just landing in a nice breakfast place after. I am not big on hitting the “must have” or “must see” places and rather see things that peak my interest or bring joy. They don’t have to be the most popular things on the internet – as long as we generate meaningful memories there as a family, those would be our highlights of Porto.
When travelling without a tour, it can get overwhelming to try and see “14 things to visit in Porto” type of lists. Which is why I wanted to share just a few things to give you some inspiration without putting too much pressure or fear of missing out if you don’t hit the list of things to do or see in Porto as per someone else’s opinion. I think there is actually no such thing as “ must see” or “must do” in any city. Just come there (maybe do some simple prep ahead of time to make sure you at least have a place to stay and if there are some very important things to you like a certain restaurant or event) but just get a feel what catches your attention and just go by the feel. With so much information out there – travel planning can become really time consuming. Life is too short. Who cares if you miss a spot or two from the “must see in Porto” list? Will it matter in five years or ten? How about at the end of your life? I bet you will have bigger milestones to remember.
We hired a local photographer and she gave us a few tips that would have taken me hours to research online. Sometimes there is so much choice and reviews out there – we just get into analysis paralysis. It could get frustrating! So to simplify my life I make sure I speak to locals (hotel staff, a tour guide as we usually will go to one or two excursions per trip, or a photographer, or even staff at a nice cafe can give you great tips). I also liked staying in a very central location where we had to walk by majestic buildings many, many times. By the time we were leaving it felt like we knew Porto very well.
Happy travelling and feel free to ask me questions below in the comments!
