North Portugal Itinerary - What To Do with 2 Days in Porto?

Portugal’s second-largest city, Porto, is the country’s industrial and port city. Porto possesses several locations of cultural significance as a large city in Portugal. However, Porto is most well-known for its namesake, port wine. 2 days in Porto is appropriate for a nine-day trip in Portugal.

This is the final part of a four-part Northern Portugal Itinerary. All four parts are linked below (and will be updated as they are published):

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Day 7 – Porto

Drive to Porto

The distance between a midpoint in the Douro Valley and Porto is 120 – 130 kilometers. This will take you about 1 hour and 40 minutes to drive. I recommend enjoying a breakfast in the Douro Valley before rushing back out to the “big city”, Porto.

Arrive in Porto/Check-In

The recommended plan for arriving in Porto will depend on your luggage situation. As you will be arriving with a rental car from the Douro Valley, you will need to turn it in upon arrival. Porto has a modern transit network, so you will have no need for a car in the city. Navigating small streets, finding parking, and paying for parking will make your stay in Porto much less enjoyable.

If you are able to return your car somewhere in the city, you’re in luck. Unload your luggage at the hotel and check in quickly. Once checked in, take your car to the rental car return. You will be able to take a taxi, public transit, or rental car shuttle back to your hotel.

However, most of the time returning the car to the airport is a much cheaper option. While the airport is much further away, savings can often be several hundred dollars and therefore worth the extra hassle.

If you have large pieces of luggage or more luggage than you want to coral on a subway, stop at your hotel and unload before dropping off your car. Alternately, if you are confident in your ability to carry your luggage on the metro, go straight to the airport to save time driving into Porto. The airport is on the outskirts of the city so going straight there will save you 20 – 30 minutes.

Once at the airport return your car, make your way to the Aeroporto metro stop. This stop on Line E is attached to the airport terminal and has lots of signage pointing to the entrance. A ticket on Line E will be between €1.20 and €1.95 depending on the stop. Transit back into downtown Porto will take about 40 minutes.

Cais da Ribeira and Praca da Ribeira

Cais da Ribeira (literally translated as “riverfront platform”) is the riverwalk section of Porto right along the Douro River. The Cais da Ribeira was once the main commercial and manufacturing center of Porto. The Praca da Ribeira (Riverfront Square) held most of the fish, bread, meats, and wares shops in the historical Porto. Today, this area is transforming into a cultural center. The cais has grown a nightlife scene as well as restaurants and cafés during the day.

This area is most well-known from pictures showing the pastel building fronts. Despite the pastel colors, the cais still shows much of its working past through some well-worn and abandoned buildings mixed in with the modern renovations.

When walking the Cais da Ribeira, explore more than just the buildings on the crowded waterfront. There are so many small alleyways that form a maze behind the first row of buildings. Explore a little of this to find a completely different world. This area is less explored by tourists allowing you to find some hidden restaurants and shop gems.

Walk the cais during the day to get a great view of the Duoro River and Gaia on the opposite side of the river from Porto. You will want to have your camera ready the whole time. This part of Porto is very photogenic and memorable. Lunch in the Praca da Ribeira is also a great option.

Bolsa Palace

Also known as the Stock Exchange Palace, Palacio da Bolsa was a previous convent that was given to the Porto Commercial Association. As evident by its nickname, the palace housed the former stock exchange of Porto.

The Palace is known for its interior architecture and artistic variety. The constructors of the building took 38 years to complete the project. This meant that the architecture is diverse between the many rooms in the palace. The building is built in perfect symmetry and is complete with ceiling paintings, sculptures, and coats of arms.

The most notable room is the “Arab Room”. The Bolsa Palace modeled this room after the Alhambra in Grenada, Spain. Exotic woods such as mahogany, rosewood, satinwood, and maple complete the flooring in this room.

Livraria Lello

Livraria Lello is a bookstore that originally opened in 1906 and has the claim of being one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal. While it may seem weird to visit a bookstore on vacation, the architecture of the store is primarily why you visit. The interior is marked with overhead stained glass and intricate wood carvings along the ceilings and walls. The center of the bookstore is anchored by a forked and bridged staircase.

In addition to its history and architecture, Livraria Lello has another claim to fame. J. K. Rowling was a resident of Porto for many years as an English teacher. Livraria Lello was a favorite spot of hers. This bookstore provided the inspiration for many of the writings that would become the earlier books in the Harry Potter series.

Because of its popularity, many tourists descend on this bookstore (especially Harry Potter fans). Despite this, I still recommend visiting to see the building. A historical bookstore is also something that is disappearing around the world. Seeing such an old one this impressive and immaculate is an opportunity not to be missed.

Clerigos Church and Tower

Clerigos Church is a Baroque-style church that was completed in 1750. The church is most famous for its tall bell tower which can be seen from so many points within the city. The bell tower measures 75.6 meters (almost 250 feet) tall. Visitors are able to climb the bell tower’s 240 steps to get a great view of the Porto landscape.

Be warned, the journey to the bell tower is not recommended for those who are claustrophobic. Also, if you are bigger in stature, you may have some difficulty ascending the stairs. The winding flight of steps gets very small at the top. Additionally, be prepared for the chiming of the bells. If you are climbing to the top when the bells are ringing, you are in for a bit of a fright.

There is often a wait for the tower of 30-40 minutes.

Day 8 – Porto

Mercado do Bolhao

Mercado do Bolhao is a traditional market that originally opened in 1914. The market specializes in meats, fish, fruit, flowers, and vegetables. The market surrounds a large courtyard and is composed of two floors. Each floor has many vendors selling products from around the region.

The vast majority of the products are fresh food items. For this reason, if you aren’t cooking for yourself or don’t find something to eat as a snack, you will probably leave empty-handed. However, this is still worth a visit.

The Mercado do Bolhao building has seen better days, but the rustic appearance of the building adds to the experience for many. However, at the time of writing, the Mercado building is being renovated. The traditional stalls will be maintained on the ground floor, and restaurants and shops are planned to go in on the upper floors. While the main building is closed during this renovation, the market is operating as usual in a nearby shopping center, La View in Rua Fernandes Tomas.

Self-Guided Tram Tour

Porto still has three electric tram lines operating alongside the modern transportation network. These trams (called Electrico in the local tongue) were built many years ago and have very polished interiors. They often aren’t the fastest or cheapest method for getting to a destination, but they make for a really good journey. The three tram lines that remain are not a part of Porto’s public transportation network. Instead, they are operated by a separate company for tourism purposes.

Of the three tram lines, Line 1 is by far the most famous. This line departs from Infante, the waterfront area near the Bolsa Palace. The route winds along the Douro River out to the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean (Foz do Douro). The terminus of this route is near a beach, fort, and lighthouse. While the journey out is the purpose, it’s a good opportunity to walk the beach or boardwalk and see the lighthouse at Foz.

After enjoying a slow morning in the area, take either the tram or a Porto city bus back to the city center.

Walk the Dom Luis Bridge

The Dom Luis Bridge is a double-decked metal arch bridge that spans the Douro River between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. The bridge has become a symbol of Porto and is featured in the vast majority of the river pictures of the city.

While the lower level of the bridge carries motor vehicle traffic, the upper level is dedicated to tram and pedestrian traffic. This pedestrian area of the top-level provides some great views of Porto and the Douro River. The pedestrian level is 190 feet above the water below. If you’re squeamish with heights, give it a shot. But if you determine it’s not for you, take the tram across the bridge. You will still get some good views from the tram; however, you may not get the opportunity to stop and enjoy it like you would crossing on foot.

Port Wine Houses

The port wine houses are all located along the Douro River across from Porto in Vila Nova de Gaia. Each wine house receives the grapes that are grown upriver in the Douro River Valley and turns them into wine at these locations. The wine houses are situated next to each other making it is easy to walk up and down to see all of them. Each house is marked with the logo of the company, so it is hard to miss them if you are looking for a particular one.

If you have favorite port wine, I urge you to go to a tasting at that wine house. If you don’t have a favorite or are new to port wine, my recommendations are listed below. I suggest doing one tour and tasting plus another one or two tastings. The tours are mostly the same after you have seen one, hence the recommended structure above.

Many of the port houses provide areas for enjoying the wine at a slower pace. I encourage you to take your time (enjoy the port, enjoy the location, and enjoy your company). You will do the experience a disservice if you try to stick to a schedule seeing as many port houses as possible.

Walking the waterfront, you will notice several good restaurants among the port houses. Many port houses close for some amount of time between 12:30 PM and 2 PM for lunch. If you can time getting lunch around then, you will make good use of these closures. Make sure to get some food before having too many of the tastings that are planned for this afternoon.

Calem Tour and Tasting

Calem wine house was established in 1859 with the intention of exporting port to Brazil. Port exports were mainly to the British and markets in Northern Europe at this time. Calem’s gamble to export to other parts of the world paid off. The company grew quickly into the label it is today.

I suggest a tour and tasting experience at Calem. This includes a visit to their interactive museum and a guided tour of the cellars that shows off the entire port production process. The tour and tasting are offered in two varieties: standard and premium. The only difference is the tasting provided at the end of the tour. A standard tour includes 2 wines: Calem Fine White and Calem Special Reserve Tawny. The premium tour includes 3 wines: Calem White & Dry, Calem Tawny 10 Year, and Calem LBV.

While there are 10+ tours offered per day, they are conducted in various languages. At the time of writing, there are only two tours conducted in English per day. Make sure you book this tour ahead of time and plan your other tastings around the tour time.

Ferreira Cellars Tour and Tasting

Ferreira Cellars was founded in 1751. While the brand has grown, it has remained within Portuguese ownership since its founding. Very few cellars and wine houses can claim this feat in this day and age of the big conglomerate producers. While not the founder, the most influential leader of the company was Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira. At the age of 33, she took over the company and made it a recognizable brand.

Ferreira Cellars contains a quick, but very informative tour of the port production process. The port house offers both a Classic Visit (tour + 2 port tastings) and Premium Visit (tour + 3 port tastings).

I highly suggest booking a time online ahead of arrival. English tours are only operated at certain times during the day (generally 2–3 per day). Book this first and plan a walk-in tasting elsewhere around this time.

Kopke House Tasting

Kopke House is one of the oldest port wine houses in Porto. This house was founded in 1636 in order to provide port wine to Hamburg in modern-day north Germany. Production of both still and port wine has continued to this day. Despite being the oldest port wine house, they have remained relatively small compared to some of the giant names in port also located in Vila Nova de Gaia.

Kopke bills itself as an upscale port producer. While they do not offer tours, they have a variety of tastings available including port and chocolate pairings. The tastings tend to be a little more expensive than other wine houses on the street, but Kopke also provides larger samples.

Walk into the wine house and order a tasting or glass from the bar on the first floor. The second and third floors have lounge spaces available to sit and enjoy your tasting.

Graham’s Tasting

Graham’s was established in 1820 and is a worldwide name in port production. Graham’s has many other labels under their ownership including the popular Warre’s brand. Despite the large company size, Graham’s makes a very good port.

Graham’s Lodge is located off the water (about a half-mile up the hill from Ferreira Cellars). While it is a little bit of a walk uphill to get to Graham’s, the bar on-site and the view from the hill are great. I recommend getting a tasting at Graham’s. Alternately, if you have had enough port and are in the mood for something different, the bar at Graham’s has several different port cocktails that might pique your interest. While you can walk in to see if they have availability, Graham’s takes reservations via a form on their website. I recommend doing this so that you are guaranteed a spot in their tasting room when you arrive.

Day 9 – Travel Home

With the variety of flights available and changing times, it is always difficult to provide a one size fits all itinerary for the final day. With that being said, the vast majority of flights returning to the United States that make it there in one day, depart in the morning. Because of these early departures, there won’t be any time for sightseeing today.

Travel to Porto Airport

Traveling to Porto Airport from the city center is easy via the metro E-line. Depending on where you stay, you may need to take a connecting metro or tram to an E-line stop. However, the E-line dead-ends into the airport, so getting there is very easy.

The cost of the E-line metro is between €1.20 and €1.95 depending on the distance traveled. Metro trains run once every 18 to 35 minutes on this line. This isn’t as frequent as some of the other lines in Porto, so give yourself a little extra time when going to the airport.

North Portugal Itinerary – What To Do with 2 Days in Porto?