Dear Wandering Spirit,
I spent two days in Porto in May 2018. The first thing I noticed when I visited this expansive Portuguese town is how different Porto is from Lisbon. Walking around Porto means discovering different but perfectly co-existing architectures.
Porto's Bold Character
On one hand, Lisbon is a perfect and trendy city covered in white with light facades, bright streets, and beautiful gardens. On the other hand, further North, there is a rustic urban oasis, bold against the green scenery of the vineyard hills 🍇 with its unique flair.
The vivid town of Porto is buzzing with both locals and tourists navigating the narrow streets, taking a break on the assorted staircases and strolling along the Douro river. If there were a recipe to describe Porto as a dish, I would definitely say 3/4 tradition with 1 pinch of internationality.
The walls are covered with beautiful blue and white ceramic tileworks named azulejos, like the São Bento Railway Station. 🀠 They are perfectly matched with the more industrial style of the Dom Luis I bridge and its iron archway.
Fun Facts About Porto
Porto is one of the oldest European cities, and it was named main town during the (noticeably short) anti-revolutionary Monarchy of the North in the 1920s.
The city centre is a World Heritage Site since 1996. Different architectural styles can be seen from Gothic, Romanesque to Baroque and more modern styles like at the Casa da Musica. If you love architecture in general, you should not miss this gem.
Many festivals take place in Porto every year! These include ‘Fantasporto’ International Film Festival and ‘Essência do Vinho’ Wine Festival during autumn and winter, and a plethora of cultural festivals during spring. Their most memorable festival is the Festa de São João in June which celebrates the patron saint with music and street food.
This is the hometown of the delicious Francesinha, the Portuguese croque-like sandwich brimming with meat and cheese. 🥪 Don’t forget to order some fries to dip into the tasty sauce. Yummy!
Wine Cellars and the Port Wine
There are many spots to discover while visiting Porto, and I believe this is a town of many perspectives. It was for me a meaningful and relaxing city break, with tasty food, long walks along the river and flavourful Port wine.
Of course, I could not miss a tasting at one of the city’s oldest cellars, Graham’s. 🍷 Wandering through the labyrinth of barrels and listening to the tour guide’s proud sermon. Also, enjoying the stunning panorama from a very peaceful place like this was among the best memories I collected in Portugal.
Visit Porto, Portugal
How many days should you stay when visiting Porto? It is quite hard to tell. Three days is enough for a whistle-stop trip, but you definitely must go a second time to catch its essence, especially in the mid-seasons.
You can expect a handcraft stand waiting for you 🛍️, a candlelit dinner in one of the tiny but delightful restaurants in the Ribeira district, a regenerating hike across one of the Foz district beaches. On top of that, there are always friendly locals.
Can you get a grasp of the town spirit just walking around Porto’s city centre? Absolutely. 
You can reach the main spots within 20-30 minutes walk, and there are many parks to rest for a while if it is hot and muggy. I highly recommend that instead of cars and scooters, you check out different public transport solutions.
What should your bag contain? According to the season you are staying in Porto, I would say sunglasses, a light jacket, as it might be windy, a towel, a pair of sneakers to tackle the stairs, and some cash to spend at the marketplace.
Staying in Porto is not as expensive as in many other European cities. In fact, you will see many young travellers and backpackers all over the town. 🎒
You might need to book your travel quite in advance as tourism keeps growing here at rapid pace, and many artists decide to settle for some time in Porto because of the vibrant artistic scene.
Have you visited Porto? Or, will you be visiting?
Let me know in the comments! ⬇️
Check out my Portugal travel journal as well.
