I'll be totally honest: I'm usually the planner, but this time around, my friends took the lead in finding the most amazing things to do in Porto. To be honest, I hadn't done enough research on Portugal, but Porto and Lisbon seemed like the top cities to visit. So, we decided to include both in our trip. You may not know this (I sure didn't until now), but Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. It's also a major tourist destination! Lets dive in! Here are my top 10 must-see places to explore in Porto! All done in as little as 4 days.
Dom Luís I Bridge: We explored this iconic double-deck iron bridge with the most stunning views, straight out of a postcard. The views were so captivating that I purchased artwork illustrating the homes along the bridge. Walking the bridge was amazing, and the weather in April was perfect. From the bridge, we were able to view the city alongside the Douro River.
Livraria Lello: What's a trip without visiting a bookstore? During my solo trip to Spain, I walked into a bookstore, and it was interesting to see the types of literature offered in other places so I decided to make that my travel tradition. If you can, make a point to buy a book; that's even better and allows you to support writers from other countries. Livraria Lello in Porto is hands down one of the most beautiful bookstores I've been to. Its stunning architecture includes a very special and intricate wooden staircase (the photos on the staircase are a must).
The Crystal Palace Gardens: Jardins do Palácio de Cristal are beautifully landscaped gardens surrounding the now-demolished Crystal Palace. Exploring the graden was a workout and a relaxing picturesque adventure.
Chapel of Souls: We visited the Chapel of Souls but weren't allowed inside because it was closed 😕 We took some snaps from the outside and admired its azulejos (famous tiles used throughout Portugal). I'm already planning my next visit to explore the chapel more meaningfully. Solo trip to Portugal?
Day trip to Douro Valley: We booked a day trip through Viator to explore Douro Valley. We visited various wine tastings and learned about the famous port wine, which is the signature wine of Porto.
Cais da Ribeira: This location is right below the Dom Luís I Bridge. It's a bustling waterfront area with cafes, restaurants, and picturesque views of the river and bridge. There are many restaurants to explore, which I will detail in a post discussing my culinary adventures in Porto and Lisbon. We stumbled across this area during our exploration, and it's very close to many activities, such as an introduction to Fado music.
Fado Music: This is why I love to travel—because I had no clue what Fado music was. We learned that Fado Music is the music of love, loss, and longing. Its preformed by a solo singer accompanied by the guitar and a classical guitar. It would be a lie if I dont admit that I shed a tear even without understanding the language because music is for the soul.
Bolhao Market: Go spend your coins at the Bolhao Market. The market houses markets with fresh produce, fish, meat, flowers, and traditional Portuguese products. Its a very authentic place to explore and observe the daily life of Porto's residents.
Pastéis de Nata from Manteigaria: Finally, dont leave Porto without trying the famous Pastéis de Nata. There are many locations you can try but we found the Pasteis de Nata from Manteigaria to be one of the best. Pastéis de Nata are traditional Portuguese custard tarts.
Teleférico de Gaia: The Teleférico de Gaia is a cable car system in Vila Nova de Gaia, just across the river from Porto, Portugal. It a great way to get a scenic view over the Douro River.
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