Intro:

Porto, the second-largest city in Portugal, is a perfect destination for a 3-day getaway. It has everything to make your city trip memorable, from delicious food and port wine to blue tiles, great architecture, street art, and magnificent views of the Douro River with the famous ‘Ponte Luis I’ bridge. In this blog post, I will guide you on what to do during these 3 days in Porto.

Are 3 days in Porto enough?

Three days is the perfect amount of time to explore most of Porto, which is relatively small compared to Lisbon.
You can either spend two days in the city and take a day trip on the third day or fully enjoy and explore the city at a slower pace for three days.
I recommend spending three days in Porto rather than visiting it as a day trip from Lisbon.

How to get to Porto?

There are various ways to reach Porto.
You can find direct flights from most cities in Europe.
If you’re travelling within Portugal, you can take the train, a regular bus or the Flixbus from Lisbon to Porto at affordable rates. I purchased a Flixbus ticket for only five euros, the most inexpensive one I’ve ever bought! You can visit Omio to determine which mode of transportation is the most convenient for you.

3 days in Porto: a quick overview

Day 1: Free walking tour, Historic center

Day 2: Historic center, Gaia, Port wine tasting

Day 3: Day trip or beach day

Day 1:

Day 1 of 3 days in Porto

Free walking tour:

On the first day of a 3-day trip to Porto, you could start with a free walking tour. Many companies offer these tip-based tours all around the world! I recommend FreeTour, available in English and Spanish, for a walking tour in Porto. They offer two tours daily, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The meeting point is at the Clérigos Tower, and the tour takes about 2.5 hours. 

The local guides are knowledgeable and provide historical information about Porto and Portugal. They also show you the best viewpoints and take you to places you might not discover yourself. Additionally, they can recommend good restaurants and must-see places and answer all your questions.

It’s an excellent way to get a first impression of Porto!

Sé Cathedral
I ended my free walking tour in the Sé area, close to the Cathedral of Porto. So this was the perfect opportunity to visit it. If you’re in the area, you should also visit the cathedral! It is one of the oldest monuments in Porto, with Gothic elements, blue tiles, and a panoramic view that you can enjoy after climbing the tower.

Ribeira Area
Ribeira is the old city centre of Porto, located next to the Douro River and near Ponte Luis I. It comprises many small streets and stairways, with Praca da Ribeira as the main square. The best way to experience this area is to explore it on foot and allow yourself to get lost while appreciating the charming shops, vibrantly coloured houses, street art, and numerous cafes and restaurants.

Ponte Luis I
I couldn’t wait to see the famous bridge in Porto, so after exploring Ribeira, I searched for the best way up. I stumbled upon the ‘Escadas do Codecal,’ which is a perfect way to get up, as you can enjoy beautiful street art and stunning city views. This path will take you to the top of the Ponte Luis bridge.

Once you’re on the bridge, take your time crossing it, and you’ll soon arrive in Gaia, home to the port wine cellars. The best views of Porto and Ponte Luis can be seen from Gaia, especially from the Jardim do Morro. This park is also an ideal spot to watch the sunset! So, you could return in the evening for more breathtaking views!

Sao Bento station
You might have visited this place during the free walking tour. However, if you haven’t, I strongly recommend visiting this spot even if you are not taking a train. This station is considered one of the most stunning ones in Europe, and you will understand why once you see it! The magnificent walls and ceilings have thousands of tiles painted in blue and white (azulejos).

Igreja de Santo Ildefonso
Located behind Sao Bento station and near Praca Batalha is the Igreja de Santo Ildefonso. Don’t forget to visit this stunning church while in this area! It’s one of the famous blue and white tiled churches in Porto, and this one, boasts of over 11000 azulejos!

Café Majestic
This café on Rua de Santa Catarina has a Belle Epoque atmosphere and has the most beautiful interior of all cafes in Porto. It even features on some top-10 lists of the most beautiful cafés in the world.

If you want to experience the exquisite interior, I suggest going just for a drink as everything is quite expensive and there are many other better places to eat in Porto. This café makes for a perfect stop to take a break from all the walking and exploring.

According to J.K. Rowling’s biography, it was in this very café that she spent a considerable amount of time writing her first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Capela das Almas
As you go from Café Majestic to the Bolhao Market (the next possible stop), you might consider taking a detour towards Capela das Almas or Chapel of Souls. This beautiful blue and white tiled chapel is on Rua de Santa Catarina, the main shopping street of Porto. The chapel is very popular on Instagram for its picturesque beauty.

Mercado do Bolhao
Mercado do Bolhão is a must-visit market in Porto that has recently undergone renovation and is now back to its regular place. The market is in a grand building where you can find fresh products, including meat, fish, and flowers. The market is open from 8 AM to 8 PM.

A Pérola do Bolhao
While in the area, don’t miss A Pérola do Bolhão, a traditional grocery shop with an Art Nouveau facade near the Bolhão Market on Rua da Formosa. This shop has been open for over 100 years and offers a variety of quality products such as cheese, jams, dried fruits, olive oils, and more.

Where to eat on this first day of three days in Porto:

Da Terra: Da Terra offers a fantastic vegan buffet, where you pay a fixed price and eat all you want. It was so good that I visited it twice during my stay in Porto.

Gazela: Gazela is a simple yet iconic snack bar with two locations in Porto and is famous for its unique hotdogs and Portuguese sandwiches. You must try their delicious Cachorrinhos da Batalha! No one less than Anthony Bourdain has tried them on Parts Unknown!

Café Santiago: Café Santiago is a famous restaurant in Porto known for its signature dish, the Francesinha sandwich. This sandwich is made with bread, ham, fresh sausage, steak or roasted meat, and melted cheese, all covered with a thick tomato/beer sauce. You can enjoy it with a side of fries, an egg, or even a vegetarian version. Although I was eager to try it, I have to admit it wasn’t my favourite sandwich, but it wasn’t bad either!

Manteigaria: Manteigaria has, in my opinion, the best pastels de Nata in Porto! The ones I had were fresh from the oven and so delicious that I miss them while thinking about them. 😀

Day 2:

On your second day of this trip to Porto, these are the things you can do and visit:

Jardins do Palacio de Cristal
You can start your day by exploring the Jardins do Palacio de Cristal. This park is a little away from the historical centre of Porto. On your way to the park, take Rua da Bandeirinha, and you will come across the beautiful gate of Palacio das Sereias.

Jardins do Palacio de Cristal is a great place to take a relaxing break from the busy city centre. You can admire beautiful flower beds and peacocks and enjoy the stunning views overlooking the Douro River. If you have more time, you can also visit the Museo Romantico, which is nearby.

Jardim municipal do Horto das Vertudes
If you want to see more greenery, visit Jardim Municipal do Horto das Vertudes on your way back from Palacio do Cristal. Although it’s smaller than the previous park, it’s still worth exploring, and it’s less crowded, with a peaceful atmosphere.

Igreja do Carmo
Next to each other are the churches Igreja do Carmo and Igreja das Carmelitas. They are so close together that there is only 1 meter of space between them. Casa Escondida (a hidden house) is between them, making it look like one large church. The exterior of Igreja do Carmo is impressive due to its blue and white tiles.

Joana Vasconcelos mural
If you’re into tiles and street art, you’ll love the Joana Vasconcelos mural. This colourful mural features over 8000 hand-painted tiles and is one of the most recent azulejos in the city, dating back to 2016. You can find it at Praca de Guilherme Gomes Fernandes.

Livraria Lello
Livraria Lello is a charming but busy bookshop, always with a long queue of visitors waiting to get in. Many Harry Potter fans believe that J.K. Rowling got inspired by this place to write her books. However, the writer recently clarified that she never even visited this bookshop. Nonetheless, people still visit this place in huge numbers.

Initially, I didn’t want to wait in the long queue for hours as I only had three days to explore Porto. However, I was lucky to find a shorter queue when I walked by the shop and decided to take the chance. I had to wait half an hour and purchased my entrance ticket online for €5 (which costs €6 at the door) while standing in line.

Was it worth the wait? Yes, the bookshop is stunning, and I was happy to see the place. However, I wouldn’t recommend waiting for hours. So, you have to be lucky enough to find a shorter queue. Livraria Lello is in Rua das Carmelitas, and if you purchase a book from their collection, the ticket price gets deducted from your purchase.

You can visit their website for more information or to buy tickets.

Clérigos church and tower
This Baroque church boasts a 75-meter-tall bell tower that requires climbing over 200 steps to reach the top. If you missed the chance to climb the Cathedral of Porto tower, you still have the opportunity to climb this one. The effort is well worth it for the breathtaking panoramic views of the city that await you at the top. A tower and museum ticket costs €8, while admission to the church is free. If you visit between 7 and 11 pm, you can climb the tower for just €5.

Praca da Liberdade
Praca da Liberdade, the main square of Porto in the historic city centre, is home to impressive buildings and statues. Unfortunately, the place was under renovation when I visited, but it should be back to its original glory by now.

Port wine tasting
If you’re in Porto for three days, you should go for some port wine tasting. I did a Port wine-tasting tour with Porto Walkers, and I highly recommend it! The tour took place at 3 PM, and it was a perfect afternoon and evening activity.

You can book a tour through your hotel or hostel, or you can find online tours on websites like GetYourGuide and Viator. The meeting point for the tour I did was Ponte Luis I. From there, we went straight to Gaia on the other side of the Douro River, where all the Port wine cellars are.

Our guide provided plenty of information and guided us well around Gaia. The tour lasted for four hours and costed €37. We visited three or maybe four cellars, but I lost count ;). If you’re travelling solo, this is a great way to meet new people and make new friends!

If you prefer not to take a group tour, you can visit a port wine cellar and go on a tasting yourself. Most cellars offer tours and tastings! The most popular ones are Sandeman, Taylor’s, and Calém.

While in Vila Nova de Gaia, don’t miss the Bordalo II Half Rabbit street art! You can find it on the corner of Rua Guilherme Gomes Fernandes and Rua De D Afonso III. This piece of art is made entirely from recycled materials and waste.
During our port wine tour, we took a break here to take some pictures.

After your Port wine tour, you can head to Moro Garden (Jardim do Morro) in Gaia to watch the sunset. This park offers one of the best views of Porto and Ponte Luis I!

Best places to eat on your second day in Porto:

O Diplomata: This is a perfect breakfast/brunch place, famous for its amazing pancakes! Be sure to get there early, as it can get pretty busy.

Lazy breakfast club: A pink, busy, and welcoming all-day breakfast spot that serves delicious eggs, croissants, bagels, waffles, juices, and more!

McDonald’s: Although I usually prefer trying out local foods and restaurants while travelling, this particular McDonald’s is worth a visit due to its fancy building and interior! You could stop by for an ice cream or a drink if you don’t want to eat there.

Subenshi Sushi:
As a big sushi lover, I highly recommend this place! They serve delicious sushi, and the restaurant has a unique decor and atmosphere!

Day 3

On the third and final day of your trip to Porto, there are various activities you can consider.
One of the options is taking a day trip.

There are several places outside Porto that you can visit, such as Aveiro, which is known for its beautiful canals and colourful striped houses.

Another city worth visiting is Coimbra, which is a bit further away from Porto and is home to the oldest university in Portugal and one of the oldest in Europe.

If you’re interested in more wine tasting, you can visit the Douro Valley, a UNESCO-protected wine region with stunning scenery!

You can reach these places by bus, train or a day tour.

Beach day:
If you want a more relaxing day after all the sightseeing, you can spend the day at the beach on your last day in Porto. Since the city is close to the ocean, you can take a bus or tram to Matosinhos (bus 500) or Foz (Tram 1 or bus 500) to get there quickly. If you want more adventure, take the bus to Matosinhos and walk back to Foz along the stunning coast. You’ll find plenty of beach bars and restaurants along the way!

If you return to Porto in the late afternoon, you can stop by the Armazem vintage shop on your way back. It’s a cosy antique shop that’s fun to browse even if you don’t plan on buying anything. Or you can grab a drink at the bar!

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog post and have a great time in Porto!

If you’re interested in more blog posts about Portugal, check out my Madeira and Lisbon ones!

Tags: 3 days in Porto, Porto Citytrip