Weekend Trip: How to Spend 48 Hours in Porto

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So, you’re going on a trip to Porto and only have a weekend to squeeze in everything, yet you have no idea how to organize your trip so you don’t miss any must-see spots. You’re in the right place! I love organizing trips, and I’ve been to Porto several times. Read on for the ideal 2-day Porto itinerary.

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Before your trip to Porto: need to know

Porto is a relatively small city in the north of Portugal, along the river Douro. Although it’s possible to walk almost everywhere, there are quite a few hills so be prepared. The second biggest Portuguese city is also one of the oldest European centers, being recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old name of Porto, Portus Cale, is supposedly at the origin of the country name, Portugal.

All this to say that it’s quite an important city to discover. There is a lot of history and you can experience an authentic immersion into Portuguese culture, probably more than the now multicultural Lisbon. It is also quite a romantic city in my opinion. Maybe it’s because of the river, bridges, and lovely sunsets you can enjoy along the Ribeira, but I’ll let you judge for yourself.  

Getting to Porto and staying there

Porto has its own airport, Francisco de Sá Carneiro located about 15 kilometers northwest of the city. There are several low-cost flights from most European capitals and they are usually cheaper than flying to Lisbon so that’s a plus. I always use Skyscanner to find the most affordable flights.

From the airport, the metro will take you straight to the city center where you can start exploring the lovely Porto. 

As for your overnight stay, Porto offers plenty of choices. You can choose to rent a studio or a room on Booking.com or search for an Airbnb. I used both and I can tell they are both good options. With Booking.com you have a lot of choices, from budget stays to luxury hotels and everything in between. During my last trip I stayed close to Igreja do Carmo, just a ten-minute walk away from the central district of Vitória. The area is super central and nice, I would definitely recommend it.

Vitória

Vitória is one of the four districts within the area of Porto that is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with São Nicolau, Sé, and Miragaia. When arriving by metro from the airport, you will reach it within ten minutes from the stop Trinidade. If you arrive by train the station of São Bento is located just a couple of minutes away. If you’re short on time and want to try a fun way to explore the area, check out this cool guided Segway tour.

Our first stop here is Torre dos Clérigos. This is the bell tower of the church with the same name and one of the symbols of the city. You can see the tall construction from most points of the city. The tower is part of a baroque church built by an Italian architect, Nicolau Nasoni, in the 18th century.

You can climb up the Tower for a view of Porto from above and also visit the museum, open from 9 am to 7 pm (tickets cost 5€). The Tower is also open for an evening visit, between 7 pm and 9 pm, for the same price.

Only a few minutes away, find the baroque-rococo church Igreja do Carmo. The particular and beautiful aspect of this church, as for many others in Porto, is that the side walls are covered in azulejos. This is the typically Portuguese, painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework. Together with the adjacent Igreja dos Carmelitas, it was declared a National Monument in 2013.

In front of the church, you can find the University of Porto. Right in the back of it, towards Torre dos Clérigos, there’s a quiet park with lots of trees and sculptures.

Livraria Lello

Just a few steps away from the church, you can find Livraria Lello. This is the famous bookstore that was rumored to have inspired J. K. Rowling in describing Hogwarts. The author denied it, but the bookstore had already gained popularity.

The colorful neogothic façade of the building is an authentic work of art itself, covered in paintings by José Bielman that symbolize Art and Science. The most iconic feature of the bookstore’s internal architecture is the wooden scarlet staircase. It captures your attention as soon as you enter the place and makes you feel like entering a fairytale setting.

The bookstore is considered one of the most beautiful in the world and it is now a popular tourist destination. Nowadays you need a 5 € ticket to actually enter. The bright side is it can be redeemed towards the purchase of a book so it still pays off. Especially if you’re a book lover, I totally recommend it.

Explore the area some more, walk along the narrow streets filled with cafés and gift shops and then start making your way towards Praça da Liberdade, right next to São Bento station.

Time for a Portuguese lunch

Walk along the wide Avenida dos Aliados in the direction of the town hall. This is a bit more of a modern area of the city, with hotels and fancy cafés all along. Just before reaching the town hall turn to the right and you will get to what is considered the best place in town for bifanas, Conga.

A bifana is a sandwich with pork steak seasoned with garlic and spices. Pretty simple but delicious and definitely something not to miss on your trip to Porto. Although the original bifana is the one from the Alentejo region (specifically Vendas Novas), in my opinion, the one in Porto beats all the rest.

While in the south of Portugal, you would get a whole steak in a toasted bread bun, usually with mustard or ketchup, in Porto, the steak is cut into small pieces and cooked in a delicious sauce which makes the whole sandwich just melt in your mouth. I don’t even like spicy but this is just the right amount that you can still enjoy the taste. I could honestly easily eat a few bifanas in one go.

Bolhão

From Conga, you can explore the district of Bolhão. The highlights of the area are Bolhão Market, the shopping street Rua de Santa Catarina, and Batalha Square with the church of Saint Ildefonso

Mercado do Bolhão is probably the most iconic market in Porto, lively and colorful. You can find anything here, from fruits, vegetables, and fish to flowers and souvenirs. You can also enjoy your after-lunch coffee before continuing the tour. Just a couple of streets away you will find Rua de Santa Catarina. This is a shopping street with cafès, restaurants, ice cream stores, the usual apparel shops, and the shopping center Via Catarina.

If you keep walking down the street you will reach Batalha square with the church of Saint Ildefonso. The baroque church was completed in 1739, and in 1932 its façade was covered with approximately 11,000 azulejo tiles narrating scenes from the life of Saint Ildefonso.

Sé do Porto

It’s now time to move on to another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sé district. This area is home to Porto’s cathedral (Sé do Porto), the huge Episcopal Palace that you can see from across the river as dominating the hills of the city, and ruins of the primitive walls that used to surround the once medieval town of Porto, nowadays the Sé district. The tourism office of Porto is also located in this area, right in front of the cathedral. 

Sé do Porto is one of the oldest monuments in the city and an important example of Romanesque architecture. The construction of the church began in the 12th century and would only be completed in 1737, with various architectural styles, including Gothic and baroque, although the façade remained Romanesque. 

Explore the surroundings of the cathedral and notice the remnants of the walls that once enclosed the area. These were built between the 11th and 12th centuries, probably on the foundations of the ancient Goth defenses, which now are mostly buried under today’s houses. This is an area rich in history, and you can learn more about it from the informative panels you will find along the way. 

A bridge between two cities

Make your way towards the Dom Luís I Bridge and enjoy the view of Vila Nova de Gaia, on the other side of the river. Most people would think that it’s still Porto but actually, it is a whole other city, famous mostly for the many Port wine cellars along the river. 

It’s now time to discover Gaia, so make your way across Dom Luís I Bridge for an amazing view of both cities from above. Take your time here and admire the view. Maybe it’s because I have a thing for bridges and views from the top but I believe this is one of the best views of Porto. Once you have had enough of taking in the beauty of all this, keep walking until you reach the end of the bridge.

By the way, did you know that this bridge was projected by one of Gustave Eiffel’s apprentices? If you look closely you will notice some similarities to the Eiffel Tower.

Vila Nova de Gaia

Here we have two main spots to discover. Jardim do Morro, to the right, is a park that also offers a great view of Porto and the bridge. You can chill here for a while as you admire the view of Porto with its hills and colorful houses.

Opposite the park, you can climb some more and reach Miradouro and Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar, which will enchant you with yet another stunning view of Porto along with Dom Luis I Bridge. This view beats even the one from the bridge. Take some time here to just take in all the beauty this city has to offer. If you’re here around sunset, you will enjoy quite a romantic moment.

Going back down, you can now make your way to the riverside and take a walk on the Marginal de Gaia, past wine cellars and boats filled with Port wine barrels gently floating on Rio Douro.

If you like street art, in one of the side little streets along the riverside, you will find a sculpture by Bordalo II made with pieces of trash to form a huge rabbit on the corner of a house. If you’re not familiar with the artist, make sure to check him out. He does some amazing pieces of art with the most unusual materials and used objects.

Sunset in Porto

The first day of your short Porto trip is probably coming to an end now as the sunset is giving way to the night. If you’re still on time, walk back on Dom Luis I Bridge, this time on the lower part, and enjoy the sunset from Porto’s Ribeira The city gets soaked in purple and golden light and very likely filled with the music of some street singer playing some slow bittersweet tune that gives the whole atmosphere a magical touch.

If you’re lucky you might catch one of those really beautiful sunsets, with soft light and the sky a mixture of colors from orange to purple, passing through different shades of pink. The city lights start turning on and reflecting on the river. It’s quite a romantic spot, really. If you’re looking to travel with your loved one you can’t miss the sunset view here.

For dinner, if you’re feeling brave, I recommend going for a Francesinha. This is a typical dish from Porto and it’s a real caloric bomb, only for the brave. It’s like a sandwich filled with ham, linguiça (typical sausage), fresh sausage, and steak, covered in melted cheese and topped with a fried egg, and the Francesinha sauce made with tomato sauce and beer. Oh, and it comes with a side of French fries. Bom proveito! (That’s enjoy your meal in Portuguese)

You’ll find this dish in several restaurants in Porto as it’s the most typical one. They all claim they have the best Francesinha in town. In my opinion, even the most anonymous Tasca (traditional casual Portuguese restaurant) will have a delicious version of it. Some of my favorite spots are Santa Francesinha and Brasão.

Porto nightlife

Porto is quite a lively city by night, with several bars and clubs where you can go for a drink or to party. In the Vitória district, on Rua de Cândido dos Reis, just a couple of streets behind Livraria Lello, there are plenty of bars you can go to. Plano B has sort of a vintage atmosphere, with leather sofas and dimmed lights. Upstairs you can chill and have a drink while downstairs you can go dance it off. Alternatively, you can go for a Gin Tonic at The Gin House or for a glass of wine at Candelabro. Or simply walk around the area as there are plenty of choices here.

Miragaia

Start your second day in Porto by going back to Vitória for breakfast. There are lots of cafés around here: Mercador Café, Noshi Coffee and Do Norte Café by Hungry Biker are all great choices.

After breakfast, make your way to the neighboring district of Miragaia. Here, you can visit the Jardim do Palácio de Cristal (Crystal Palace Gardens) with the statues, flowers, and trimmed bushes as well as a view of Rio Douro. For an even better view, walk to the Garden of Feelings. You can see Vila Nova de Gaia from here, as well as Ponte da Arrábida, a huge arch bridge though less scenic than Ponte Dom Luis I.

I find this to be a peaceful and relaxing view. It’s also usually less crowded than the area along the Ribeira so you can spend some time here just chilling. Make sure to fully explore the gardens as there are many beautiful flowers, carefully curated lawns, and even some peacocks wandering around. You can also visit Museu Romântico da Quinta da Macieirinha (Romantic Museum) located in these gardens. It’s an 18th-century house displaying period furniture, art, and various objects.

Foz do Douro

After relaxing for a while, you can descend on the street right under the gardens and enjoy a stroll along the river. The next destination is Foz do Douro, on the ocean. You can choose between walking all the way there along the river (close to an hour’s walk) or taking public transportation. Both bus 500 and tram 1 take you there in around half an hour. I find that walking on the riverside is a great choice since there are not a lot of people along the way. Also, I always choose walking over public transport when traveling to a new place. But again, it’s up to you.

Foz do Douro is where the river Douro flows into the ocean. There are two lighthouses here, Farol das Felgueiras on the side of Porto and Farol do Pontão on the other side of the river, belonging to Vila Nova de Gaia. On a windy day, the ocean waves will break in spectacular splashes on the lighthouses, built on the very extremity of the breakwaters. I find it a scary and fascinating view, I could stay there and watch it for hours.

Here you can also find several beaches with Praia do Carneiro and Praia do Ourigo being the closest ones. You can enjoy a coffee with an ocean view or even lunch here. After that, have a stroll in Passeio Alegre garden, right on the riverside.

Port wine tasting

You have an afternoon left in Porto at this point and your trip could not be complete without a Port wine tasting. Even if you’re not a fan of wine, it’s quite an interesting experience. You get to learn more about the history of Port wine and the region. For this, you have to make your way back to Vila Nova de Gaia and choose one of the many wine cellars on the Marginal de Gaia. There is Porto Cálem, Ferreira, Sandeman Porto, Espaço Porto Cruz, Graham’s Port Lodge or Taylor’s Port, just to name the main ones.

I chose Porto Cálem as they offer a really nice tour, tasting of three different types of Port wine, and also some really interesting and fun activities such as smelling different scents and guessing the ingredients. Also, you can choose to have a tour including a Fado show. Fado is the typical Portuguese music genre, melancholic and moving.

The other options are just as interesting. Ferreira is one of the oldest family-run Port wine cellars. It was founded in 1751 and later run by an iconic character, Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira. The cellar contains wines dating back to 1815. Sandeman has rare bottles dating back to the mid-17th century and also has a nice terrace to enjoy the view of River Douro.

Espaço Porto Cruz has plenty of tasting options, some of which come with chocolates, as well as a rooftop terrace. Graham’s Port Lodge also offers a great variety of wines as well as a private tour in a vintage room. Taylor’s Port has a brand new modern and innovative museum to learn more about the history of Port wine, and again a rooftop terrace.

Other activities in Porto

If you have any time left after these packed two days, you can visit one of Porto’s museums. Soares dos Reis National Museum, in Miragaia, is the first Portuguese national museum exhibiting collections of Portuguese art, founded back in 1833.

Centro Português de Fotografia, located right near Torre dos Clérigos, contains a collection of contemporary, documentary, and historical Portuguese photography. World of Discoveries is an interactive museum and theme park reenacting the odyssey of Portuguese navigators and their discoveries.

For dinner, you might want to try Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, a typical codfish recipe from Porto. It’s a casserole with potatoes, eggs, olives, olive oil, and onion. Not exactly a light meal but that is true about most Portuguese dishes.

After your weekend trip to Porto

I believe Porto is an incredible, lively city with great vibes. It’s a great destination for both short trips and longer immersions into the Portuguese traditions. There are plenty of nice places you can also visit in the surroundings. You can find some of these in my article on 10 destinations to discover in Portugal.

If you’re planning to take a longer trip around Portugal check out this article about Algarve beaches or this one with the best viewpoints in Lisbon. If you’re looking for something off the beaten track, you’ll fall in love with this schist village in Serra da Lousã.

I hope you will enjoy your stay and have an amazing time in Porto. If you like this article, feel free to share and comment with your thoughts or ideas. And if you like this post, why not pin it?