26 de March, 2024
If you are planning to visit Portugal’s second largest city, check out our one day tour in Porto, a itinerary through the main points of the city. A tour that you can can do on foot ! That’s right: get to know the best of Porto by walking!
In recent years, Porto (or OPorto) has stood out in numerous tourism awards, including the World Travel Awards the most important of its kind. In 2022, it received a record number of visitors, with almost 70 million overnight stays, according to official statistics. Known worldwide for its Port wine, the city has much to offer: its architecture, rich in baroque monuments, iron bridges over the beautiful Douro River, cobblestone streets, narrow houses decorated with colorful tiles, a diverse diverse gastronomy e and very tasty… See our tips! All of this, not to mention the friendliness of its locals (yes, people from the North are much friendlier than those from Lisbon)! And the best part is that you can enjoy all of this on foot! In fact, Porto was ranked the third-best city in Europe to explore on foot in 2024, according to the British blog Preply.
Let’s start with Bolhão area, a high point of the city that can easily be reached by subway. After all, you don’t want to go uphill, do you? From here on, you will always go down.
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The stop of Bolhão Metro stop is in front of the Capela das Almas (Chapel of Souls), a beautiful 18th century church with a stunning facade, covered with about 16,000 blue tiles depicting the lives of St. Catherine and St. Francis.
If you want to explore the region, be sure to visit Bolhão Market a centennial space where you will find a variety of Portuguese flavors. Upon entering Bolhão, you are enveloped by the fresh aromas of fruits, vegetables, fish and flowers as you explore the colorful stalls filled with local and handmade products. It is a place where local producers meet locals and tourists for fresh ingredients.
Would you like to get to know Porto on board a Tuk Tuk? Learn how the tour is.
Next to it we find the pedestrian street of Santa Catarina. With about 1.5 km long, this is the most famous commercial artery of Porto. It is home to dozens of stores, mainly fashion stores, including the first branch of Zara in Portugal. Also situated here is the historic Café Majestic founded in 1921 and decorated in Art Nouveau. It is the most luxurious café in the city, which has been frequented by illustrious figures such as Harry Potter author J K Rowling, who lived in Porto.
When you get to the end of Rua Santa Catarina, look at the end of the street, on a slope that descends to the right: you can see the façade of the Igreja dos Clérigos, with its tall tower in the background.
Keep walking until you reach Batalha Square where you will see the statue of King Pedro V and the São João National Theater a 20th century construction, painted in red. A little further on you will see a section of the old Fernandina Wall from the 14th century.
The Porto cathedral will be further ahead, imposing like a fortress. A visit is recommended. Originally built in the 12th century in Romanesque style, it has undergone numerous changes over the centuries and today boasts different architectural styles, including Gothic, present from its famous cloister. Inside, be sure to visit the altar covered with about 600kg of silver.
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Built in 1886, this is one of the six bridges that connect the cities of Porto and Gaia, being the second oldest (of those that exist today) and also the most photographed bridge in Porto. Crossing its upper deck is an unforgettable experience, especially at the end of a summer day when the city takes on an orange color. When you get to the other side, we strongly recommend going up to the Serra do Pilar Monastery to enjoy a breathtaking view.
At this point, you can take the cable car (located in the Jardim do Morro, in front of the Serra do Pilar) directly down to Cais de Gaia, or you can return by the path suggested here, as we will explain later.
Crossing back over the Luís I Bridge and walking straight ahead, always downhill, you’ll arrive at São Bento Station, which was ranked by the British newspaper The Guardian as one of the 10 most beautiful train stations in the world. Be sure to go inside to see its true beauty: around 20,000 hand-painted blue tiles depicting historical scenes of Portugal. Pay attention, though, as this beauty is currently hidden by construction work for the new metro line happening right in front of the station!
And if you’re staying for a while, we suggest taking a train from this station to visit some must-see cities near Porto, such as Guimarães, Aveiro, and Braga.
Walk a little further in the direction of the Congregation Church. You will identify it by the blue tiled facade. Enter the street on the left to have a look at Avenida dos Aliados, the most beautiful avenue in Porto. Take the opportunity to visit the Imperial McDonnalds, installed inside an old café from the beginning of the 20th century and still decorated in art nouveau, with stained glass windows, mirrors and statues.
With the construction of the new pink metro line taking up part of the city center, you’ll need to take a shortcut via Rua Conde de Vizela or Rua de Trás, following Rua Nicolau Nasoni, to reach the Clérigos Church. As you walk up, you’ll spot the Clérigos Tower, and a bit further up, the Oliveiras Garden, also known as Praça Lisboa. Take a break to enjoy the view and treat yourself to a codfish cake or a pastel de nata. Legend has it that Gustave Eiffel offered the design for the famous Eiffel Tower to Porto before Paris. However, since the Clérigos Tower already graced the city’s skyline, the proposal was declined.
The next stop is the historic Lello Bookstore which with its neo-Gothic facade will not go unnoticed by you. Even more so because of the long line of tourists who usually crowd in front of the shop window. This is a must-see destination for book lovers and architecture admirers. The space receives more than a million visitors a year. If you want to get in, we recommend purchasing tickets online in advance. Inside, we are transported to a magical world, thanks to its impressive red staircase, its colorful stained glass windows, stucco-decorated walls, and bookshelves filled with books.
When leaving the Lello Bookstore turn right towards the Gomes Teixeira square, where you will find the Leões Fountain and the Rectory of the University of Porto. Nearby you will also see another church with a facade of blue tiles. Get closer to contemplate the Church of Carmo (the one with the azulejos) and to your left the Carmelite Church . Also observe two little white windows that are between the two churches. They belong to the famous Hidden House. Yes, there in the middle is a narrow 3-story house that was once used, in different times, as a secret hiding place for dissident groups, citizens who gathered to conspire against the ruling political regime.
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Walk back through Jardim da Cordoaria and observe the strange trees that decorate the garden. They suffered a disease in the past and became deformed, giving the space a very different look.
From there, walk in front of the old Cadeia da Relação the old prison where the Oporto writer Camilo Castelo Branco, who committed the “crime” of getting involved with a married woman, was imprisoned. Yes, infidelity was a crime! Have you ever thought about that nowadays?
Then, walk down Rua dos Caldeireiros, until the charming Flowers Street.
Rua das Flores, opened in the 16th century during the reign of D. Manuel, is an old and charming place that has become a mandatory passage for those who want to go down to the Douro River bank, the Ribeira. Besides its colorful and flowery balconies, the street has a variety of establishments, such as jewelry stores, cafes, restaurants, boutique hotels, and stores with century-old facades. The constant presence of street artists and their graffiti paintings make Flower Street an even more enchanting place. From this street, go to Largo de São Domingos passing by the Ferreira Borges Market until you reach Praça do Infante, where you can see the Stock Exchange Palace and the and São Francisco Church. It is worth visiting this church and continue walking along Rua de São Nicolau until you reach the Muro dos Bacalhoeiros and then follow the Ribeira towards the lower deck of the Luís I Luís I Bridge. This is the second oldest bridge in the city today (dating from 1886), and the most famous of them.
One of the most unmissable experiences in Porto is to visit a Port wine cellar in the Cais de Gaia (Gaia Quay). Most of them offer guided tours, providing their visitors an immersion in the history of Port wine, its relevance to the city, as well as learning about the entire manufacturing process. At the end of the tour, wine lovers will have the opportunity to try the different varieties available, such as white, ruby or tawny. Definitely, a unique and memorable sensory experience.
Taste the wines you desire, and if you’re already tired, return to the hotel by taxi. Otherwise…
If you want to make the most of your visit, you can always take the cable car up to Praça da Batalha, where you can see the remnants of the Fernandina Wall. Next to the wall, there is a staircase that will take you down to the riverside. At this location, there is a charming residential restaurant (Tasquinha dos Guindais) on the corner, where sardines are grilled. In the summer, they are fresh and delicious. During the rest of the year, you may find the thawed version. The view from the staircase is also interesting for taking good photos. If the restaurant is closed, there is still the famous Clube Guindalense, a bar a few steps below, which also has an exceptional view.
If the day is rainy, or if you don’t want to eat or drink, you can continue walking towards the Church of Santa Clara, an impressive example of Gothic architecture, known for its ornate facade and richly decorated interior in gold. The space was recently renovated and looks very beautiful!
Don’t miss the chance to visit Porto, even if only for a day, and enjoy everything this captivating city has to offer. You’ll surely go home with unforgettable memories and the desire to return soon. And if you wish to come back and stay for good, know that there are different residence visas available in Portugal to make your stay here legal and much more comfortable. Check out our articles on the cheapest cities in Portugal and also take a look at our suggested one day itinerary for Lisbon.
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*Silvia Resende is a marketing manager at Atlantic Bridge. Born in Bahia, she arrived in Portugal in 2015 to build a new life with her family. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communication Sciences and has worked as a tour guide in Porto. She loves to travel and explore the cultural heritage of every place she visits. And she loves to write about the cultural richness of Portugal!
Author:
Silvia Resende
