Porto is Portugals ‘second’ city, after the capital of Lisbon, and is famed as the place that Port originates from. Set mainly around the Douro river, it’s a great city to visit for a relaxing weekend of sunshine, seafood and port wine.
- Currency: Euro
- Local time: GMT +1
- Language: Portuguese
Stay: The Porto Concierge
When searching for accommodation in Porto, it can be confusing as to which area is best to stay in, but we decided we wanted to be close to the river and its many bars and restaurants, as well as walking distance from the cool Baxia neighbourhood, so narrowed down an area on the map and began our search.
The Porto Concierge apartment that we stayed in was perfect – We were met in person and efficiently checked in, given tips on where to eat and explore, and they even left us a bottle of wine as a welcome!
The apartment (Behind Blue Eyes) was also in an excellent location – Just a few minutes from the river in one direction and a (very steep) but pleasant walk uphill to the bars/restaurants of the Baixa area, which truly comes to life at night! Everywhere was within walking distance, which is exactly what we wanted.
Do: Port wine tour, cable car, Baxia neighbourhood
No trip to Porto is complete without learning about the history of port, and the best way to do this is obviously on a port wine tour! We booked in advance through Viator and paid £28 for a 3 hour tour with 7 port wine tastings, which turned out to be pretty good value! It was also great meet other people on the tour who had come from all corners of the world! We went to three port wine houses, were given a full history of port wine and then taught how to properly taste the port itself. A brilliant afternoon!
The Porto cable car starts at the top of the Dom Luis bridge and gently carries you down to the riverfront on the south side, towards the Port Wine cellars. At €6 for a one way trip, its an inexpensive way to get a unique view of Porto across the water.
The Baxia neighbourhood is Porto’s busting nightlife hotspot, and an excellent place to go on a Friday & Saturday night. In the daytime, streets may seem deserted in this area, but come back in the evening and you’ll realise each seemingly derelict doorway has turned into the entrance to a bar/club!
Eat: Patio do Duque, Bar Tolo
Undoubtedly one of the best meals we had in Portugal was at Patio do Duque – a tapas restaurant serving up excellent quality food at very reasonable prices. We ordered a lot of tapas to share (chorizo sausage, tomato & mozzarella skewers, calamari & cod fritters to name just a few) plus a bottle of wine and water for the table and the bill was €38! The staff were very attentive and took a lot of time to explain anything on the menu that we didn’t understand. Highly recommended!
A short (15 minute) car journey from the centre of Porto takes you to Foz do Douro; one of the closest beaches to the main city centre. There are plenty of bars and restaurants to try here, but our recommendation is Bar Tolo, located a couple of roads back from the sea. The service and the food were both equally great, and the menu offered a wide variety, from more traditional tapas dishes to full main courses (the blackened pork cheeks were exceptional!). On a warm evening, sit outside in their pavement-side garden, or head up to the cute rooftop terrace with a sea view if it’s open (peak times).
Drink: Base Bar, Cafe do Cais
There are plenty of bars to explore in Porto, but we recommend starting your evening at Base Bar; a relaxed bar with an extensive cocktail menu, live DJ and bean bags to chill out on! As it gets dark, festoon lighting illuminates the area and gives a magical feel to this unique drinking spot.
Touristy as it may be, a drink at Cafe do Cais right on the river front is the perfect place to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the views. We paid a bit more here for a drink than you would in other places in the city centre, but with views like this bar has, you can hardly complain at an extra €3 on your bottle of wine!
