24 hours in PORTO

Although Porto is certainly not a major hub, it’s still Portugal’s second largest airport with many connections all over Europe and also to remote Portuguese territories such as the Azores. Since Porto is such a mesmerizing city full of beauty and wonders, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to get a taste of the city during a short visit – I’m sure you’ll come back soon for more. But now I’ll show you how you can have a perfect stay of up to 24 hours in Porto.

Rather than overwhelming visitors with countless must-see landmarks, Porto invites them to leisurely wander through its scenic streets and alleys. The city offers amazing views as it is built on steep banks of the Douro River and undulating hills.

It has countless stunning Baroque churches adorned with intricate Azulejos, captivates with striking street art, and boasts what may be the world’s most famous bookstore. Very justly, UNESCO listed the historic city center on the northern bank of the Douro as a World Heritage Site in 1996.

 Local Currency

Euro (EUR) / 1 EUR = 1 US$ as of November 2024 / current rate

Emergency Contacts

Police 112
(At this number you also reach a service center that can redirect you to other help centers)

National Airline

TAP Portugal

Airports

Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport / IATA-Code: OPO

Tourist Info Online and Onsite

Visit Porto has four offices, the most conveniently located is right next to the Sé, Porto’s Cathedral.

Porto Tourism Office – Sé
Cç de Dom Pedro Pitões 15
4050-467 Porto
Phone: +351 – 935 – 557 024
Opening hours: daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Getting Downtown and Back

The airport is located almost 15 kilometers northwest of the city center. To get downtown, you don’t need to take a cab unless you have extremely bulky and heavy luggage. There are bus connections and, above all, the purple metro line E takes you there quickly and reliably for an incredible 1.40 euros!

Note that the Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel*, which I highly recommend, is just off the Lapa stop of the E metro line, which connects the airport with the city center.

Morning Activities

As I pointed out, to enjoy Porto to the max, you don’t need to rush from landmark to landmark. However, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be exhausted after one day exploring the city since you’ll be walking up and down very steep streets and climbing what will feel like a trizillion of stairs. But don’t you worry, Porto will generously reward you for all your effort!

Let’s start our grand tour of Porto at the centrally located Trindade station where the city’s six Metro lines come together.

Just outside the station at a formerly dull parking garage are some of Porto’s best murals: Nobre e Leal by Mr. Dheo and Direitos Sociais by Tamara Alves. By the way, if you want to learn more about the city’s urban art, make sure to check out my post Best Street Art in Porto.

The first part of this visit will be quite comfortable as we continue South, hence, downhill towards the river where the next stop is Avenida dos Aliados. Avenida dos Aliados is Porto’s state room, so to speak. Praça da Liberdade and Praça do General Humberto Delgado form a gigantic square, surrounded by beautiful imposing buildings in Beaux-Arts and Neoclassical style. They often feature intricate stonework, grand facades, and ornamental details, giving the area an air of grandeur and sophistication.

At the northern end of Aliados, the imposing City Hall is one of Porto’s most prominent landmarks. Completed in 1957, its design mixes classic elements with a modern touch. The central tower is particularly striking, offering panoramic views of the avenue.

Although the Beaux-Arts dominate, some buildings display traces of Art Deco, particularly in their simplified forms and modernist influences. This style contributes to the architectural diversity of the area.

Getting the Blues

Just around the corner from Aliados is the iconic São Bento station, a true gem that combines history, art, and architecture into a breathtaking experience.

The building was built on the site of the former monastery Mosteiro de São Bento de Avé-Maria, hence the name. Located in the very heart of the city, this train station is famous not only for its role as a transport hub, but above all for the stunning Azulejos that adorn its large entrance hall. Over 20,000 blue and white tiles, masterfully crafted by artist Jorge Colaço, depict key moments from Portugal’s history. Above this, multi-colored panels show rural scenes from different regions.

As you continue further south the Avenida Dom Afonso Henriques, you’ll get to the Sé do Porto, hence, Porto’s Cathedral.

Construction of the Sé, hence, Porto’s Cathedral, began in a Romanesque style in the early 12th century. The Gothic cloister was then added in the 14th century. However, the cathedral’s exterior was profoundly redesigned during the Baroque and Rococo periods. In the 18th century, our friend Nicolau Nasoni designed a loggia on the north facade.

Entrance to the cathedral is free, but you have to pay 3 €uros to visit the cloister and the small museum.

Before you continue to lunch, don’t miss out on taking in the amazing views of the city from the Miradouro da Rua das Aldas just in front of the Terreiro da Sé!

Morning Activities

Portugal, the land of eternal sunshine! This assumption has already led to much irritation among visitors. Yes, the weather is definitely better than in Northern Europe. But not only is Porto in the north of Portugal, its geographical position also means that it is generally a little cooler and, above all, much rainier than in other parts of the country. But luckily, this fantastic city has enough to offer to ensure you have a great time even during a rainy stay!

How convenient that one of Porto’s most beautiful attractions is a train station! This way, you can marvel at the wonderful Azulejos of the São Bento station without having to walk through the rain.

This station is a true gem that combines history, art, and architecture into a breathtaking experience. The building was built on the site of the former monastery Mosteiro de São Bento de Avé-Maria, hence the name. Over 20,000 blue and white tiles, masterfully crafted by artist Jorge Colaço, depict key moments from Portugal’s history. Above this, multi-colored panels show rural scenes from different regions.
In fact, the station seems more like a museum than a mere hub.

To discover more architectural highlights, take bus #500 from São Bento to the Jardim do Infante Dom Henrique. This centrally located greenery is bordered by several majestic buildings and landmarks such as the Palácio da Bolsa and the Church of São Francisco.

Architectural Treasures

The Palácio da Bolsa was used as a stock exchange and commercial court.

Today, it is used as a conference center. Nevertheless, the building can be visited outside of meeting times, which I highly recommend! For an entrance fee of 12 €uros, you can visit the Palácio every day between 9 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. on a guided tour in different languages. The tour takes about half an hour.

The architectural wonders don’t stop, as just around the corner from the Palácio is the incredibly beautiful Igreja Monumento de São Francisco, the most prominent Gothic monument in all of Porto.

Construction started in a striking Gothic style in 1383. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it underwent its jaw-dropping transformation into the Baroque style. We’re talking some of the most extravagant, gold-covered decorations you’ve ever seen! It’s pure radiant splendor and one of the crowning achievements of Portuguese talha dourada. Then, perched on the side wall of the rear gallery, there’s this incredible Iberian baroque organ with horizontal reeds!

The Igreja Monumento de São Francisco can be visited from April to September every day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Between October and March, they are already closing at 7 p.m. The general entrance fee is 8 €uros.

Lunch

As the morning route on a sunny day ends in a very different spot than the route on a rainy day, I suggest two restaurants for lunch.

If you follow the itinerary for a sunny day, just walk from the Terreiro da Sé eastwards to the legendary Escadas dos Guindais. A couple of flights down is the charming traditional restaurant Tasquinha Dos Guindais. Here, you can sit either inside or at one of the small tables placed on the stairs.

The Tasquinha Dos Guindais is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.

If your morning itinerary ends at the Igreja Monumento de São Francisco, just turn right and walk two minutes to the Taberna dos Carris. They are open every day from 9 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.

Afternoon Activities

At the Tasquinha Dos Guindais, you are already in the perfect spot to continue your walk through Porto.

First, you have to burn off those calories, and there is no better way than walking down the unique Escadas dos Guindais. This historic and picturesque staircase consists of 321 steps and connects the Batalha neighborhood east of the Sé with the Ribeira, hence, the riverfront. They actually date back to the 12th century, initially built to facilitate access between the upper and lower parts of the city. Whether you go up or down these stairs, you will find it very ironic that they were actually built for facilitation!

Once you get to the bottom of the stairs and have caught your breath, you can cross the legendary Ponte Dom Luís I bridge on its lower part.

Once on the other side, a slight climb awaits you, which will take you in around ten minutes along the Calçada da Serra to the Jardim do Morro.

The Jardim do Morro is a well-kept green area which was constructed in 1927. It is home to a small lake, a bandstand, and a wide variety of plant species. The real highlight of the garden, however, is the view of the old town of Porto with all the iconic landmarks in sight.

Since 2011, a cable car connects over a distance of 560 meters the Jardim do Morro with Cais de Gaia. The cable car is in operation from 10:00 a.m. and closes, depending on the season, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. A one-way ticket for adults costs 7 €uro and a round trip sets you back 10 €uro. A family ticket for two adults and two children costs 22.50 €uro round trip.

Extra Tip:

Most visitors come across the Escadas de Cândido Reis purely by chance. These stairs are on the way from the Jardim do Morro to the Cais de Gaia, hence, to the Gaia river bank.

As you walk down the stairs from the garden, you could easily miss the magnificent, detailed paintings. The Belgian street artist Jaune has created a small-scale neighborhood typical of Porto. While you don’t see the residents, he has, as in all his works, portrayed all the helping hands that keep a city running.

Afternoon Activities

WOW – that’s short for World of Wine – is a cluster of seven museums, twelve restaurants, shops, and a wine school telling the story of Porto’s port wine industry. This complex with a huge wow factor is located in the historic heart of Gaia above the opposite bank of the Douro River. It is housed in renovated old port wine warehouses.

Trust me, even half a day will be short to discover WOW. Fortunately, there is a kind of modular system so that you can choose the museums that interest you most and also pick specific activities. There are various entry tickets and packages available. The best thing to do is to check out their website to see what is most attractive to you.
The complex is open every day from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., although, the museums close already at 7 p.m.

To get from the lunch place Taberna dos Carris to WOW, just hop on bus #900 or #901 toward Valadares at the stop Ribeira and get off at the stop GNR. From there, it’s about 500 meters to the entrance of WOW.

Dinner

As you are already at the WOW, you can grab dinner at one of their restaurants, obviously. However, to have a truly unique experience, I recommend dining at the Uva by Cálem. Caves Cálem is a traditional, world-famous Porto winery. For their restaurant, they’ve been collaborating with chef António Vieira.

Their menu includes a polished version of the classics of Portuguese cuisine as well as international specialties. Of course, the long drinks and cocktails based on the house products are particularly popular.

Aside from fantastic cuisine, the restaurant offers spectacular views over the Ribeira do Porto which makes it the perfect place to spend unforgettable moments and enjoy delicious meals accompanied by great wines.

Uva by Cálem is open every day from noon until 10.30 p.m. Reservation is highly recommended a couple of days ahead.

Nightcap

Obviously, there is an overwhelming number of bars where you can enjoy a nightcap.

But after you had an amazing dinner at the Uva by Cálem, you might be tired and want to head back to the hotel.

However, if you’re still in the mood for a nightcap, you don’t need to leave the premises. The Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel* not only has an infinity pool surrounded by many comfy loungers. They also have a full bar offering delicious drinks and small snacks. With your drink in hand, you can sit in their cozy rooftop lounge and enjoy spectacular views of Porto before calling it a day.

Accommodation

Not only offers the Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel* tastefully decorated, sound-proof rooms that guarantee the best possible relaxation.

They will spoil you in the morning with an opulent breakfast buffet full of fresh fruits and salads, bread and pastries, eggs, meats, and cheeses. The orange juice is freshly squeezed and the coffee is strong. In other words, everything you need for an exciting day in the city or for a strenuous onward journey.

Also, let’s not forget the amazing infinity pool on their rooftop from where you have a million-dollar view while taking a refreshing dip.

If you then add the convenience that the Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel* is just off the Lapa stop of the E metro line, which goes from the airport to the city center, this affordable 5-star hotel is definitely your best lodging option in Porto!

Map

This map should help you to easily find all the wonderful places I’m introducing in this post. To switch between the itineraries for a sunny and a rainy day just open the legend at the left upper corner and you can hide or unhide the respective layer as you wish. This way, the map will show only the section you really need and be more clear.

If you have more time to spare in Porto, make sure to check out my comprehensive post Best of PORTO – Also if You Travel Solo. There you’ll find lots of places and activities to choose from.

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Disclaimer: I was invited to stay at the Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel. Also, Turismo do Porto e Norte de Portugal supported my blogger trip by supplying me with a 72-hour Porto Card.  However, all opinions on these services are mine and weren’t by any means influenced by my cooperation partner.
*This is an affiliate link. If you book through this page, not only do you get the best deal. I also get a small commission that helps me run this blog. Thank you so much for supporting me!

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