Porto Things To Do

Things To Do

You could easily spend a couple of days just soaking up the dreamy Old World vibe of the Ribeira, Porto’s protected waterfront area, and we certainly recommend doing just that – but the city also has some heavyweight cultural institutions outside the area that command attention. Plus, you definitely can’t leave the town without spending an afternoon (or more) sampling port at the source, at one of the dozens of lodges that produce it here.

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Torre dos Clérigos
For panoramic city vistas, climb up the 225 steps to the belfry of this 18th-century Baroque tower with Rococo carvings (but no elevator).
Rua San Filipe de Nery; Porto; 011-351-22-200-1729
Tags: international travel | architecture | history | art
Cathedral (Sé)
Soaring over the skyline with its hodgepodge of architectural elements from Romanesque to Gothic and Baroque periods, Porto’s landmark cathedral (also known as Sé) doubles as a reference point if you get lost in the city’s tousled web of streets.
Terreiro da Sé; Porto; 011-351-22-205-9028
Tags: international travel | architecture | history | art
Igreja da São Francisco
Check out this marvelous Gothic church with gilded carvings, gold-leaf motifs and other lavish ecclesiastical decorations in its Baroque interiors; the vault museum houses a small display of religious paintings, human skulls, and other random artifacts.
Rua do Infante D. Henrique; Porto; 011-351-22-206-2100
Tags: international travel | architecture | history | art
São Bento
Take a peek at the magnificent entrance hall of Porto’s grand train station elaborately covered with 20,000 azulejos (Portugal’s quintessential decorative tiles), depicting various scenes from history.
Praça Almeida Garrett; Porto; 011-351-22-201-9517
Tags: international travel | architecture | history | art
Fundaçao de Serralves
Take in the frequently changing exhibits of Portuguese and international contemporary art at Porto’s cultural powerhouse, found in a striking modern structure amidst 44 landscaped acres dotted with sculptures, fountains and art installations.
Rua Don João de Castro 210; Porto; www.serralves.pt
Tags: international travel | architecture | culture | outdoors | art
Museu Nacional de Soares dos Reis
This national museum inside the majestic Palácio dos Carrancas displays a collection of 18th- and 19th-century Portuguese masterpieces, including works by renowned local sculptor António Soares dos Reis.
Rua D. Manuel II; Porto; www.ipmuseus.pt
Tags: international travel | architecture | culture | art
Casa do Infante
Fifteenth-century explorer Henry the Navigator was apparently born in this ancient house that’s now a small history museum displaying medieval parchments and drawings.
Rua da Alfândega 10; Porto; 011-351-22-608-1000
Tags: international travel | culture | free | history
Palácio da Bolsa
Book a guided tour of this neoclassical palace built in the 19th century to house the stock exchange to see its elaborately decked-out rooms; the oval-shaped Arabian Hall has ornate woodwork and stained-glass windows.
Rua Ferreira Borges; Porto; 011-351-223-399-000; www.palaciodabolsa.pt
Tags: international travel | architecture | history
Sail the Douro River
Board a boat on the Douro to see Porto majestically rising uphill; trips range from 50-minute cruises of the six bridges, including the Gustav Eiffel-designed Dona Maria Pia, to moonlit dinner sailings and day excursions to the Douro Valley.
Douro Azul; Waterfront; Porto; 011-351-223-402-500; www.douroazul.pt
Tags: international travel | cruise | tour
Helicopter tour smart splurge
Rise above Porto’s enchanting streetscapes in a helicopter for a bird’s-eye view of the hilltop town, the river, and its six bridges across the Douro.
Porto Tours; Torre Medieval, Calçada D. Pedro Pitões, 15; Porto; 011-351-222-000-073; www.portotours.com
Tags: international travel | tour | smart splurge
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