Free walking tours in Porto and what to see

Must-sees

Porto is best discovered by walking down from the top of the city to the Douro. Up high are São Bento station, with its tiled hall, the Clérigos Tower and the Lello bookshop, next to Avenida dos Aliados. From the cathedral, the Sé, the streets drop between narrow houses to the Ribeira, the riverside quarter of colourful façades.

The Dom Luís I bridge, made of iron and with two decks, crosses to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the port wine cellars line up. From the Serra do Pilar monastery, in Gaia, you get the best view of the city. The Stock Exchange Palace, the Church of São Francisco and a walk to Foz, where the river meets the Atlantic, are also worth it.

Free tours and guided visits

The Porto free walking tour covers the upper and lower town down to the Ribeira, and usually explains the history of port wine, the azulejo tiles and the rebuilding of the city. It is the easiest way to get your bearings before crossing to Gaia.

Among the paid activities, the six-bridges cruise on the Douro is the classic, as are guided cellar visits with tastings. Day trips leave Porto for Braga and Guimarães, Aveiro and Costa Nova, and the Douro valley.

How long to spend

Two days are enough for the essentials: one for the upper town, the cathedral and the Ribeira, and another for Gaia, its cellars and sunset from Serra do Pilar. With three or four days you can add Foz and the beach, the Serralves museum or a trip to Guimarães or the Douro. The hills are steep: alternate walks with the Guindais funicular or the metro.

Where to stay

The Aliados and São Bento area is the most practical: flat, with the metro and a few minutes from almost everything. The Ribeira has the views and the riverside atmosphere, but also more noise and hills on the way back. In Vila Nova de Gaia there are hotels with views of the city and the cellars, and in Foz, quieter, you sleep near the sea, a tram or bus ride from the centre.