Has anyone been to Porto? Can I have your tips please?

[Luckystar1]

My husband and I are off to Porto soon.

I’ve done some research online but the same old recommendations are being thrown up and I fear that we will race through the sights very quickly (husband isn’t one to stand around admiring a church)

Has anyone got any top tips/hidden treasures? We will consider anything really!

Thank you!

Never been but did look into going when I spotted cheap flights recently and came across this article which looked quite useful (also read the comments underneath for more tips).

www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/jan/29/porto-portugal-city-guide-local-guide-cafe-restaurant-hotel

Oh thank you that’s helpful!

Shamelessly place marking as we are thinking of going later this year!
That article is a good one, thanks.

I have just come back from there. My recommendations are buy an andante tour card. It is 15 euro each from what I remember and you can use any tram or bus aside from the historic trams.

Have a stroll next to the river at Gaia and then catch the cable car back up. Saves the old legs.

We caught a bus to the beach which was really nice and there were some pretty ornamental gardens just next to the bus stop. Beware though. Dont go to the restaurant next to the bus stop going to the beach in the centre of porto. They give you extras and act like it's complimentary and thrn charge you.

Super Bock beer is fab! Gin is expensive.

Try the tripe. It's in a smoky stew and is fab. Also have the hot sandwich with meat cheese and a beery chilli sauce. It's not good for you but tastes bloody amazing. I forget what it's called but it's a local dish.

Oh and don't ask for salt or pepper. The chef will be offended

The tour card lasts 72 hours by the way

Thank you for that witch

Did you enjoy it there?

I hope you have a good time. Come back and let us know how you got on as we're considering visiting Porto too as a change from Lisbon or the coast - it looks very pretty and interesting!

"Dont go to the restaurant next to the bus stop going to the beach in the centre of porto. They give you extras and act like it's complimentary and thrn charge you. "

This is normal in Portugal! The things brought (usually bread, cheese, sardine pate, sometimes more fancy like a small octopus salad) can absolutely be refused - it's normal to do that if you don't want all, or any. But they are usually only a couple of euros and can be delicious and a good way of keeping yourself happy while waiting for the mains. I usually wave away olives and any octopus but happily keep the lovely bread and sardine pate

This is from a discussion of the subject on Tripadvisor

"These couverts are served as part of local way of doing things, all over the country. They are not a tourist scam or a product push, it's simply part of local culture in portuguese restaurants to have something on the table, which can range anywhere from a bit of bread in some restaurants, to different small seafood platters in others."

I did Lucky. You will have a fab time.

Fair enough Apples. I didn't know that. None of the other restaurants we went to did this and the reviews of this particular restaurant on Trip Advisor were quite scathing for this reason. I will know for next time though

Douro boat trip. You can do day trips from Porto.

We didn't get to do the boat trip.as the water was too high following lots of rain. I was gutted as it was the thing I was most looking forward to

If you can walk up to the taylors port house (it is a bit of a hike), they have a lovely garden where you can sit and enjoy port and the sunshine.
We took a bottle of wine up to the Serra do Pillar viewpoint at sunset which was lovely.
Personally I'd give the market a swerve, tiny place and nothing particularly interesting there. There is a street art tour that we really enjoyed.

Oh thank you! I’ll defin look into these things! I’m starting to get excited now!

We did a day long boat and train trip on the Douro. I'd really looked forward to it, but it wasn't that good - packed, and in fairness we had bad weather which didn't help.

We got the metro (can't remember what it's called) to the beach just outside the city and walked back, which was lovely - naturally stopping for as many beers, ice-creams and lunches as we could manage!

We did a food tour on our first day which is something we always do and I'd recommend.

Spend a very happy day wandering around the port cellars in Gaia doing tastings.

Highlight was a tour called into the North wines, with the company cool tours Oporto.

Don’t know how foodie you are but we had an amazing, but expensive, tasting menu at O Paparico. We also had a fantastic and incredibly cheap meal on paper plates at the Bolhão market.

Other than the food and the obligatory port house tour we mainly just wandered. It’s a beautiful city.

Thank you Jammie I’ll definitely look into that. I LOVE food!!

I really recommend going to the Ramos Pintos port House across the river for the tour of the museum and port tasting. It was by far the most informative and the museum was lovely. Not expensive. We loved Porto - it’s small enough to get a handle on and the food is delicious. Really enjoyed wine and charcuterie along the river looking over to the other side. Some nice little shops too.

Oh thank you! I’m hoping to have a great trip now!

Porto is gorgeous! We did three days there last September. It's really easy to walk around plus they have Uber too if you need it (we found it really easy for getting to the airport and over the river) Recommend walk over the bridge to the port houses (Taylor's is really nice - tour was about 20 euros with two glasses of port and nibbles in the posh garden) and the food is stunning. We went to Caldeireiros a lovely tapas bar really cheap, The Yeatman (very expensive but we were treating ourselves!!!) And Ode Porto wine house. Loads of bars and restaurants along the river, weather was really warm and loads of little bars and pubs - Superbock really cheap. Would love to go back, have an amazing time. We stayed in a hotel/guesthouse Caldeireiros if you haven't found anywhere to stay yet.

Thank you Jon that’s really helpful, I’ll look into all of that too!

You should look in on Livraria Lello, a stunning bookshop in the middle of town. There’s a photography gallery too, which we really enjoyed.

The sandwich witch mentions is a Francesinha, which was recommended to us by my local friend as the perfect hangover cure.

Speaking of which, try white port over ice - you don’t often get it over here.

The villages up the valley are very pretty too - though driving on the back roads can be a bit hairy...

Oh yes I’ve heard of the book shop, I’ll definitely go!!

White port, that sounds delicious!!!

Also white port and tonic, similar to a g&t

Francesinha a heart attack on a plate - the Portuguese version of a croque monsieur (with added sausage, and a bit more meat, then a bit more for luck )

White port drools

It's a wonderful (hilly) walking city with fabulous views, food and drink and really friendly, safe feeling. Take comfortable shoes and pick up/take a brolly.

Walk across the top of the Dom Luís bridge and soak up the beautiful view - sunrise or sunset best! Explore Gaia's waterfront, take the Ramos Pinto port tour and enjoy a few port cocktails along the front looking at pretty Porto lights twinkling. For the best Francesinha, walk up the hill to Bufete Fase for opening time (there will be a queue forming) quite quickly - it's all the day, go hungry and enjoy a beer with it! We also tried Cafe Santiago, which was fun experience, very buzzy, but Bufete tasted best!

Enjoy nata from Manteigaria and dust with cinnamon as they taste so much nicer!

Take the tram on the circular town ride and down to the beach - I loved that it was a mix of us tourists and locals using it. We walked everywhere other than that as so many interesting side starts streets and beautiful, faded tiled buildings to gaze at - didn't have a duff coffee or meal anywhere!

Livraria Lello is beautiful but it was packed! You can buy a ticket in the shop further up the corner you skip the queue and offset it against a purchase. If you love bookshops (I do) it's worth it! There's a beautiful shop nearby, A Vida Portuguesa, with the loveliest gifts etc - the soaps are gorgeous smelling and make wonderful gifts (Claus Porto £££ or Ach Brito £) and just along that street is a great bar, Galeria de Paris. I loved it - service was relaxed but hey, you're on holiday, I loved the decor and one evening there was a cabaret act on with wonderful jazz piano. There was also an arts & crafts street market on that street on the Saturday.

The delis and bakeries on R.Formosa are stunning to look at and explore eg
A Pérola do Bolhão I just wanted to try everything!

Hope you have a wonderful time - we loved it!

Oh thank you this is just superb!!!