Porto City Break: Ribeira, Port Cellars, Food and Day Trips

Porto has everything a perfect city break needs: a riverside old town that's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, steep lanes of tiled houses, port wine cellars, hearty food, Atlantic beaches and the vineyards of the Douro Valley close by. It's smaller and often cheaper than Lisbon, and easy to explore in a long weekend. Here's how to make the most of it.

Porto at a glance

• Where: northern Portugal, on the Douro river.
• Flight time: around 2.5 hours from the UK and Germany.
• Getting around: on foot (it's hilly!), by metro, tram and the funicular.
• Best for: food and wine lovers, photographers and weekenders.

Things to do in Porto

1. The Ribeira

The riverside quarter of Ribeira is Porto's postcard: colourful houses stacked above the river, cafés on the quay and traditional rabelo boats that once carried port wine down the Douro. Take a six-bridges river cruise for the classic view.

Houses painted in ochre, blue and green stack up the hillside above the river, washing hangs from the balconies and the restaurants along the quay fill up at sunset. The streets are steep – wear good shoes.

2. Dom Luís I Bridge

Gustave Eiffel's pupil Théophile Seyrig designed this double-deck iron bridge. Walk across the upper deck – shared with the metro – for spectacular views, especially at sunset.

Walk across the upper level as the sun sets, with the metro rumbling beside you, the river far below and the whole city glowing orange.

3. Port cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia

Across the river in Gaia, historic port lodges such as Taylor's, Graham's, Sandeman and Cálem offer tours and tastings. Book ahead in summer.

In the cool, dark cellars, the smell of oak and wine hangs in the air, barrels are stacked to the ceiling and a glass of tawny at the end of the tour is the perfect reward.

4. Azulejo churches and São Bento station

Porto's blue-and-white tiles are everywhere: see the São Bento railway station hall, the Capela das Almas and the Igreja do Carmo.

Inside São Bento's hall, 20,000 blue-and-white tiles tell Portugal's history, and travellers stop to look up in wonder before catching their trains.

5. Livraria Lello and Clérigos Tower

The neo-Gothic Livraria Lello bookshop, with its red staircase, is one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world – entry requires a ticket (deductible from a book purchase), so go early. Climb the Clérigos Tower for city views.

The bookshop's red wooden staircase curves up like something from a fairy tale – book a timed ticket. Then climb the 200-odd steps of the Clérigos Tower for views over the rooftops.

6. Foz do Douro and the beaches

Take the vintage tram number 1 along the river to Foz, where the Douro meets the Atlantic, for seafront walks, beaches and seafood restaurants.

Where the river meets the Atlantic, waves crash against the lighthouse and the promenade is perfect for a sunset walk with a glass of vinho verde.

Food and drink

7. What to eat

Try the francesinha, a hefty sandwich of meats covered with melted cheese and beer sauce; tripas à moda do Porto; grilled sardines; bifana pork sandwiches; and custard tarts. The Mercado do Bolhão, restored in 2022, is the place for local produce.

The francesinha – a meat sandwich covered in melted cheese and beer sauce – is a heavy, delicious Porto institution. Pastéis de nata and grilled sardines are lighter options.

8. Wine beyond port

Northern Portugal also produces light, fresh vinho verde and excellent Douro reds – try them in Porto's wine bars.

Day trips

9. The Douro Valley

The terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley, a UNESCO site, are about 90 minutes away. Visit quintas for tastings, take a river cruise or ride the scenic train to Pinhão.

Terraced vineyards fall steeply to the winding river, and in a quinta's tasting room, you sip port with a view of the valley – especially magical at harvest time.

10. Braga and Guimarães

Braga has the famous Bom Jesus do Monte staircase; Guimarães, "the birthplace of Portugal", has a medieval centre and castle. Both are easy by train.

Practical tips

• Wear comfortable shoes – the hills are steep.
• Andante card: use it for metro, buses and some trains.
• Book Livraria Lello and port lodges online.
• More Portugal: see 8 reasons Portugal is the perfect place to visit and our Algarve bucket list.