We spent some time in Portugal at the end of the 2024 European summer. Our plan was to visit Portugal in 2020, but we all know why that didn’t happen. We are so thankful we put Portugal back on our list as we had a fantastic time, the weather was amazing, the food was great, and the people were so friendly.
We stayed four nights in Porto, at the superbly located Exmo Hotel, and these are our recommendations for your visit.
The view from our room in the Exmo Hotel
Tour the Palácio da Bolsa
The Palácio da Bolsa is Porto’s historical Stock Exchange. This impressive building fronts on to a lovely green square so it is easy to admire the building from a range of vantage points.
You can only visit the interior by joining a guided tour, and it’s well worth it. We bought our tickets on the morning we wanted to visit, and booked into the next available English language tour.
The interiors are beautiful! Our favourite areas were the ornate Arab Room and the impressive Hall of Nations. The winding ‘Noble Staircase’ was also photo worthy.
See the Sé
The Sé do Porto is Porto’s Cathedral. There is more than one way to get to the Sé, but if you are walking, note that the uphill climb is well worth it no matter which direction you are coming from (and Porto is very hilly – bring comfortable shoes). The view from the elevated Sé is worth the trip and almost impressive enough to distract you from entering the romanesque cathedral.
Inside, the Sé’s gothic cloister is decorated with scenes made of Azulejos – the blue tiles typical of Portugal. You’ll be surrounded by ornate columns and grey stonework.
If you climb the internal stairs of one of the two square towers you’ll be rewarded with a perfect view of the second tower and its cupola (domed top) as well as a bird’s eye view of Porto. Don’t miss the cathedral’s amazing gold altar.
Refuel at Mercado do Bolhão
You’ll deduce from the name that Mercado do Bolhão is one of Porto’s markets. As you enter from the street, the market itself is downstairs, with produce and food stalls on the lowest level, and shops and restaurants around the outside of the upper level. The market is beautifully maintained and a roof over the openair produce area keeps everything out of the hot summer sun.
Not only can you buy fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, meats and flowers, there are a number of stalls selling snacks and meals, and don’t overlook the well equipped bars. Do as we did, grab an ice cold beer and find a table, and rest your feet while you people watch. Or select a range of portuguese treats and make a meal of it.
We caught a bus from the Exmo Hotel to give our feet a break, however Uber is really cheap in Porto when compared to Australia. We did take an Uber to the airport at the end of our time in Porto which cost just over €20 (Sept 2024).
Admire the Azulejos
Azulejos are the ceramic tiles decorated with scenes or patterns, and most commonly with blue paint. Azulejos are found all over Porto, on the interior and exterior of churches, significant buildings, restaurants, bars and even railway stations.
As mentioned above, the Sé do Porto has some amazing Azulejos. We also loved the tilework on the Capela das Almas de Santa Catarina (Chapel of Souls), the blue colour was amazing!
The Capela das Almas de Santa Catarina (Chapel of Souls)
There are also some impressive murals inside the São Bento railway station.
São Bento railway station
Walk the Ribeira do Porto
What a scenic location to take a walk! Colourful buildings line the banks of the Douro River Ribeira neighbourhood. Boats of various shapes and sizes sail past, including river cruise vessels. The Ponte Luís I (Luís I bridge) is a wonderful vantage point. You can cross it on foot for amazing views of the river and surroundings.
Ponte Luís I
There were a number of places to eat and drink in the Ribeira do Porto, however we stuck to having a drink in Praça Ribeira, a lovely little square just off the waterfront.
Go Port Tasting (Of Course!)
You cannot visit Porto without doing some port tasting. Port is the fortified wine that this city is famous for, and its namesake. Although there are big name port wineries offering various experiences, we opted to avoid the crowds and visited Vasques De Carvalho.
There was a good choice of tasting options, and you could purchase some accompanying snacks. We chose two different tasting flights so we could cover off more of the ports this boutique port winery has on offer.
The courtyard where the guided tastings take place is peaceful and shady. And also small, which meant it was a small group joining us. Definitely book before you leave home. You can purchase bottles to take home straight from the cellar door.
Port Tasting at Vasques De Carvalho
Check Out Some Street Art
Porto also has some amazing street art. Here are a couple of our favourites.
Works by: MrDheo, “D. Rosa” (left); Bordalo II, “Half Rabbit” (right)
If it’s your thing, check out our other street art stories from cities such as Lisbon, Budapest, Singapore, and Australia’s Melbourne and Adelaide.
If you get the opportunity to visit Portugal, we’d strongly encourage you to include a few days in Porto. It’s not only very scenic, there are plenty of delicious food options, and a lot of sights to explore. Porto is very walkable, if you don’t mind the hills, and easily accessible by train from Lisbon, Portugal’s capital. We have posted Lisbon stories previously – read them here.