Things To Do in Porto: Everything You Need To Know for Your Visit

Visiting Porto means exploring a historic river city brimming with art and heritage. This Portuguese gem is where the famous tipple, port, gets its name from. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city abounds with colourful, picture-perfect façades, fabulous buildings and esplanades brought alive with vibrant creativity. Slip on some comfy shoes and set off to discover this walkable city!

Porto is built on the steep bank of the River Douro, giving the visual impression of a tiered town. And with high hills come elevated views. Here are some of the best spots for surveying the city from on high.

Head up to the oldest and highest part of Porto, the Morro da Sé, to visit an iconic landmark in the city – Porto Cathedral, or Sé do Porto. The impressive, fortified building features a mix of architectural styles, with sturdy Roman walls cutting quite a contrast with its intricate Baroque loggia and cupola-topped towers. Cross the threshold to discover the masterpiece tucked inside: Gothic cloisters with azulejo-clad walls depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. On your way out, linger on the Terreiro da Sé – the vast esplanade that looks down onto sweeping views of the River Douro, the Vila Nova de Gaia quayside on the opposite bank, and the iconic red roofs of Porto.

• Terreiro da Sé, 4050-573 Porto
• Open November to March 9am-5:30pm, April to October 9am-6:30pm
• Free entrance to the cathedral, €3 to enter the cloisters
• São Bento stop, metro line D (yellow)

The Torre dos Clérigos, or clerics’ tower, is also a must on the list of things to do in Porto. It’s another of the city’s emblematic landmarks, and for good reason – it’s one of the highest points in the city. Standing proudly at 75m high, this splendid Baroque monument looms over a church of the same name, Igreja dos Clérigos. Steel yourself to climb the tower's 225 steps to be rewarded with a breathtaking 360-degree view of Porto and beyond. Tickets for the tower include admission to the museum, which displays collections left to the Brotherhood of the Clérigos, dating from the 13th century to modern day.

• R. de São Filipe de Nery, 4050-546 Porto
• Open year-round 9am-7pm, open until 11pm at certain periods
• Free entrance to the church, €10 for the tower and museum, €5 for evening visits
• Aliados stop on metro line D (yellow) or Carmo stop on tram line 22

Perched high on a hilltop lies one of the most romantic things to do in Porto. With exotic plants, rose gardens, fountains, statues, water mirrors and a small chapel, the gardens of Palácio de Cristal tick all the boxes for enjoying magical moments in idyllic surroundings. The palace gardens were created for the 1865 International Exhibition and are now home to the Rosa Mota – Super Bock Arena sports dome, which hosts a line-up of matches and concerts. Looking for a relaxing thing to do in Porto? Pack a picnic for some couple time or for a family day out away from the buzz of the city centre, and contemplate the River Douro and the picturesque panoramic views from the palace's belvederes.

• R. de D. Manuel, 4050-346 Porto
• Open 24/7 all year round
• Free entrance
• Palácio stop on bus lines 12M, 13M, 200, 201, 207, 208, 303, 501 or Entre Quintas stop on tram line 18

Built on two levels, Porto’s most famous bridge spans the Douro to link Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia. The lower level is used by cars, while the upper level is part of a metro line. You can cross both levels on foot, and its 60m-high tip gives sweeping views of the river and the city. The bridge’s elegant, tiered structure is made from iron beams that seem to be sewn together, in a style reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower – not surprising, given that the bridge’s architect had previously worked with Gustave Eiffel.

• Open 24/7 all year round
• Free
• Elevador Guindais stop on bus lines 11M, 403, 900, 901, 906

The Gaia cable car is one of the most fun things to do in Porto. On the south bank of the Douro, the short journey connects the Gaia riverside promenade to the upper deck of the Luís I Bridge. Drink up fabulous views of the bridge, as well as the Ribeira and Vila Nova de Gaia rooftops, from your vantage point 55 metres in the air during the five-minute crossing.

• Jardim do Morro station, R. Rocha Leão 236, 4430-210 Vila Nova de Gaia
• Open daily 10am-6pm or 7pm in low season, 10am-8pm in summer
• Return ticket €10 for adults, €5 for children aged 5-12
• Ponte Luís I stop, bus lines 11M, 900, 901, 906

Think Portugal, and its world-famous white-and-blue ceramic tiles spring to mind. Known as azulejos, they were originally brought to Europe by the Moors, and widely adopted for their unrivalled durability. Spotting traditional azulejos around the city is one of the most effortless yet impressive things to do in Porto!

The Capela das Almas, or Chapel of Souls, is on Santa Catarina Street, one of Porto's main shopping spots. The little church is impossible to miss – its façade is entirely adorned with azulejos depicting scenes from the lives of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Catherine.

• R. de Santa Catarina 428, 4000-124 Porto
• Open Monday to Friday 7:30am-6pm, weekends 7:30am-12:30pm then 6pm-7:30pm
• Free entrance
• Bolhão stop, metro lines A, B, Bx, C, E and F

Head to Porto’s Municipal Library, housed in the former convent of Santo António da Cidade, to marvel at its stunning collection of azulejos. An impressive array of ceramic tiles adorns the cloisters, some depicting famous people from history. It's a lovely, peaceful way to understand the city’s identity.

• R. de Dom João IV 2, 4000-296 Porto, Portugal
• Closed for renovation at the time of writing (August 2025), due to reopen soon
• Free entrance
• Lázaro stop, bus lines 9M, 207, 300 and 400

Don’t miss this 54m-long mural (Painel de Azulejos Ribeira Negra) recounting everyday life, situated at the mouth of a tunnel that opens onto Luís I Bridge and the Ribeira district. What makes these tiles different to other azulejos is their format and design – images of real people spill over the neatly formed squares to take up space and form a bold visual along the length of the wall. Find out how this remarkable artwork was designed and see creator Júlio Resende’s sketches at Porto's Museum of Transport and Communication.

• R. da Ribeira Negra 4000, 4000-173 Porto
• Open 24/7 all year round
• Elevador Guindais stop, bus lines 11M, 403, 900, 901, 906

Just steps from the main drag, Avenida dos Aliados, is one of Porto's top attractions – São Bento station. Considered to be one of the most beautiful train stations in the world, its majestic stone façade cuts an impressive figure as soon as it comes into sight. And it doesn’t stop there – inside, the main hall is decorated with more than 20,000 azulejos recounting the history of Portugal.

• Praça de Almeida Garrett, 4000-069 Porto
• Open 24/7 all year round
• São Bento stop, metro line D (yellow)

From hilly heights to the riverside Ribeiro area, there's no shortage of sights to see and things to do in Porto. Yet under the streets lies a hidden world of Porto's emblematic culture of the past and present.

In the heart of Porto, just a stone's throw from the banks of the Douro, São Francisco Church is one of the most unusual cultural things to do in Porto. The church is not only a masterpiece of Gothic art, it also houses the city's hidden catacombs – final resting place of Franciscan monks and Porto nobility – of the Third Order of Saint Francis. Enter through the Casa do Despacho, opposite the church. As you head deeper into the underground gallery, a glass slab in the floor yields a glimpse of an ossuary containing thousands of human bones.

• R. do Infante Dom Henrique, 4050-297 Porto
• Open winter 9am-7pm, summer 9am-8pm
• Tickets cost €8 for adults
• Infante stop, tram line 1

You can’t visit the home of port wine without a trip to the Vila Nova de Gaia wine cellars. Here, the wineries of some of the biggest port producers await, including Sandeman, Taylor's and Cálem. Discover these prestigious cellars and learn more about the history, production process and impact of wine on the region. Naturally, visits include a tasting session, so remember to drink responsibly and stay safe by planning ahead. Make your return journey that bit easier by booking a room at the Mercure Porto Gaia Hotel, in the heart of the neighbourhood.

Want to see the city and its monuments from a different angle? A great thing to do in Porto after soaking up the riverside vibe in Gaia is to head out onto the water. Escape the busy streets and admire the full picture of the city’s colourful skyline, picking out landmarks as you sail down the Douro.

Vila Nova de Gaia, or simply Gaia to the locals, is a town in its own right located on the bank opposite Porto's Ribeira district. Beyond the wine cellars and acclaimed wines, Vila Nova de Gaia offers a beautiful view of Porto and the Ribeira riverside. Explore Gaia’s maze of cobbled streets, stroll along the seafront or visit historic monuments like Santa Marinha church and the Serra de Pilar monastery, which looks down over the town. Right next door, the Jardim do Morro botanical garden provides an idyllic haven of peace away from the lively city centre.

Rabelos are traditional boats that transported barrels of port wine from the vineyards of the Upper Douro Valley to Vila Nova de Gaia. Today, they're used for leisure cruises on the Douro. See Porto from a different perspective on a Six Bridges Cruise: departing from the port of Ribeira where the river joins the Atlantic Ocean, you’ll pass under Porto’s emblematic bridges to enjoy a unique view of the river, the majestic Luís I Bridge and the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia.

• Departure point: Ribeira pier or Vila Nova de Gaia pier
• Under €20 per person
• Duration: 1 hour

Looking for the most picturesque things to see and do in Porto? The Ribeira waterfront is a great place to start! This is one of the oldest parts of the city and home to one of Porto’s iconic backdrops – those colourful azulejos-adorned houses stretching along the Douro riverside. Soak up the vibrant feel of this area, where the impressive architecture of the Palácio da Bolsa stock exchange building melds with a plethora of restaurants, bars and shops.

Ribeira is popular with visitors and locals alike at any time of night or day. Sway to the sound of street performers as you meander through its narrow streets, and continue down to the waterfront for a stunning view of the Luís I Bridge.
 

Now that you’ve experienced the best of Porto, where to next? Discover Lisbon, one of Europe's trendiest capitals, as well as one of the continent's safest and most affordable cities for independent travellers.