15 best things to do in Porto (How and where to find them)

Porto has become one of the trendiest destinations in 2019 and one of the most instagrammable European cities thanks to colors, blue tiles, and clear charm. Furthermore, it’s an affordable destination, friendly and welcoming, and it’s well connected internationally with direct flights. Do you need more reasons to visit Porto?

Keep reading to find how and where to find the 15 best things to do in Porto. Porto public transport included with links to buy tickets to the attractions.

1. São Bento – Porto Railway Station

Plaça Almeida Garrett
The most beautiful railway station ever created, in my opinion. The station is crowded with tourists as also with passengers. If you want to take the best photos, visit as early as possible. The station is situated in the center of town on Plaça Almeida Garrett street. Nearby you can find a metro station of the yellow line called Sao Bento.

2. Igreja dos Clérigos & Clergies Tower

Rua de Sao Filipe de Nery
A baroque church with a marble altar and a 75 meters high bell tower, which watches lovingly over the city of Porto, moreover is arguably the city’s most iconic silhouette. You can get some amazing 360° views of the city from the top, but you’ll have to climb 225 steps to get there. Book your ticket in advance here.
The church is on the street Rua de Sao Filipe de Nery, it’s a 2-minute walk from Sao Bento Station.

3. Livraria Lello – Rowling inspiration for Harry Potter

Livraria Lello
Another must in Porto is Livraria Lello. Inside, you’ll find the newly restored “Decus in Labore” stained glass and a fabulous red staircase, the store’s defining feature, said to have inspired the one in Hogwarts, from the Harry Potter books (author J.K. Rowling once lived in Porto). It’s always full of visitors, so if you’re planning on visiting, bring a bag of patience.

You can buy tickets on the corner at the end of the street, also if you are traveling with some bags you must keep them in the store under the lock. Tickets cost 5€ with a 5€ discount to buy a book in the bookstore. Click here to book your ticket in advance.

The bookstore is three minutes by walk from Igreja dos Clérigos on the street R. das Carmelitas.

4. Igreja do Carmo

Igreja do Carmo
At the end of R. das Carmelitas street is situated a small square with beautiful Fonte dos Leões and on the other side of the square is the church Igreja do Carmo tiles with unique and classic blue tiles likewise majority churches in Porto.

Next to the church, there is another church named Igreja dos Carmelitas even though they look like one building. And between them is the narrowest house in the world. It is less than two meters wide and has only three floors.

5. Steak n Shake

Steak n Shake
After a long walk through the city center, you will certainly starve.
Up to street Praça Guilherme Gomes Fernandes from Igreja do Carmo square it is about 2 minutes walk to the Steak n Shake fast food restaurant. Certainly, I recommend ordering some with many kinds of milkshakes, delicious.

Not to mention, the Steak n Shake building is painted from the outside by stunning paintings, of course, it’s one of the many instagrammable places in Porto.

6. Chapel Almas de Santa Catarina aka Chapel of Souls

Chapel of Souls
From Steak n Shake, you can get there by bus or if you like walking it is only 14 minutes. If you want to get there from another place in Porto you can use the underground to the nearby station called Bolhao. You can get there by the orange, green, red and blue line of the underground.

Chapel of Souls is one of the many churches tiles with classical Porto blue tiles. From Chapel down is the main street named Rua de Santa Catarina, where you can buy literally anything.

7. Bolhão Market

Mercado do Bolhão
You can’t visit Porto without going to the Mercado do Bolhão Market. This lovely market place is where farmers came to sell their fruit and vegetables. Nowadays you also find butchers coupled with the inevitable souvenir shops.

The market is located just 3 minutes by walk from the Chapel of Souls.

8. Church Santo Ildefonso

Church Santo Ildefonso
Six minutes by walk from Bolhão Market down to the Rua de Santa Catarina street is another blue tiles composed church Santo Ildefonso near is Batalha Square with tram station Batalha. In this square, Christmas markets take place.

9. Passeio das Fontainhas (Porto viewpoint)

Passeio das Fontainhas
One of the best views in town, with a view of the colorful roofs of houses and the most famous Luís I Bridge. It also is recommended as one of the best sunset points in Porto. Unfortunately, I had no luck seeing this place at the time of sunset.

You can get there in 15 minutes by walking from Batalha Square or by bus 904/905 from São Bento Station to Batalha tram station.

10. Porto Cathedral

Sé do Porto
Porto Cathedral is the city’s most important church and it’s a national monument. Cathedral is situated on the hill under the Douro river. From the square in front of the cathedral is a beautiful view of the entire city.

The tickets are very cheap, just 2€ and you can buy in the inside of the Cathedral. Click here to book your ticket in advance.

From Sao Bento yellow Metro station is just 5 minutes by walk.

11. Miradouro da Rua das Aldas (Porto viewpoint)

Miradouro da Rua das Aldas
A few steps down from cathedral and you will find yourself on the lookout between Saint Lawrence Church. Additionally, the view from there is magnificent. Especially thorough sunset time.

12. Largo da Pena Ventosa (Porto instagrammable color houses)

Largo da Pena Ventosa
From viewpoint Miradouro da Rua das Aldas walk down the narrow street to the left. You will cross a small square surrounded by colorful buildings, not to mention a delicious restaurant, where you can get traditional port wine.

13. Miradouro da Serra do Pilar (Porto viewpoint)

Miradouro da Serra do Pilar
One of the highest viewpoints in town. It is located above Loís I Bridge on the hill where is ‘Claustros do Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar’ is built.

You can get there by the 905/904 bus from Sao Bento station to
Jardim do Morro. Or by the underground through Loís I Bridge to Jardim do Morro station.

14. Porto Ribeira – 7g Roaster Apartments

7g Roaster Apartments
From up here, you can get down to the Ribeira by cableway. Ticket costs around 6 € in one way. Click here to book your ticket in advance. Down there you can find a lot of urban markets, also restaurants with traditional Portugal meal. Super bock. It is very lovely to just walk along a river coast and feel the mood of this beautiful city, especially at night.

7g on Tripadvisor

I found there one of the best coffee shops in the town named 7g Roasted. It is a hipster coffee house where coffee is roasted on the spot and where you can taste 4 kinds of coffee for just 5 €, even coffee-flavored tea. You can even stay here at night.

15. KOPKE – wine tasting

Kopke Wine House
There is also the first port wine house, founded in 1638. With the premium and exclusive wine. I highly recommend tasting wine from Porto here, it was delicious.

Kopke on Tripadvisor

Map with all the best 15 places.

Useful links

Read the previous blog post by clicking here. Click here to see more of my photos.