Porto in 3 Days: Top Sights, Port Wine & River Cruise

Porto, Portugal is a beautiful old city sitting on the banks of the Douro River, famous for its blue and white tiles, and riverfront promenade. Three days is a wonderful amount of time to explore the highlights of this famous “second city”. Here is our advice for how to make the most of your time in Porto.

In this post, we’ll give you an itinerary to spend three days in Porto which includes the top sights, the most traditional foods, delicious restaurants, as well as a few additional options so you can choose the best itinerary for you and your family.

We are an American family that has settled in Porto, so we recommend the places we enjoy and the places we take our family and friends when they visit. We love living here and sharing this beautiful country with visitors.

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Porto is not a large city (only around 250,000 people) with a downtown area that is very walkable, albeit a little hilly. There is a great public transportation system that includes the metro and city buses, but in most cases, you will be able to walk to everything you need.

Downtown Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (listed in 1996), you’ll find narrow, twisting alleyways, leading to an open riverfront area called the Ribeira. The Dom Luis I Bridge, a famous Porto landmark, stretches across the river.

Once you cross the river, you are officially in Vila Nova de Gaia (not Porto), which is where all the famous Port wine cellars are.

Travel Tip: If this is your first trip to Portugal, make sure to learn a few simple words of Portuguese to use throughout your visit. Check out the best season for your visit.

Note: If you are short on time, check out our 1 Day Porto Itinerary.

You can also get Pastel de Natas here, along with other pastries. They also have breakfast sets, but feel free to ask for single dishes or pastries. You’ll be right around the corner from the meeting spot for your walking tour. Rue de Alexandre Herculano 396.

Not sure what to order? Check our our guide to ordering coffee like a local!

I honestly wished we had taken it sooner as it brings together the main sights of downtown with the history of Porto and Portugal in general. Plus, you get a local at your disposal to ask all of your questions!

This tour is run by Bluedragon Tours, and they do a great job showing you around the historic center of Porto while minimizing the amount of climbing up and down Porto’s famous hills.

A Note on Timing: Porto is not an early-morning city. Many stores do not open before 10. Check the opening time of anywhere you plan to visit prior to 10 am.

Also many stores close between 1 and 3 (lunch), and restaurants often close from 3-7 (between lunch and dinner).

We’ve pulled together a list of traditional Portuguese dishes to try to while you are in town. Take a look at our favorite restaurants and keep your eye out for menus with these dishes.

The first option is tapas (small plates) at TapaBento, you’ll enter the restaurant from the platform of the main São Bento station (head to the left of the trains). They can get busy, so we recommend making a reservation.

If you do not have a reservation, you will probably be fine during the week, or off-season, but the earlier you arrive the better.

They describe themselves as “tapas and international cuisine”. It’s a great place to go with friends and share plates. You don’t want to be in a rush, so choose this option if you have time for a relaxed afternoon, and want to take your time after your walking tour.

The food is inventive and delicious, the atmosphere is lovely and unique. Dishes range from Nasi Goreng (Indonesian noodles) to Tuna Tartare and Cod dishes. Each plate runs anywhere from 8-15 euros depending on your order.

The second option is the TimeOut Market. You enter it from the right side of the train station if you are facing the main entrance. Relatively new (opened Spring 2024), there are more than a dozen food options here along one long corridor, with additional pizza, burger, and sushi options on the second floor where you’ll find a lot of additional seating. All of the food here is delicious, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.

We love the pizza from Okra Pizza (top floor), as well as the polenta from Fava Tonka. You’ll find lots of traditional seafood options, as well a other things that are harder to find in Portugal (like a Scotch Egg).

This is a great option when you have a larger group or picky kids, as everyone can choose what appeals to them. This is also one of the faster options for lunch. While everything is prepared to order, you’ll still be served faster than most sit-down restaurants in Porto.

Travel Note: Sit-down restaurants in Portugal assume that you are not rushed for time. A simple lunch out can easily take two hours. If you plan to spend less time, choose a cafe or more casual spot where you order at the counter.

Head from São Bento up the hill to the Sé Cathedral. You’ll pay 3€ per person (children under 10 are free) and have access to the cloisters (with a small chapel off it). You’ll then head upstairs to see amazing tile work, and some decorative rooms used by church staff, you can climb to the bell tower, and finally visit the cathedral itself.

The space is quite lovely and well worth a visit. Kids love running off energy climbing the steep stairs. Allow at least an hour to visit the site. From the courtyard outside the Cathedral, you’ll have beautiful views over Porto and the Douro River. This cathedral is also the official start of the Camino de Santiago from Porto.

If you are short on time, you can take the stairs from the terrace down towards the river. This is a fun way to explore the traditional narrow streets.

If you have more time we recommend backtracking toward the Porto City Hall and up to the iconic Clergíos Bell Tower, Livraria Lello, and Ingreja do Carmo. These are all worth seeing from the outside. Depending on your interests, choose one to enter.

Clergíos Bell Tower

The Clergíos Bell Tower is an icon of Porto. Standing next to the tower, since it is located on top of a hill, doesn’t seem so impressive, but from the vantage of the Sé Cathedral, you can see how the tower dominates the skyline of Porto.

You can climb the Bell Tower, you’ll pass through a series of religious museums on the way. Head inside to get a timed ticket, then return for your specified entry window. You’ll want to choose to climb here or the cathedral, rather than do both in one day.

Across from the bell tower, you’ll find a series of stores and restaurants with a green roof and olive trees on top. Head through here to see some of Porto University and the famous Livrario Lello Bookstore.

Livrario Lello Bookstore

The Livrario Lello Bookstore is famous for (possibly) inspiring J.K. Rowlings moving staircases inside Hogwarts Castle in the Harry Potter Books. The bookstore itself is unique, gorgeous, small, and almost always crowded.

This bookstore charges an entrance fee. It’s best to pre-book a time, but you can also book the next available time slot via a barcode on signs outside the store as well. Your 10€ entrance fee can be used towards a book purchased inside the shop.

This is a great stop for avid Harry Potter fans and is best viewed from the outside, by other visitors. At all times of day, you’ll see lines snaking around the block.

Look for university students dressed in their traditional uniforms including thick black wool robes- also considered inspiration for those famous Hogwarts uniforms.

Livaria Lellos recently opened The Manifesto Library in partnership with Dua Lipa featuring many banned books. They also sponsor the Babell Literary conference, a rising star on the Porto festival and event calendar.

Inside you’ll find ornate woodcarvings and gold leaf decorations, as well as many religious artifacts. You can climb to the roof for views over the city. There is a 7€ charge to enter the church and the accompanying spaces.

From here head to the Ribeira to take in the sunset, relax with a glass of famous Portuguese wine, and watch boats head along the river.

For dinner, if you want a nicer (but not too fancy) meal in the historic area, we recommend either Bacalhau (Muro dos Bacalhoerios 154) or Adega Sao Nicolau (Rue de S Nicolau 1). To be safe, make a reservation. Both have traditional Portuguese food and get excellent reviews for both taste and value.

Option 1: Manteigaria/Delta Coffee

We recommend Manteigaria, one of the most famous brands of Pastel de Natas in the country. Just across from the Bolhao Market where you can watch the staff make the pastries by hand at a large marble counter.

There is limited seating and the cafe gets busy, so if you can, have one person stand in line while the other tries to get a table.

Don’t be fooled by the Delta The Coffee House sign, you are in the right place. This is a more modern coffee house where you seat yourself and order at the counter. Rue de Alexandre Braga 24.

This place is iconic- and while touristy, it made our list of favorite coffee shops in Porto.

Option 2: Confeitaria do Bolhão

The second option is just across the street at Confeitaria do Bolhão. This historic cafe (founded in 1896) can get quite busy.

Take a peak at the pastries in the case, then skip the line in the front for take away, and find yourself a seat at a table in the back of the cafe.

You’ll be surrounded by art deco mirrors, and staff will come take your order. You may need to be patient, as they get quite busy. The Pastel de Nata are quite good here. Or try the Tigelinhas do Bolhão (almond tart), one of their specialties.

Bolhao Market

Bolhao Market began in 1838 as a traditional market and underwent a massive (and expensive) renovation that began in 2018. It finally re-opened in 2022 as a new modern space, with stalls full of everything from fresh produce to canned sardines, as well as freshly made pasta and glasses of wine.

On the second floor, you’ll find 10 restaurants to choose from, with menus posted outside. If you’d like to return to one of them for dinner, pop your head in to make a reservation earlier in the day.

Browse the market for souvenirs, gifts, or just snack as you go.
Bolhão is also a resource for expats looking for ingredients and specialty food gifts. Check out our complete list of where to shop for groceries in Porto.

Capela das Almas and Santa Catarina

After the market, head to the Capela das Almas, just above the market, on the corner of Rue de Fernandes Tomás and Rue de Santa Catarina. It’s name means “chapel of souls”, and it is stunning, with the exterior covered in classic blue and white tiles, called azulejos.

While this chapel is known mostly for its exterior, you can enter the chapel without charge and have a look around, there are lovely paintings inside.

From here, head down the pedestrian street of Santa Catarina and browse the shops. This will take you down towards São Bento. You’ll pass a small mall on your left with such staples as H&M, Levis, and a Continente grocery store. Along this strip, you’ll find street performers, and brands such as Zara, Sephora, and Body Shop.

Just before R. de Passos Manuel, you’ll see Cafe Majestic on your left. This is a beautiful (and touristy) cafe to stop for a coffee and pastry in order to admire the art deco interior.

Cross R. de Passos Manuel, you’ll see a FNAC department store on the corner, and head one more block to R. de 31 de Janeiro. You will find São Bento at the bottom of the hill on your left. (You will also pass another lovely place to get a coffee and pastel de nata, Nata Sweet Nata half way down on your left.)

Gaia and Port Wine

Spend the afternoon exploring Gaia (across the river from Porto) and the famous port wines of Porto. We recommend using a tour guide to get the most out of your visit to Gaia. You’ll get to taste more and learn more in one afternoon than if you try to visit cellars on your own.

You can also arrange a single tour at any array of Port wine cellars, but it is difficult to line up several at once on your own. Make sure to book ahead as tours do fill up.

We have taken the Tour of Cálem Cellars as well as the Cockburns tour and enjoyed both. If you plan to walk to Gaia, allow time to cross the river and wind your way around to the cellars.

There is a cable car connecting the upper and lower parts of Gaia, a large park to enjoy the sunset, and a series of museums at WOW (World of Wine), that cover everything from cork to chocolate.

Head over to see the “Half Rabbit” by Portuguese street artist Bordalo II on Rua Guilherme Gomes Fernandes. Then head up to the viewpoint at Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar for great views over the river and the famous Dom Luis I bridge. You can watch the sunset from there, or from the Jardim do Morro, down below.

Wander across the bridge back to Porto. Just watch for passing metro trains!

You can share a tasting of 6 different ports. There isn’t an educational component included in the basic tasting, but the staff is lovely and happy to answer your questions and make sure you know what you are drinking.

We started with the “Port Initiation” which includes 6 different ports of different ages including a white port. If 6 tastings sounds like a lot to you, you can order one tasting and share it among your group. We shared between 3 people, which meant we each drank less, got to taste more, and spent less.

You can also choose by vintage- 3 x 10 years, 3 x 30 years, etc. The location is on a beautiful narrow street just off the Ribeira, so you’re ready to stroll and view the river once you’ve finished your drinks. Rua da Fonte Taurina 89.

Casual Dinner in Porto

Head back to Porto for dinner. After spending time in the high-end port cellars, it’s time for a more casual, traditional dinner.

Option 1: Try a francesinha, a sandwich that is considered one of the “must try” foods of Porto. This “pub-style” sandwich is native to Porto, and locals will argue over who has the best version in town.

Expect layers of various meats between slices of bread, covered in sauce, with a fried egg on top, then covered in melted cheese and served with french fries.

Some restaurants allow you to order a half, as they are quite filling. Try Cafe Santiago (R de Passos Manuel 226) or Lado B (R de Passos Manuel 190). Lado B has a highly rated vegetarian version as well.

Option 2: Head to Gazela for a Cachorrinho- a sausage similar to a hot dog with cheese and a spicy sauce, that is cut into chunks. A bit spicy (unusual for Portugal), and perfect with a cold beer. You can also get french fries, pickles, steak sandwiches or Francesinhas.

Expect to wait in line to enter. Anthony Bourdain put this snack-bar-cafe on the map, and it is usually bustling. The waiters are always in a good mood, and the vibe is loud and cheerful. Yes, kids are welcome.

Unlike many other places, Gazela doesn’t close between lunch and dinner, so you can head here anytime from noon – to 11:30 pm. Tv. do Cimo de Vila 4

If you prefer something more upscale, head back to Bolhão Market to one of the restaurants upstairs. Most of the restaurants put boards with their menus by the front door so you can easily browse the options.

Brunch at Nicolau

While brunch isn’t traditional in Portugal, its often a great way to start the day on vacation, and this cafe has indoor and outdoor seating. They have a large menu of pancakes, smoothies, toasts, eggs, and juices as well as some savory options like shrimp tacos. Several vegan and vegetarian options as well. Largo de Alberto Pimentel 4

One block up Cedofeita you’ll be at the intersection of R. de Muguel Bombarda.

Turn left here to visit O! Galeria, There are also a lot of fun restaurants on this strip including Korean options and Rota do Chá, a tea house with a back garden and excellent pastries.

Turn right on R. do Rosário. One block up you’ll find Colectivo Besta, which showcases local artists, then Kuri Kuri, a small Japanese shop. Head North to Rua da Torrinha, turn right and this will take you back to Cedofeita.

Once you intersect with R. do Cedofeita, either head left (north) one more block to MiBA Bakery for some of the best sourdough and French-style pastries around, or head south back towards the city center.

If you are ready for lunch, consider Ramen Shifu, Bao’s Taiwanese Burger (bao buns), or Dona Arepa. All of these are along R. de Cedofeita.

Looking forward to shopping? Here are the best stores to find the perfect Portuguese tile.

You’ll find a wide range of decorative interiors alongside some history of Porto in the era leading up to the end of the monarchy (which was abolished in 1910).

You can only visit the palace on a 30-minute guided tour. You can buy your ticket on-site, but afternoon times may sell out. We recommend booking a tour online ahead of time so you are guaranteed a space.

If you have more time, add in a stop at the Igreja de São Francisco, which is attached to the back of the Bolsa Palace. There is a small chapel and museum, as well as the main gothic church covered in gold, and the catacombs beneath. Rua do Infante Dom Henrique.

We’ve sent friends on this tour when visiting us, and they all love it! It’s a great way to see Porto, hear a bit about the city, and enjoy a relaxing, smooth boat ride. You’ll head down the river to its mouth on the Atlantic, and then back into the city.

You’ll leave from a marina in Vila Nova de Gaia, so you’ll want to Uber to the starting point. Allow 15-20 minutes from the Bolsa Palace. The boat holds a maximum of 24 people and includes bathrooms. Bring a light jacket as it can get windy on the water, though blankets are usually available on the boat.

Traditional (unfortified) wines are also produced here. Unlike French or American wines, Portuguese wines are labeled by region rather than by grape.

The Douro Valley is a series of small towns that are just under two hours East of central Porto. This is an area that is not well-served by public transportation, so you’ll need to either rent a car (and have a designated driver) or join a day tour.

This tour gets amazing reviews- almost 1,000 5-star reviews. Everything is included. You’ll be picked up in a van with room for only 9 guests, so you’re sure to have a small, intimate group.

On this tour you’ll visit two different wineries, taste wine and port, including vinho verde (sparkling green wine), have a lovely lunch of traditional food and (unlimited) wine, and taste some local olive oil.

You’ll then take a boat ride in a Rabelo boat, the traditional boats originally used for transporting barrels of port down the river.

If you prefer a private tour of the Douro Valley, we recommend this one. If you prefer a slightly cheaper tour with more people (up to 25), we advise you to choose this highly rated tour.

You’ll find a long, wide stretch of sandy beach, beachside cafes, and surfers out in almost any weather. The water tends to stay cold year-round, so plan accordingly.

Take the metro to Matosinhos Sul, then walk straight ahead to find the boardwalk along the oceanfront. We live here, so we have lots of suggestions for what to do in Matosinhos- from Nepalese food to touring a sardine factory. Check out our full list of things to do in the beachside town.

Don’t miss our guide to Porto public transport before taking the metro or a bus. If you plan to drive around Portgual, make sure you know the rules of the road.

Note that live performances often start “on Portuguese time,” meaning an 8 pm performance may begin closer to 9 pm or later.

This fado show highlights styles of Fado from different regions of Portugal and gets great reviews. It is a one-hour show, and since it is specifically for tourists, includes some education about fado, and has a much earlier start time than fado shows in restaurants and more local venues.

For jazz lovers, we suggest heading to Hot Five Jazz Club. Located near Casa da Musica on R. de Guerra Junqueiro 495. Check their website for the latest events.

From October through May, you should be prepared for a rain shower, though it may be fleeting, or the skies may stay gray all day. The rainiest times are January and February, though that varies greatly from year to year.

There You Have It

A full three-day itinerary for exploring the top sights in Porto, including where to eat and drink. You’ll see the highlights of this beautiful city including the famous azulejos (blue and white) tiles, learn about port wine, and sail down the Douro River.

You’ll wander through cobblestone streets admiring the city around you. You may even head out to explore the famous Douro Valley, one of our other favorite day trips, or relax beside the ocean.

Pressed for time? Check out our 1-day itinerary for Porto! Need a few more things to do? Check out our list of the best activities in Porto.