24 hours in Porto – The best sights and travel tips

Porto was not on my travel radar. In contrast to Lisbon, which has been one of my personal travel destinations for some time. But after I came across some enthusiastic reports about Porto while planning my trip to Lisbon, I changed my mind and decided to combine Porto and Lisbon. I was able to “sacrifice” two nights and a full 24 hours of time for the Douro pearl and have not regretted a second of it. Porto is amazing! Make good use of your 24 hours (or plan more time).

8.00 – Sweet morning in Porto

Porto and port wine, this combination promises a lot and that’s why you should start the day in style. The Confeitaria Arcadia, Avenida de Boavista 1046, offers the perfect setting for this. Be sure to try the port wine chocolate and the port wine macarons. Every single calorie is worth it! It was so good that the photography fell by the wayside (sorry!). By the way, right next door is the new municipal concert hall – the Casa da Musica by Rem Koolhaas. Exciting concrete construction that I like.

10.00 a.m. – More time – Attraction with the number 1

Sniffing the Atlantic air, watching fishermen, looking at Porto from afar and enjoying sea life – all this is best experienced in the Foz do Duoro district, directly on the Atlantic Ocean. The easiest way to get to this part of the city is by tram line 1, which goes to Praça do Infante. The tram has been equipped with old leather seats and offers an entertaining ride with a view of the Douro.

12.00 – Local lunch in a nice restaurant

Enjoying a Portuguese lunch in a cozy and at the same time unique environment? Yes, please! I really liked the restaurant Book (the name says it all), Rua de Aviz 10. At lunchtime, in addition to the dishes on the menu, there is also a three-course lunch menu including drinks (for 12 euros). Although we only had a rudimentary understanding of what the lunch menu entails, we dared to go on a culinary adventure and were thrilled. Simple cuisine, cleverly prepared and served in a very friendly way.

14.00 – Priceless view from Porto

Porto can be experienced wonderfully on foot. Due to the contemplative size, most of the historic buildings can be easily combined on a walk and after a hearty lunch, a digestive walk is just right. One thing I learned in Portugal’s cities: “Long live the hill”. There are always ups and downs – the good thing about it is that many viewpoints arise automatically from the topography. Porto is a very photogenic city and this is partly due to the many great viewpoints. Take a walk up to the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Vitoria, continue to the cathedral and then over the Ponte Luis I to the sister city “Vila Nova de Gaia” opposite and enjoy the great view every few meters.

16.00 – Port Love

Vila Nova de Gaia is also home to a large number of famous port wine cellars that invite you to taste them. We had a good time on the square in front of the Sandeman Museum with a glass of port wine and olives.

18.00 – Lively waterfront in Porto

One of my highlights was the Ribeira. The historic old town of Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and borders directly on the northern bank of the Duoro with colorful houses, where the famous Port wine boats can also be admired. The banks of the Douro are very busy and the numerous cafés and restaurants are well attended.

20.00 – Hello Burger

Yes, I ate burgers in Porto – BUT it was a Portuguese burger, so to speak, and a very tasty one at that. Bugo Art Burgers, Rua Miguel Bombarda 598, serves burgers made with local ingredients. I chose the “Porto e Serra” burger. The meat was pickled in port wine – I didn’t expect anything else – and tasted excellent. Honestly, on my personal burger hit list, this one makes it into the top rankings. Whereby we asked ourselves the question, whether a burger without bread is still a burger at all?

22.00 – Good night from our hotel in Porto

And once again straight to bed without big nocturnal escapades. Yes, I know, when it comes to tips for going out, you’ve come to the wrong place. Since I walk 20 kilometers through the whole day, I look forward to my soft bed in the evening and do without dancing the night away. We spent the night at the beautiful Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa. The deluxe room really impressed me with its equipment and size. The hotel is located slightly west of the city centre, close to Franco’s metro station.

Top travel tips for Porto

• Take the metro from the airport to the city trains (line E).
• The best time to visit is spring or autumn, as there are usually too many tourists in the summer.
• Don’t forget a trip to Sintra.
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Note: The trip was supported by Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa – Thank you very much for this. As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm here.