Porto: culture, history and good gastronomy
Escape to Porto and discover one of the most impressive cities in Europe. Choose one of our selected hotels with the following requirements: good location in the center of Porto and good value for money. Hotels designed for those travelers looking for practical and strategic accommodation to fully discover the city and enjoy the most complete Porto. Stroll along its Avenida de Aliados, feel like a Harry Potter character in the Lello bookstore, try some of its famous meals and tapas, known as petiscos, visit the famous chapels of Carmen and Las Almas and its tiled facades, do some shopping on Rua de Santa Catarina, discover the Cathedral and its viewpoint, the church of San Ildefonso, go to the Ribiera and cross the Don Luis I Bridge to enjoy the fabulous Port wines in one of its many wineries. At night, enjoy the good atmosphere of Porto, the friendliness of its inhabitants, sit down to taste its delicious cuisine, its green wine and have a drink in the Paris Galleries. Does that sound like a good plan to you?
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Experience Details
What is included?
- Hotel well located in the center of Porto on the board that has been selected
- Personalized guide to discover the main attractions of Porto that we will send you once the reservation is confirmed, based on your preferences and the type of trip you are looking for.
- Personal attention before, during and after the trip to answer all your questions
- Commitment to our clients
What is not included?
- Flights if they have not been selected in the search engine
- Meals not selected in the hotel regime
- Other services not specified in the section What does it include ?
Complete your trip to Porto
If you want to add transport to get to Porto, if you need a rental car in Porto, if you want to add or remove days from the proposed experience or if you want to customize your trip, do not hesitate to contact us and we will find the option that best suits you.
Travel guide of Porto: culture, history and good gastronomy
Things to do in Porto
There are four important areas to see in Porto.
- Bolhao market area where, in addition to the market itself, you will find fruits, vegetables, fish, flowers, liquors and even the occasional souvenir, there is Rua de Santa Catarina, the main shopping street of the city. On this avenue you will find the Capela das Almas and the traditional Majestic Café that although it is very touristy, it is worth visiting. Going down Passos Manuel street you will arrive at the Aliados Avenue and the San Bento station.>. In this area there are quite a few cafeterias where you can stop to eat some of the typical Porto pastries.
- Going up Rua dos Clérigos, you will arrive at the Torre dos Clérigos and the area of the Iglesia do Carmo, where in addition to the Church , there is the Livraria Lello (there may be a bit of a queue to enter but it is quite agile). This area is known for the nightlife around the Livraria. If you are looking for a place to go out for a drink, in the street of the Galleries of Paris you will find a large number of curious bars, some with live music and ballroom dancing; others with disco type music. There you can have a glass of wine, a cocktail or a cocktail.
- Returning to San Bento Station and going down the road towards the river you will find the Porto Cathedral. The entrance fee is modest (about €3) and it is worth it just to enjoy views of the city from the tower. From here, passing through the neighborhood Do Barredo, you can visit the Church of San Francisco em> and see the Palace of the Stock Exchange.
- Turning back towards the river you arrive at the Ribera area, the most iconic of the city with its colorful houses, restaurants, bars, street musicians and tourists doing Photos from the Luís I Bridge. On the opposite shore is the area of Vila Nova de Gaia where all the Port wine cellars are located. The most famous are Cálem and Sandeman but we also recommend you visit some smaller ones such as Quinta dos Corvos where there is a guided tour and They are very friendly, and the winery Quevedo where there is no guided tour but there is a good tasting at a very good price. In front of this winery is the entrance of the cable car that goes up to the Jardim do Morro in the highest part of this shore and with spectacular views. From here, you can take the metro to Aliados station if you want to avoid the uphill return.
Porto surroundings
If you have more than 2 or 3 days, in the surroundings, to the north, is the city of Matosinhos. You can get there by public transport or by car. Matosinhos is a fishing city that, although it does not stand out for its aesthetics, is full of restaurants where you can eat the best fresh fish and seafood in the area. Also, if you travel in summer, the Praia de Matosinhos is the closest and most accessible from Porto. If you are a lover of fresh fish, this is your place.
A little further south, about 50min by car, you will find Aveiro, known as the "Venice of Portugal" for its channels in the estuary. Upon arrival you can take a Moliceiro, one of the typical boats of the city, which will give you a tour around the canals while they explain the history of the city. You can also get there by public transport: bus, train or taxi.
Aveiro (although it can also be reached by public transport without complications) to take some photos in Los Palheiros, the famous booths with colored stripes on the beach. These two cities are small so you will go through them quickly.What to eat
The francesinha, the most famous dish in Porto
If you travel to Porto you cannot miss its famous franceshinas, a complete and abundant sandwich. Among its ingredients you will find meat steaks, Portuguese sausages, melted cheese and a special tomato-based sauce that takes a great manufacturing process. It is usually served with an egg on top and accompanied by potatoes.
Where to eat
Where and what to eat in Porto
Portuguese gastronomy is a delight and an important part of the city of Porto, so stopping to try some of its many petiscos and typical sweets is essential.
Walking around the city, you will see that the cafeterias are full of cakes all day. There are sweet and savory of all kinds, all delicious. It is worth trying the Pasteis de Nata which, although typical of Belém (Lisbon), are made in many pastry shops in Porto. It's like paella, you can eat it everywhere in Spain, not just in the Valencian Community. A cafeteria where you can sit down to eat a good sweet or savory cake is the Confitería Bolhao, a traditional place with a lot of charm and a huge showcase where you can choose your delicacy. Undoubtedly, our favorite place to have breakfast.
The most typical francesinhas are those at Café Santiago, but our favorites are the ones in Brasâo, there is one in Aliados, an ideal place to have dinner since, in addition to making good food, the restaurant is very nice. Of course, do not forget to book if you do not want to be left without a table...
To eat powder (octopus) , bacalhau (cod) or tripas (similar to tripe) there are many restaurants around the Ribera where you can enjoy beautiful views of the river . There are places, more and less touristy (such as Escondidinho do Barredo), where they serve menu and à la carte dishes. To open your mouth, nothing better than doing it with petiscos (it would be something similar to Spanish tapas) or a good green soup. Delicious! Another option is to go to the surroundings of San Bento where there are smaller and more traditional places.
Contact an expert
If you have any questions about this experience, if you want more details or if you want to customize your trip, don't wait any longer! Contact us and we will help you tailor your trip.
Contact us if you need to add flights, rental cars, transfers or events to your trip. We will solve all your doubts and we will help you finalize your reservation.