A 2-4 Days Itinerary of Porto and Douro Valley
Olá pessoal! Get ready to discover Porto, a city full of charm, history, and lots of construction works (as of September 2024).
As a local who travels to Porto pretty often, I'm excited to guide you through my ideal itinerary in this beautiful Portuguese city and the surrounding Douro Valley
Here you'll find:
A 2-4 day Porto&Douro itinerary.
Must-try foods.
Common tourist mistakes to avoid.
DAY 1
Walking tour of the city center, and Port Wine Cellars Start in Ribeira, Porto’s historic district, and stroll along the Douro River.
Here’s my favorite walking route to hit all the top sights in the center of Porto:
Church of Sant’Ildefonso
Sao Bento train station (the inside is beautiful)
Porto Cathedral
Fernandine walls
Cais da ribeira
Palacio da Bolsa
Clerigo church and tower (book tickets in advance)
In the late afternoon, cross the upper part of Luis I bridge, going towards Vila nova de Gaia. Jardim do morro is a great and popular spot for watching sunset.
After sunset, take the road down to the lower part of Gaia, there are many small bars that offer 5 Porto Tasting from 5/10 euros.
For Dinner, you can stay on Gaia’s side, or go back to Porto, crossing the bridge on the lower part. You’ll be in the Ribeira area, full of restaurants. Postigo do Carvao is my favorite.
For some party Time, Visit Rua das Galerias, you’ll find some drinks and live music
DAY 2
On your second day, keep exploring the city center and go towards the mouth of Douro, where the river meets the sea. You can take the historic tram, bikes, or uber.
Porto city center is not too big, but you probably want to go back to some places you just briefly touched during the walking tour.
Later, you could move to the western side of the city center to visit the Jardins do Palacio de Cristal, a quiet park with some great views of the city.
Casa da Musica is the city’s most iconic modern building. You can stop by to have a look, do a guided tour or even attend some of their events (check their schedule here)
Take the Historical tram (Line 1) to go towards the mouth of Douro, where the river meets the sea. If you’re here during the summer, you can keep going to Praia Matosinhos, for some surf or beach relax.
If the tram is too busy, you can easily bike or uber here.
DAY 3/4 - The Douro Valley
Located in northern Portugal, Douro Valley stretches along the Douro River from the city of Porto to the Spanish border. You’re about to see a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its terraced vineyards, where Port wine has been produced for centuries.
There are several ways you can reach the Douro area, the choice between them also depends on how much time you plan to spend there:
Train (tickets and time here). Great option if you like trains- it goes from Porto Campanha station to Regua or Pinhao and takes about 2h
Historical train/cruises: several companies (like this one) offer 1 or 2 day cruises that go into the Douro and take you back to Porto
Car: rent a car and drive yourself there - the journey is around 1/1.5 h
Do an organized tour with some local agency or Airbnb experience - walking around in Ribeira area of Porto you’ll find a lot of those
If you have just one day, I suggest doing an organized tour or cruise, as the other options wouldn’t allow you enough time to enjoy the area.
WHAT TO DO IN DOURO
Regua: it is the main town in the area, here you can visit the Douro Museum, take a 1 or 2 hour Rabelo boat cruise and visit one of the many wineries.
Wine tours: biggest attraction of the Douro area, there are many wineries available, I suggest you book in advance your slot as it can get very busy. Some of the place I’ve visited: Quinta da Pacheca, and Gueda Wines..
Lamego: this charming town is home to the stunning Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, a baroque masterpiece with a grand staircase of nearly 700 steps. Other places to check out: the Lamego Castle and the Cathedral, reflecting its medieval past. Additionally, it's a great place to taste the famous Raposeira sparkling wine.
Food Not to Miss Don’t leave Porto without trying:
Francesinha: A hearty sandwich with layers of bread, cheese, meat, more cheese, more meet, and a beer based sauce. Not an healthy meal!
Pastel de Nata: Our well known delicious custard tart, it is originary from Lisbon but also in Porto you can find some good ones
Bacalhau: A lagareiro, A bras, there are around 300 different ways in which Portuguese people can cook codfish, but you can start from the most famous ones
Mistakes Not to Make
Avoid:
Missing out on Port wine tastings.
Sticking only to the touristy areas—venture into the local neighborhoods.
Underestimating Porto’s hills— wear comfortable shoes!
That’s a wrap on your Porto itinerary. If you’re looking for a tailor-made experience, feel free to reach out for personalized recommendations.
Até logo! (see you later in Portuguese)
Vincenzo