Photos To Inspire A Visit To Porto

When you think of Portugal, a few things pop to mind; sun, sea, beach, great weather, friendly people. While many head straight to the Algarve in the south for a beach holiday, Porto is tucked away in the north with plenty to offer. It’s by no means a hidden gem, Porto is well on the radar for visitors, but it is on the travel hitlist for many good reasons.

Porto is city that is fun to just wander and explore. The buildings are pretty, the streets are narrow and cobble stoned and if you can resist checking Google maps you often can’t be sure where you’ll pop out.

After winding through the charming and slightly hilly side streets, head down to the riverside to soak up the atmosphere of the Ribeira do Porto. As the sun shines, the restaurants and cafes fill and people play in the river. Whether you want to stop and enjoy the lively vibe, or carry on and check out the other side of the river, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Crossing over the top level of the famous Luís I Bridge, you can take a wander down through the streets or catch the cable car down to the waters edge. There’s a different feeling on this side of the river, a little calmer but still just as enjoyable. The boats moored just off the banks are a reminder of Porto’s famous alcoholic produce, Port. In fact, most of the port cellars are on this side, and tours are offered to learn about and sample one of Porto’s most popular exports.

In a country as religious as Portugal, churches and cathedrals are a main staple in most towns and cities. Porto is no different, and many are worth a visit for reasons other than just religion. Porto Cathedral looks fairly standard from the outside, but step inside and you can admire the courtyards impressive azulejo mural wall.

From the square in front of the cathedral, visitors can soak up the red rooftops view. Another contender for those who enjoy visiting churches is Igreja dos Clérigos. The size of the exterior doesn’t make sense when you visit the chapel, but if you take the additional tour of the building and small exhibition area the size makes more sense. Plus, if you can brave climbing the old stone steps, the views from the top are great.

The famous Livraria Lello is a bookstore steeped in history. It draws visitors in to marvel at the stunning staircase that takes pride of place in the centre of the store, and even the bookshelves are impressive. These days you need to buy a ticket to get in, but they’ll reimburse the price of the ticket against the cost of a book. Livraria Lello is even said to have inspired part of the Harry Potter series. Whether this is true or not, they have an impressive Harry Potter display within the store.

Keeping with the Portuguese trend, many buildings in Porto have a tile facade. However, some places have taken it a step further and display the blue tiles known as azulejos. These can be found in many places across the city, most notably in Porto Cathedral and São Bento station and often are used to tell a story through the medium of art and tiles.

It’s not often that a train station attracts tourists for a reason other than catching a train. São Bento is the main station for arriving in Porto by train, and the lobby gives visitors a taste of the city with the blue tiles depicting detailed scenes across the walls. Over 20,000 tiles cover the walls, depicting historic Portuguese moments.

As you wander around Porto, you’ll spot sardines everywhere. Not the actual fish, but displays of the cans and even stuffed sardine toys. The sardine is somewhat of a national icon as tinned sardines are considered a delicacy in Portugal, and you can tell they’re proud of it because I’ve never seen such a display of tinned food anywhere else before!

Portuguese cuisine isn’t as widely available in other countries, so a visit to Porto is the perfect opportunity to sample some of the local dishes. One must-have dish, eaten by locals and tourists, is the francesinha. It’s a meaty sandwich topped with cheese and an egg, then covered with a delicious tomato and beer sauce. It’s filling, rich, and popular for a very good reason. And of course, being in Portugal, seafood is a must try (if you do eat seafood…).

A little further out of the centre of Porto, but still within walking distance of the big sights, is Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, or Crystal Palace Gardens. The crystal palace that gave the gardens their name no longer stands, having been demolished in the 1950s, but the gardens that still sit on the site are gorgeous and have great views of the River Douro. There are some themed garden areas, and the pavilion hosts many events, so there’s enough to have a look at it if you make the ~2km walk there.