Porto Itinerary: How to Spend 2 Days in Porto Portugal!
Ensure you have the perfect weekend in Porto by following this tried-and-tested 2 days in Porto Portugal itinerary!
Steep hills, bells ringing, sun setting, faces smiling, fados playing, azure-tiled walls, food. This is Porto.
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In This Porto 2 Days Itinerary
You’ll find exactly what to do in Porto if you have a weekend and specifically how to spend 48 hrs in Porto as the third day is a day trip that starts in Porto.
Porto Itinerary Overview
Day 1: Pastries, Museums, Street Art, Food
Day 2: Cruise, Walking Tour, Market, Food
Day 3 (Optional): Wine Tasting Tour of the Douro Valley
Porto Trip: Fast Tracked
Stay connected: Get an Airalo esim for data, calls and texts in Portugal.
Airport transfer: A private transfer from the airport to Porto.
Where to stay in Porto: Be Oporto Apartments is central, cheap, clean, spacious and secure. I stayed here and highly recommend it.
Top-rated tour of Porto: 3-hour e-bike tour of Porto is the top-rated on Viator to tackle the hills of Porto.
Porto car hire: Use discover cars to compare prices.
Planning Your Porto Trip
How Many Days in Porto Portugal?
I was in Porto for a total of 3 days; 2 days in Porto and 1 day in the Douro Valley on a full day trip. If you’re looking for a 3 days in Porto itinerary, this is what I recommend.
Taking a weekend trip to Porto is the perfect time so you can explore and enjoy two days in Porto Portugal itself.
Even better if you have three days in Porto because you can go to the Douro Valley, a classic day trip from Porto. Not only will you learn about Port and wine in Portugal but you’ll get tastings, lunch, a river cruise and see this beautiful region.
How to Get to Porto
Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is the international airport of Porto, located about 13km from the city. I got a two-hour flight from Bristol airport in the UK direct to Porto.
If you’re coming from elsewhere in the country, you could drive as Portugal isn’t that big and renting a car is budget-friendly. For example, it’s about 3 hours to drive from Lisbon to Porto and makes for a great Portugal road trip.
Alternatively, you could get a train or bus directly to Porto from other places in Portugal and Europe. Flixbus is one of the most popular and cheapest ways to travel through Europe. Compare bus options to Porto here.
Getting around Porto is all about walking as everything is within the city centre and anywhere else can be reached by public transport.
Is Uber in Porto? Yes! I used Uber to get from the airport to Porto in just over 30 minutes and it was convenient, cheap and reliable. Note: The driver asked me to wait in the departures terminal (just up one set of stairs from arrivals) as this was easier for them to get to me and away we went.
Is Porto Cheap?
Porto is one of the most budget-friendly cities I’ve visited in Western Europe. The food is so tasty and tastes even better when you see the prices. There’s low-cost tours and lots of free things to do in Porto.
Example costs include:
- 1 Pastel de Nata = €1.50
- 6 Bridges cruise = Under €20
- Uber across the city = Under €20
- Walking tour = Tip-based
Where to Stay in Porto
I stayed in Be Oporto Apartments Clerigos right next to Clerigos Tower so walkable to all major Porto sights, clean, spacious and private accommodation and close access to public transport.
Things to Know About Porto
- Population: 250,000
- Currency: Euro
- Language: Portuguese
- Other names: Tripeiros, Invicta, Oporto
Itinerary 2 Days in Porto Portugal
Day 1 of 2 Days in Porto, Portugal
Breakfast – Pastel de Nata
We’re starting this two days in Porto itinerary with the absolute un-missable thing to do in Portugal. Eating a Pastel de Nata.
Pastel de Nata is a Portuguese pastry that consists of egg custard tart, a little burned on the top and a little flaky on the outside then topped with sugar and cinnamon.
In Porto, head to Manteigaria for the best Pastel de Nata. It’s a chain bakery founded in Lisbon and my Portuguese friend swears by it. And now I do too.
If When you fall in love with this Portuguese pastry, you might want to save room in your case to take some home like I did. Or you could go on a baking workshop to learn the secrets and how to make them yourself.
Sao Bento Train Station
Sao Bento train station is the first Porto sightseeing spot on this itinerary and not because you’ll be leaving the city but purely to marvel and the astounding design of the inside.
While the big clock is the centrepiece of the main train station hall, it’s the designs on the surrounding walls that are worth looking at.
If you start to the right of the clock it tells the story of Porto history regarding royalty and wars, continuing clockwise around the entire room until it ends with the arrival of train transportation in Porto. The story is told through pictured-tiles, one of the most impressive ways of art story-telling I’ve seen on my travels.
Now you’ve had your first taster of Portuguese tiles, we move on to the main activity of this morning…
Finding the Tiles of Porto
The Portuguese tiles in Porto, also known as Azulejos, are world famous. They are derived from Moorish culture but became a fixture in Portugal during the 16th century and usually depicted religious scenes.
After earthquakes struck the country in the 18th century, the tiles were used as a way to repair many of the buildings as they were both durable and nice to look at! Today they are seen everywhere in Porto, especially the blue and white, and was even used on the Portugal away kit during the Euros 2024.
- Throughout the streets
- Chapel of Santa Catarina (my favourite)
- Carmo Church
- In the 1700s the Baroque-style Church of Saint Ildefonso was built and the beautiful tiles it adorns now was actually added almost 200 years later!
Then go on a 2 hour Porto Tile Painting workshop to learn about the history of Azulejos and create your own ceramic tile. All materials are included and the final product will be shipped to you.
Porto Sandwich for Lunch
One of the best foods to eat in Porto is a Bifana sandwich, a juicy medley of tender pork between crusty white bread. Perfect for a quick lunch in between the day’s activities!
Read Next: Discover What to Eat in Porto Here
Street Art in Porto
Porto has joined a long list of cities who no longer see ‘graffiti’ on the walls but regard it as street art and has attracted people as a unique travel activity.
Some of the most notable Porto street art to find are:
- Perspentico Blue Cat near Rua das Flores
- Half Rabbit in Vila Nova de Gaia
- Nobre e Leal outside Trindade Metro Station
- AN.FI.TRI.ÃO near the Luis I Bridge
Why not join this Porto street art tour with a knowledgable guide to walk you through the streets where the above art, and more, is found as well as take you to Miguel Bombarda, Porto’s dedicated art district.
Other Street Art Cities: Bristol, Toronto, Melbourne, Brussels, Istanbul
Livraria & Lello Bookshop
As Livraria & Lello is self-proclaimed as the most beautiful bookshop in the world, expect long queues, shoulder-to-shoulder book browsing, umpteen photo-bombers and just a 20 minute slot to explore.
It gained worldwide popularity as it was dubbed an inspiration for Harry Potter as JK Rowling lived in Porto for the years she was writing the first novel. It even has an entire Harry Potter section in the bookstore but Rowling confirmed she never visited Livraria Lello (but wished she did)!
But don’t worry Potterheads, I found the REAL Harry Potter places to visit in Porto including some JK Rowling facts (and the majority are free to visit)!
Climb the Clerigos Tower
Speaking of Harry Potter places, Clerigos Tower is one of them! It was the inspiration for the Astronomy Tower in the third novel.
Besides Harry Potter, it’s a must-visit spot in Porto. In just 225 steps, you can get one of the best views of Porto right from the top of the Clerigos Tower.
Even if you only have 1 day in Porto Portugal, you’ll definitely see this landmark of the city so it had to be included!
Hopefully by the time you’re at the top, you can see the sun starting to set upon this invincible city, making for the perfect photograph of your Porto weekend.
Dinner at Adega Sao Nicolau
Adega Sao Nicolau is a cosy taverna, not far from the river-front in Porto but tucked in a steep street with pretty interior and excellent outdoor seating. This place was so busy we had to wait for a table but we grabbed a beer to drink while we waited.
We enjoyed a seafood rice pot, octopus salad, breads, oils and olives and cod fritters. Delicious!
This is my absolute favourite recommendation in this 2 days in Porto itinerary and I URGE you to go here.
If you haven’t previously made dinner reservations then all you need to do is walk up to the restaurant and put your name down. Then go to a nearby bar/shop and get beers in plastic cups to enjoy while you wait outside (there’s steps to sit on or just stand by the side).
Optional: Head to Galerias de Paris Street to experience the wonderful nightlife of Porto. The street is filled with bars and clubs but locals tend to grab a drink and then mix outside.
Day 2 of 2 Days Porto Itinerary
Breakfast
No day in Porto is complete without a Pastel de Nata and Espresso for breakfast. Yes, I mean another Pastel de Nata. If you only have a 2-day Porto itinerary then you need at least 2 of them.
But if you prefer to try a different Portuguese pastry, I can recommend a Bola de Berlim, a custard filled doughnut that will also hit the spot.
6 Bridges Cruise Porto
There are 6 bridges over the Douro River that connects Porto and Gaia. This morning 6 bridges cruise is the ideal to start off your second day in Porto which encompasses many of the other sights of Porto as you journey down the river.
The most famous bridge is the Dom Luis I which is the one always snapped by tourists as its architecture and two levels are the most impressive. This was engineered by the same person who did the Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel, in the 1800s.
There are many cruise options if you wanted to mix up this schedule a bit:
Tram to Mercado de Bolhao
Every city has an indoor market you must visit and Mercado de Bolhao is Porto’s. Originally built in the 1800s, this market has undergone several renovations including the most recent in 2022 with more stalls and things to do (like live music)!
Here you’ll find fresh produce, on-the-go dishes, baked goods, Porto wines (of course), clothes, jewellery, perfume and more.
And as an excuse to ride the iconic yellow trams, ride line 22 straight to the market.
Lunch at Praca 63
During my personal 2 days Porto itinerary, I wanted one of those long European lunches where you sit on a patio, study the menu, enjoy drinks, talking and many courses with everything shared. We did just that at Praca 63.
The restaurant is located in the centre of the city with a big patio shared with neighbouring eateries. We were served by lovely staff and took their excellent recommendations.
I tried my first White Port and Tonic along with breads, olives and oil. Then we shared sausage that was flamed in front of us and the most creamy cheese that I’ve thought about often since my first wonderful bite. Next was seafood, veggies and steak. And bitter-sweetly ended with a fresh espresso.
Walking Tour
We joined a free Porto Walking Tours tour and our guide was fantastic. I learned a lot on this tour about Porto’s history, culture as well as some excellent recommendations for where to eat. Highly recommend this tour.
The tour is tip-based so you give what you think the tour deserves. Well-deserved!
The Most Beautiful McDonalds
Yes you read that right. Porto is home to the world’s most beautiful McDonalds. It is a branch that kept the exact same interior as its predecessor, a grand cafe from the 1920s that was aimed at sophisticated caffiene-ing.
Now as a foodie I’m not suggesting you waste a Porto meal in McDonalds but no judgement either, I actually had a McDonalds burger while in Porto. But it was 1am and on my way home from the Galerias de Paris bars.
But even if you stop for a coffee just to check out the inside, it’s worth it. Plus it’s the only place in Porto where I saw Sagres beer (Porto is loyal to Super Bock).
The Perfect Sunset Spot
Portos have some of the most beautiful sunsets over the Atlantic Ocean. One of the best places for sunsets in Porto is at Jardim do Morro, a hilltop park in Gaia filled with people eager to catch the pretty Porto skyline at dusk.
Fado Music Show
Fado is a traditional Portuguese music genre that originated in Lisbon but can be seen all over the country. It is folk music played by the Portuguese guitar which is small and pear-shaped.
You can attend a Fado show in many ways whether that be passing folks on the street, people playing in bars or officially at concerts like in a majestic mansion, by the river or even at Sao Bento station. Most shows usually include a drink like Port wine.
One of the most famous Fado singers is Amalia Rodrigues and when I did a Porto walking tour the guide played us some of her music and it was touching to hear whilst we meandered through Old Porto.
Late Dinner
With just 48 hours in Porto, you’ll want to make the right decisions about food and Francesinha is the answer. It’s the perfect evening meal; quick, hearty and a true Porto dish.
Francesinha is not just any sandwich, it’s got EVERYTHING in it – cheese, beef, ham, sausage, egg, beer sauce, chips and more cheese.
Head to Cafe Santiago for the most famous Francesinha that everyone raves about. I went here and it was a small, humble restaurant that we queued for 30 minutes to get a table. Well worth it!
Optional: Instead of one of the above Porto activities, head to the beach where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean to witness a scenic lighthouse on the pier, go swimming, kayaking or even get a surfing lesson!
3 Days in Porto Portugal
More than 2 days in Porto? You have to do a day trip to the Douro Valley. I took this excellent wine tour of Douro Valley including transfers to and from Porto and had a fantastic experience.
Porto Tours
See Porto in unique ways like via tuk-tuk, bike or foot:
I hope you found this 2 Day Porto itinerary useful for your trip!
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