{"id":7146,"date":"2022-03-09T12:38:46","date_gmt":"2022-03-09T12:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/?p=7146"},"modified":"2022-03-12T18:44:54","modified_gmt":"2022-03-12T18:44:54","slug":"porto-in-48-hours-a-city-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/porto-in-48-hours-a-city-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Porto in 48 hours: a city guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Day 1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Start your visit by taking the Metro (subway) to Trindade Station. Leave the station and turn left, going slightly downhill on Rua da Trindade. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turn Left for Shopping\u2026<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are interested in doing some shopping, turn left on Rua de Fenandes Tom\u00e1s<\/em> and walk for about three blocks.  You\u2019ll see the historic Mercado do Bolh\u00e3o <\/em>– the Bolh\u00e3o Market – on your right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mercado <\/em>was first opened in 1914 and for years was a bustling center of commerce, with vendors selling meat, fish, fruit, flowers, vegetables, and other products.  Since 2018, the market has been under renovation.  Many of the vendors moved to a temporary location further down the block and across the street in the La Vie shopping mall (Rua de Fenandes Tom\u00e1s 506).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue walking past the old Mercado<\/em>.  The next intersection will be Rua de Santa Catarina<\/em>, a long shopping street that is closed to vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rua
Rua de Santa Catarina<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Turn right and just down the block is ViaCatarina Shopping<\/a>, an upscale indoor mall.  There are dozens of other shops and caf\u00e9s up and down the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further down the block, you can stop for a coffee at the Majestic Caf\u00e9<\/a> (Rua Santa Catarina 112<\/em>), which is a very popular and iconic landmark caf\u00e9. (It is a little expensive.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After leaving the Majestic, continue down the hill and turn right on Rua do Dr. Magalh\u00e3es Lemos<\/em>.  Walk for four long blocks until you reach the Avenida dos Aliados.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look up the hill to your right and you\u2019ll see the C\u00e2mara Municipal do Porto – <\/em>the city hall building.  Turn left, walking down the Avenida<\/em> and follow the remaining directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Or Keep Going to See the Sights<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you prefer to see the sights, continue walking down Rua da Trindade<\/em> until it becomes the Avenida dos Aliados <\/em>(Avenue of the Allies).<\/em>  You are entering the historic heart of Porto.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking down the Avenida<\/em>, you\u2019ll pass by your first historic sight – the C\u00e2mara Municipal do Porto – <\/em>the city hall building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The C\u00e2mara Municipal do Porto <\/em>– Porto City Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

For the moment, Avenida dos Aliados<\/em> is under construction due to the expansion of the Metro network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the bottom of the hill, turn left (west) on Rua 31 de Janeiro<\/em>.  You’ll reach the Sao Bento railway station<\/a>, known for its beautiful azulejo <\/em>tile panels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Interior
Interior of the S\u00e3o Bento Station<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

From the Cathedral, walk 200m east on Rua de Saraiva de Carvalho and you can catch Funicular dos Guind\u00e1is<\/em> which is an inclined cable railway that will take you down a steep slope ending at the riverside (Ribeira<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll be at the bottom of the Dom Luis bridge<\/a>.  If you walk to the west by the river, you’ll encounter several cafes and restaurants. This is a great place to have lunch and enjoy the views of the Douro River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can walk across the bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia on the other side. From there you’ll have some of the most iconic views of Porto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along the river walk are several Port wine cellars where you can take a tour and sample Port wine.  There is also a cable car ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most popular tourist activities is taking a \u201c6 Bridges Cruise\u201d on the Douro River.  Look for one of the available boats and enjoy an hourlong ride that shows the beautiful six bridges of Porto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the cable car or on foot, head to the top of the hill and the Jardim do Morro<\/em>.  From there you\u2019ll have some of the best views of the city.  Walk east from the park to the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar<\/a><\/em>, a former monastery that dates back to the 1500\u2019s, for the best scenic view of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there you can get back to Porto on foot using the Dom Luis bridge for some more great views.  Or you can take the Metro to return to S\u00e3o Bento Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leave S\u00e3o Bento station and go west on Pra\u00e7a da Liberdade<\/em>.  Go up the hill to the Igreja dos Cl\u00e9rigos<\/em> – the Cl\u00e9rigos church, with its ornate tower – one of the highest points in Porto. (You\u2019ll visit the church and climb the tower on Day 2<\/a> of your tour.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finish your tour with a drink at Base Porto<\/a>, an outdoor bar in the park across the street from the Cl\u00e9rigos Tower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can retrace your steps back down the Pra\u00e7a da Liberdade <\/em>and arrive at the bottom of the Avenida dos Aliados<\/em>.  From there you can go around the corner to the right to get to the S\u00e3o Bento Metro station or you can turn left and walk up the Avenida <\/em>toward City Hall. A metro station is on the left side of the plaza.  Keep going up the hill, past City Hall and you\u2019ll get back to the Trindade station where you started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Suggestions on Dining Out<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For dinner, if you want to try the typical Francesinha sandwich, we recommend Caf\u00e9 Santiago<\/a> (Rua Passos Manuel 226) or Bras\u00e3o Aliados (Rua de Ramalho Ortigao 28). Caf\u00e9 Santiago doesn’t do reservations and usually has a big queue, so we advise going early. Bras\u00e3o takes reservations so you can book a table ahead (+351 934 158 672).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for more traditional food you can try Abadia<\/a>, Ze Bota<\/a>, Adega do Carregal<\/a> or Cana Verde<\/a>. Most require booking ahead of time because of availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking to get a drink, there are many bars on Rua Galeria de Paris or Rua de C\u00e2ndido dos Reis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nice places to grab breakfast and try delicious pastry are Padaria Ribeiro<\/a>, one of the oldest bakeries in Porto, dating back to 1878, or Diplomata<\/a>.  Both are located at the at Pra\u00e7a de Guilherme Gomes Fernandes<\/em> (west of Avenida Aliados).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 2<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Start the day by going back to the S\u00e3o Bento Station. Turn right as you exit the front of the building.  You\u2019ll see the Igreja de Santo Ant\u00f3nio dos Congregados<\/em> – the church of Santo Ant\u00f3nio – with its decorative tile facade across the street.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turn left to <\/em>go west on Pra\u00e7a da Liberdade, <\/em>up the <\/em>hill and return to the Igreja dos Cl\u00e9rigos<\/em> – the Cl\u00e9rigos church, with its ornate tower<\/a> – one of the highest points in Porto. For a small price, you’ll be able to climb all the way to the top of the tower and get great views of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the Cl\u00e9rigos church, you can walk northwest on Rua das Carmelitas and visit the beautiful Livraria Lello<\/em> bookstore<\/a>, which is said to be a source of inspiration for JK Rowling as she imagined Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books. (There is almost always a line of people waiting to get in.  Admission is \u20ac5, which can be applied to the purchase of a book.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Livraria
Livraria Lello bookstore<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As you exit the bookstore, turn right and cross the Rua do Dr. Ferreira da Silva . <\/em>On your left is the Universidade do Porto<\/em>. Be alert – you might see some students wearing long capes (another inspiration for Harry Potter).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahead, on the right across the street, is the Igreja do Carmo<\/a><\/em>, an 18th century church with an elaborate tiled wall.  To the left of the church is the Igreja dos Carmelitas<\/em>, a former convent.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Igreja
Igreja do Carmo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The two buildings are separated by the Casa Escondida <\/em>(\u201cHidden House\u201d), a 1 meter wide structure that, according to legend, was built to prevent any relations between the nuns of Igreja dos Carmelitas<\/em> and the monks of Igreja do Carmo<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now enjoy the city in a traditional way: walk around 2 kilometers to Ribeira for the next landmarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turn back in the direction of Lello, then turn right on Rua do Dr. Ferreira da Silva<\/em>. Keep going across the Pra\u00e7a da Liberdade and continue onto Rua de S\u00e3o Bento da Vit\u00f3ria <\/em>– a narrow street to the right of the building with \u201cPIXO NOT DEAD\u201d painted on the facade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The street ends at the Miradouro da Vit\u00f3ria<\/em>, an open area that has a great view of the city and the river below.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Miradouro
Miradouro da Vit\u00f3ria with a great view of the city<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To the left of the Miradouro<\/em>, follow the street and turn right onto Rua da Vit\u00f3ria<\/em>. After about 40 meters, turn left onto Escadas da Vit\u00f3ria, <\/em>then take a sharp left and go down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs turn right onto Rua de Ferreira Borges<\/em>. Continue for about 140 meters and you will arrive at the Pra\u00e7a do Infante D. Henrique<\/em>, with the statue of Henry the Navigator pointing toward the ocean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pra\u00e7a
Pra\u00e7a do Infante D. Henrique<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To your right, you will see two other landmarks – the Palacio da Bolsa <\/em>(Stock Exchange) and the Igreja Monumento de S\u00e3o Francisco (Church of San Francisco -the most prominent Gothic monument in Porto).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahead of you is the Ribeira district, with lots of shops and restaurants. Take some time to get lost in Ribeira’s small and typical streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Options for the evening<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re feeling adventurous, catch the bus to Matosinhos Sul on the northwest side of the city. There you can walk on the beach, have a drink at a beachside bar, or walk inland to the Parque da Cidade<\/em>. Directions: Take the 500 bus line from RIBEIRA (INFANTE RBRI1) stop to LOTA1 stop in Matosinhos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Matoshinhos you\u2019ll find great fish restaurants along Avenida Serpa Pinto<\/em> or Rua Her\u00f3is de Fran\u00e7a<\/em>. Follow the smell of fresh fish to find the best place for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another option is to go to the Baixa neighborhood and enjoy the nightlife on Rua Galeria de Paris<\/em> or Rua de C\u00e2ndido dos Reis<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wherever you go, we\u2019re certain you\u2019ll have a great time in Porto!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos courtesy of Mike Johnston<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Arriving before or after the conference? Checkout our guide to Porto – in 48 hours!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15025730,"featured_media":7148,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-porto"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/files\/2022\/03\/Tourists-looking-at-Porto-map.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15025730"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7146"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7146\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7380,"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7146\/revisions\/7380"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}