Whether you’re jetting into town for a long weekend or looking for an atmospheric place to write that best-selling novel, Porto is a fascinating city to explore. You’ll find cutting-edge art, medieval streetscapes and an overflowing bounty of great food and wine.
Porto is a fairly easy-going place, but you can help ensure your trip is a success by learning a few essentials – like how to get around on public transportation and what to wear for the weather. You’ll also learn that asking someone if they are a tripe-eater is OK, but saying “gracias” is generally not. Below are our top 13 tips for a successful trip to Porto.
Decide where to stay
Near the riverfront, the Ribeira is a popular choice for its historic architecture and lively dining and drinking options. However, it can feel a bit touristy and places tend to book up months in advance. Just up from Ribeira, the neighborhood of Aliados puts you in the heart of the city center and has great lodging and dining. As with Ribeira, you’ll have to move fast to book your preferred spot. For more of a seaside feel, consider Foz do Douro, which lies near beaches on the Atlantic and is an easy hop (by bus or tram) from the center.
Make restaurant reservations
Porto has some excellent dining rooms, including over a dozen places listed in the Michelin guide. If you hope to enjoy a meal at Pedro Lemos, Antiqvvm or one of Porto’s other celebrated restaurants, reserve several weeks in advance – or at least one month ahead if booking during the high season (May to September).
Don’t drive in the center of Porto
Porto’s narrow, one-way streets, heavy traffic and challenging parking situation can be quite nerve-wracking even for local drivers. Add in hills, trams, lots of pedestrians and bikes, plus the odd construction zone with detours, and you have the makings of a stressful day indeed. If you’re arriving by car, it’s best to park on the outskirts and take a metro into the center of town.
Get an Andante Card and travel on public transportation
Porto has an efficient public transportation network with six metro lines that link districts across town. You can also take the metro out to the beach and get to, and from, the airport (violet line E). In addition,…
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