Top 8 things to do in Porto

top 8 things to do in Porto

You may be working and living in Portugal and want to visit Porto. Or you are looking for your dream job abroad and wondering if Porto could be the city for you ? In any case, Porto might be a little less famous than Lisbon, but we can tell you that the 2nd biggest city in Portugal is full of things to do ! ✈️

Take a cave and wine tour

When living and working in Porto, or just when visiting this pretty city, you can’t miss out on its main attraction: the wine! 🍷 Porto is well known for its wine, so you will find hundreds of different wine cellars. Each of them has a different story to tell and different origins. Most wine cellars are not based in Porto per se, but in Vila Nova de Gaia, right across the Douro River.
When you go there, you can either schedule a cave and wine tour or just walk in. Some have scheduled visits hourly that you can just join! They usually ask for a small fee for the tour. In addition to learning some of the histories, you should taste the wine when living in Porto! For a wine tasting and a cave tour, you can expect to pay between 15 to 20€.

Have a look at Livraria Lello Porto

This bookstore, often referenced as the Harry Potter Library is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the whole world. You definitely don’t need to be a book nerd to love this place when living and working in Porto! It first opened in 1906 and its beauty has been famous on Instagram for a good decade! Its architecture inspired Harry Potter author for the stairs of Hogwarts.
Victim of its success you now have to pay an entrance fee of 5€ to visit this beautiful bookstore (maybe the only one in the world that charges an entrance fee!) but if you buy something, no worries you get the 5€ discount.

Address: Rua Carmelitas 144, Vitória, Porto 4050-161, Portugal.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 09:30 – 19:00

The Douro River

There are 2 ways to enjoy the Douro River when living and working in Porto: you can either cruise along the river and enjoy everything that it has to offer, which can take a couple of hours or all day. Expect to pay a minimum of 60€. 🛥
Otherwise, you can have a little walk or take a bike and go on a ride along the Douro River. It’s pretty flat so no need to be very fit 😜

Eat Francesinha when living and working in Porto

Porto’s delicacy! A Francesinha, a literal translation of “little French girl” is a Portuguese adaptation of the French Croque Monsieur. It is a sort of sandwich with 2 slices of bread and in between, you add beef steak, cured meat, and sausage. You add some cheese on top which will melt and you pour beer sauce all around it! It’s served with french fries that you dip in that sauce… yes, this is what heaven looks like 🤤 It’s pretty heavy on carbs and meat so we don’t advise scheduling a workout after that meal 😅
While living and working in Porto, get ready to gain 10 pounds just because of the Francesinha.

Mercado do Bolhão

This market is one of the most popular ones in Porto. It has been open since 1914 and you can find everything you need! Farmers will come to sell their fresh products such as fruits, vegetables, olives, meat, or cheese. But you can also find some fresh Pasteis de Nata and traditional shops. One of our favorite thing to do when living and working in Porto is to come around lunchtime and have a glass of wine at one of the bars, then have a typical Portuguese lunch there made from very fresh products! You can’t beat that 🥰

TOP 8 THINGS TO DO IN PORTO (1)

Have a drink at Ribeira

Ribeira is one of the most famous areas in Porto. Located in the middle of the old town, along the Douro River, it’s well known for its vibrant and colorful facades facing the river. We advise you to go there during the day to enjoy some beautiful surroundings and then to stay during nighttime as it is very lively! There are so many bars and restaurants to choose from that you will come here many times while living and working in Porto. And if you’re thinking of taking your date there, well we have a little fact you can share with them: Ribeira means river in Portuguese (good icebreaker! 😜)

Cross the Bridge Dom Luis when living and working in Porto

This bridge is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It crosses the Douro River and allows you to go from Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia
Its architecture is beautifully impressive. Actually, it can even remind you a bit of the Eiffel Tower as the architect for this bridge (Théophile Seyrig) was a disciple of Gustave.

The Dom Luis I Bridge has two levels:

  • the upper level is open to metro line D and pedestrians
  • the lower level is accessible to cars and pedestrians

On the upper level, you will have the chance to have an amazing view of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Little tip: go on there during the sunset for an incredible panorama. 😍
In the summer you can see many reckless teenagers jumping from the lower level but it’s very dangerous so we don’t advise you to do it when living and working in Porto!😅

Walk around the city

To discover a city, what better than just walking around to get a feeling of Porto? Walk around, discover all its little secrets and get a feel of the Portuguese atmosphere. There are many free walking tours but you can also walk freely. However, the city is pretty hilly so get ready to work out when living and working in Porto.
Start at the Ribeira and take every tiny street to get lost in the beauty of Porto! Enjoy every house and every cute restaurant on your way! We advise you to walk to the Sé neighborhood, around the cathedral, and don’t forget to go by Miragaia neighbor which offers a breathtaking viewpoint.