Four-Day Solo Adventure in Porto

Each of the below, I did on my own and highly recommend! Of course, they would be fun with friends or family as well — but you won’t feel lonely in any of the following:

Walking tour:

One of my dear friends who travels all the time once said, “The first thing I do in any new city is get my hair blown out and do a walking tour!” It was great advice. I can help you find the best of Porto Walking Tours to give you a great lay of the land. Our tour included Porto Cathedral, Sao Bento Train Station, Aliados Avenue, Clerigos Tower and Infante D. Henrique Square.

Journey over the Dom Luis I Bridge and back!

The Dom Luis I joins Porto and its sister city Vila Nova de Gaia. Walk across the lower level and take in the waterfront on both sides. You can visit the Port wine lodges and fun waterfront restaurants in Gaia. Then journey up to the Serra do Pilar Monastery, and catch the Metro do Porto back across from the Vila Nova de Gaia Station.

Sunset at Jardim do Morro:

Beautiful park overlooking the river and the incredible Pont Luis bridge. Musicians playing and people picnicking. It’s a lovely way to end the day.

Duoro Valley Port and wine tasting tour

Absolutely beautiful day on a small-group tour of the famed Duoro Valley. Includes three wine/port tastings, a fabulous lunch in a beautiful vineyard, a boat ride on the Duoro river (be sure to bring your own beverages for that part) and a special stop in a Port wine cave on the way back. Tons of history, incredible scenery. The wine is a topic, but not the focus. Having spent a ton of time in Napa and Sonoma, I wasn’t sure I could be blown away by a wine region. I was totally wrong — Duoro is amazing!

Take in the Spiritus Light Show at Clerigos Tower

This was a godsend at the end of a long travel day when I was trying to stay up until 9 pm local time. It’s about 30 minutes, and your ticket gets you into the beautiful landmark cathedral. It could have been shorter, but given my state of mind, it worked for me!

Explore the Crystal Palace Gardens

The Crystal Palace itself is not the highlight. The gardens and grounds are absolutely magical. Incredible views of the river, lots of hidden towers, ponds, peacocks and such wonderful flowers. A great place to spend an afternoon.

Spend an afternoon at Mercado do Bolhao

Porto’s Historic Market underwent a beautiful transformation and operates every day. There is so much to see, taste and explore here — be sure to give yourself plenty of time!

Liveria Lello Bookshop (aka – Harry Potter Bookstore)

Whether J.K. Rowling ever went here is up for debate — but it is incredibly beautiful and totally unlike any bookstore I’ve ever seen. It’s a wonderful place to pick up gifts. They have a lot of small, special editions of books in many languages only sold there. Absolutely worth it to spend ~$15 on the Gold Ticket Voucher. You skip the lines — which can take HOURS — and you get a credit for the cost of the ticket towards buying books! I recommend booking ahead and going as early in the day as possible because it gets VERY crowded.

Paint your own Portugues tiles at Gazete Azulejos

One of the loveliest parts of Porto are the incredible tiles adorning the buildings, inside and out. You can paint your own at Gazete Azulejos using traditional methods. Gazete Azulejos is “dedicated to promoting and preserving the art of traditional Portugese tile painting” and a portion of your workshop fee helps support their mission.

• Portugues de Gema: Tiny little spot with exceptional, traditional food.

• Chama: This was a charming spot! Prix fixe tasting menu – hyper-seasonal, creative cocktails. Very warm environment good for all ages!

• Lunch at Antiqvvm: This was a BIG SPLURGE, but one of the most memorable meals of my life. Every dish was a dream and the staff were so lovely and kind. I did the full wine pairing because — why not? My first Michelin star meal did not disappoint!

• Pastel de Nata: You can find these everywhere and they are simply divine! My favorite spot was just around the corner from my hotel, and once you taste one, you’ll want them all the time. Join the locals as they grab an espresso and a Pastel de Nata at Confeitaria São Domingos.

• Galeria do Largo: This lovely little spot used to be an art gallery — so cute! It’s located where I stayed in the Porto 1829 A.S. Hotel. Wonderful Portuguese food in a cozy atmosphere.

• Casa da Companhia Hotel Bar: This is a great spot for a late-night drink. Right on Flowers Street, it has excellent people-watching and incredibly kind staff.