Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
A Port Wine Cellar City by the Sea: Porto, Portugal Guide
25
items Seagulls overhead and salt in the air set the scene in Porto, where steep cobblestone streets tumble toward the river and a bridge backdrop connects terracotta rooftops to centuries-old port wine cellars. At the gateway to terraced Douro wine country...
Map
Sections
3
what to do in porto
where to eat in porto
where to shop in porto
what to do in porto
when in porto, port must be sipped, azulejos painted or photographed, the river traced by foot and boat, and don't even think about leaving without a douro day trip
paint your very own azulejo in this 2-hour hands-on workshop. pick out your preferred design before tracing over the edges with a pencil to print the outline onto the ceramic via transfer paper. diluting blue acrylic paint with water will allow you t...
the tiles do take ~45 minutes to cook in the kiln, but you can return at a later date to pick up your personalized souvenir if you don't have time to wait after class 🖌️
the tiles do take ~45 minutes to cook in the kiln, but you can return at a later date to pick up your personalized souvenir if you don't have time to wait after class 🖌️
Tile Painting Workshop
with a red-stepped, winding wooden staircase as the centerpiece in potentially the most beautiful bookstore of all time—j.k. rowling was allegedly inspired by the aesthetics when crafting the wizarding world of harry potty (though this local lore has...
and yet it still feels like there's magic inside. your €15.95 ticket can be applied to the purchase of a dual-toned color block classic (i left with turquoise and orange peter pan), but make sure you don't check out before exploring dua lipa's servic...
and yet it still feels like there's magic inside. your €15.95 ticket can be applied to the purchase of a dual-toned color block classic (i left with turquoise and orange peter pan), but make sure you don't check out before exploring dua lipa's servic...
Livraria Lello
trust me, you need to see the “arabian room” inspired by alhambra palace with your own eyes. the former stock exchange with an office where gustave eiffel once worked is home to the prettiest interiors in porto, which can only be viewed during a €14 ...
Palácio da Bolsa
a station covered in azulejos, the light filtering in during the late afternoon makes this interior particularly enchanting even if you don't have a train to catch 🚆
Porto São Bento
bi-level market in a neoclassical building closed on sundays, stop by for fresh fruit and juices, portuguese nuts and spices like piri piri, international imports like italian cheese, and plenty of pretty petals 🍊
Mercado Bolhao
purchase a €4 ticket on-site to admire some of the most spectacular baroque interiors in porto, the cloister’s pointed arches , and walls adorned with azulejos. the cathedral towers can be scaled but truthfully the iron bars obstruct much of the view...
Porto Cathedral
an intricate azulejos background you can get up close and personal with, this is one of the more vibrant blue and white churches with plenty of places to pose in front of for a photo opp complete with religious motifs 📸
Chapel of Souls
there's quite literally no better way to see porto than from the douro at sunset with ribeira on one side and vila nova de gaia on the other. a luxury yacht experience with a budget price tag, the 2 hours we spent sailing aboard atalaia's vessel flew...
7 Bridges Yacht Cruise
if a church service and a rave had a baby, it'd be the spiritus show. illuminating the interior of the clérigos church with projections depicting scenes of nature, lights, lasers, and an accompanying musical score inspired by álvaro de campos’ poem—t...
Spiritus Multimedia Show
porto's iconic bridge backdrop renowned for spectacular sunset views, cross between ribeira and vila nova de gaia at sea level underneath the metal structure or all the way up across the top platform 🌉
Dom Luís I Bridge
believe it or not, the buildings just across the river are in an entirely different city; that's not porto, that's vila nova de gaia. historically, lower taxes, a cooler climate ideal for aging wine, and easy access to the douro made this the preferr...
Vila Nova de Gaia
a port wine institution since 1790, the don logo is iconic imagery on both sides of the river combining a spanish sombrero with a traditional portuguese student's cape. i opted for the €23 porto sandeman visit through the dark cask cellar but plenty ...
Sandeman
the oldest wine port house in the world since 1638, unlike more stuffy, commercialized establishments kopke doesn't require you to make a reservation or take a guided cellar tour. simply walk in, select your preferred tasting of douro whites, reds, r...
Kopke
the most efficient way to get up from vila nova de gaia to the top of the dom luís i bridge, buy a one-way ticket for €7 if you walked over at sea level or €10 for a cable car ride both ways 🚠
Teleférico de Gaia
yet another azulejo icon, this church was fenced off when we visited and couldn't be examined up close, but still makes for a pretty picture 📸
Church of Saint Ildefonso
portugal's terraced wine country is best explored on a full-day tasting tour, and this particular option allows you to experience the douro by car, boat, and train. start by driving in a mercedes sprinter to a quinta that's been around since 1784, wa...
Douro Valley by Boat, Train, and Van
where to eat in porto
digging into a francesinha and sipping port wine are porto dining obligations
affordable breakfast platters served on the patio of a cozy cafe perched at the top of a steep stairway, including juice, coffee, a yogurt parfait, pastel de nata, croissant, and toast slathered with butter and jam 🥐
My Coffee Porto
the elevated greenhouse with a view tucked inside graham's port lodge—and obviously serving this sweet fortified wine—book a lunch reservation with modern roots in portuguese and basque cuisines to complement a tasting cellar tour 🥗
Vinum
practically the most famous institution where you can try the city's namesake sandwich, order a francesinha at cafe santiago to taste their signature secret spicy beer-tomato sauce, naturally washed down with a pint of super bock 🥪
Café Santiago
8-course michelin guide chef's counter omakase every tuesday night for only €60. taking on the spirit of an izakaya, a sashimi and robata course are served prior to the buttery nigiri and dessert—which for me meant a take on a miso mochi taco. if tha...
Kaigi
i wish i could say i remember anything about this italian dinner, but we came straight from the luxury yacht cruise post many, many glasses of green wine. all i know is my foodie friends recommended it ahead of time and i finished my entire plate 🍝
A Despensa
where to shop in porto
there's plenty of places to indulge in the finer items of life around porto from heritage hand soaps at claus to finely placed filament at joalharia do carmo
start your walk down to ribeira here before connecting onto rua das flores to pass tons of street performers, magicians, and artists actively at work. if you collect hand-painted prints, this is a goldmine for that particular treasure 🤹♂️
Rua dos Caldeireiros
the main commercial stretch leading down to palácio da bolsa and then ribeira, you're bound to do some damage on this street. find claus porto along with other elevated curations from homey mercador studio to the filament jeweler joalharia do carmo �...
R. das Flores
heritage soap house founded in 1887 in this very city filled with bars finely hand-wrapped in luxe belle époque-inspired paper and sealed with wax. this chic souvenir is ideal for gifting to friends, family, or co-workers—picking out a particular sce...
Claus Porto
typically perched somewhere along the top of the luís i bridge, my friends had recommended the yellow pointillism prints from this particular artist before my trip, and i had to oblige 🖊️
Gaspar Silva Art Prints