Going to a new country can be hard to plan. You may be wondering how to get to Porto, how to get around Porto, where to stay in Porto, what to do and see in Porto, and so much more!
I recently went to Porto and I did a lot of research before and while in Porto so I wanted to share it with you so you can save some time.
This post is all about how to spend 2-days in Porto Portugal.
How to Get to Porto
Depending on where you are travelling from you can have different transportation options to get to Porto. If you are travelling from far away flying is probably your best option, check out Google Flights for affordable flights. If you are travelling within Portugal or a country close to Portugal public transportation including trains and busses is a great option. For trains check out Omio they have amazing prices on tickets. And for buses, Omio or Flixbus are both great options.How to Get Around in Porto
Porto is a very walkable city which is great for my travellers out there looking to save whenever possible. As you can see on these maps below all the places I recommend visiting are only around a 5-20 minute walk away from each other in total each day is around 30 minutes to an hour of walking. Something I was so grateful to have while walking around Porto was data to look up maps and the different places we were visiting. An app that was an absolute travel game changer for me was learning about e-sim cards that you can download on your phone for easy access. Airalo is an e-sim card app that sells super affordable data plans for countries all around the world and it’s all on your phone, with no physical sim card. So if you are looking for a Portugal e-sim card check out Airalo.Where to Stay in Porto
If you are a budget traveller like myself Hostelworld is a great website to find accommodations. In Porto, I stayed at the Nice Way Porto hostel. They had great rooms, a nice communal area and kitchen, and events to meet other travellers.Day 1 in Porto Portugal
Overview of the Day
- Livraria Lello
- Clerigos Tower
- Igreja do Carmo
- Rua do Almada
- Estatua O Porto
- Porto Town Hall
- Caapela das Almas
- Mercado do Bolhão
- Igreja de Santo Ildefonso
- São Bento Station
- Jardins do Palacio de Cristal
- Jardim do Morro (not included in this map but is located just across Luis I Bridge)
Livraria Lellow
Livraria Lello is a famous bookstore in Porto Portugal. This library is known as where J.K. Rowling visited while living in Porto and some say she based the Hogwarts library based on the way Livraria Lello looks. It is absolutely beautiful on the inside with a gorgeous red staircase, stained glass windows, and walls covered in books.
If you are planning on visiting Livraria Lello you must get tickets you can book them online, which I recommend as it guarantees you get in at the time want and makes sure you do not have to wait very long. You can book tickets on the Livrarua Lellos website and tickets cost as low as 8 euros (and free for children).
Clerigos Tower
Clerigos Tower is a very popular landmark for tourists to visit. You must have tickets to enter but you can buy tickets for very affordable on the Clerigos Tower website. You can walk up the tower to get beautiful views of the city as well as visit the Clerigos museum to learn about the history of this landmark.
Igreja do Carmo
Igreja do Carmo, also known as the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, is a beautiful church located in Porto. It is both beautiful on the inside and outside of this building with a beautiful tiled wall as well as oil painting and more on the inside of the church. To make it even better this church is free to enter.
Rua do Almada
Rua do Almada is a popular street in Porto known for its art galleries and vintage shops. This street is fun to just walk down but if you like art and vintage shopping you must visit and pop into some places.Porto City Hall
Porto City Hall is a great quick stop along your walk around the city for the first day. The building is located in a big square with benches to sit and relax. I recommend packing lunch, taking a seat on one of the benches and taking in downtown Porto.
Capela das Almas
Capela das Almas, also known as the Chapel of Souls or Saint Catherine Chapel, is another beautiful building in Porto covered in the famous blue and white tiles. It is free to enter but if you are not interested in going inside you still must go and visit to be in awe of the outside of this chapel.
Marcado do Bolhão
Marcado do Bolhão is a popular market in Porto located only around a couple-minute walk from Capela das Almas. This market is full of vendors selling everything from fruit to flowers. Even if you are not wanting to buy anything it is still a great place to walk around and look at all the amazing products.Igreja de Santo Ildefonso
Igreja de Santo Ildefonso, also known as the Church of Saint Ildefonso, is another gorgeous church to visit. As it has been the same for the other churches and chapels this one is also free to enter.
São Bento Station
São Bento Station is a train station famous for its beautiful entrance. With its bright colours of yellow and blue tons of people come to visit this train station when visiting Porto Portugal.
Just a warning there is a São Bento metro station that is different than the train station do not mix these two up. I promise the metro station is not as pretty, trust me I know I made this mistake and was so confused as to why it was such as popular destination until I found the actual train station and completely understood the popularity.
Jardins do Palacio de Cristal
Jardins do Palácio de Cristal is a beautiful park in Porto located by the water so you get a beautiful view of the Douro River from above. This park is very big and great to sit and relax with a book or journal as well as go for a walk to take in all the amazing views.
Jardim do Morro
Jardim do Morro is a very popular sunset spot in Porto. It is located just on the other side of Luis I Bridge and gives amazing city views as the sun sets.
Warning before you go this park is VERY popular so do not be shocked if there are tons of people. When I visited I was surprised, there were vendors selling things, music playing, people dancing, and so much more. It was like a big sunset party.
Day 2 in Porto Portugal
Overview of the Day
- Porto Cathedral
- Luis I Bridge
- Monument Church of St.Francis
- Palacio de Bolsa
- Igreja de São Francisco
- Riberia
- Cais da Riberia de Gaia
- Fado Performance
Luis I Bridge
Luis I Bridge is a famous landmark that crosses the Douro River in Porto. This bridge is known for its similarities with the Eiffel Tower since the designer of this bridge was a student of Gustave Eiffel. There are great walks along the river on either side of the bridge that I highly recommend you walk along.
Porto Cathedral
Porto Cathedral is a must-see when in Porto. The inside is breathtaking with the church, artifacts displayed, and even an area to see the city from above. You can easily spend an hour exploring all around Porto Cathedral. You do need to pay to enter, you can get a ticket online off of Tiqets (for $4.48) or you can pay once you arrive (for 3 euros). But it is well worth the very affordable price to enter.
Monument Church of St. Francis
The Church of Saint Francis is a very popular destination for tourists visiting Porto. Make sure to book your tickets in advance as when we went we didn’t realize how busy it was going to be and the line was huge. You can purchase your ticket for around $13 from the Church of Saint Francis website.Palacio da Bolsa
Palacio da Bolsa is a historical landmark that many people visit during their trip to Porto Portugal. You need to purchase tickets to explore this beautiful palace but the inside is breathtaking. You can purchase tickets online or at the door and they cost around 9 euros.Riberia
Riberia is a beautiful street along the Douro River. This street has markets where vendors are selling souvenir items so you are able to get souvenirs in memory of your trip either for yourself or for family or friends back home. There are also many restaurants and bars along Riberia if you want to go for lunch or a drink during your second day in Porto.Cais da Riberia de Gaia
Cais da Ribeira de Gaia is on the other side of Luis I Bridge from Riberia and is a beautiful sitting area along the water where you can read, journal, or just sit and enjoy the views. There is also a nice walk along that side of the river where more venters are selling lots of different items.Fado Performance
To end off your 2 days in Porto Portugal you must see a Fado performance. Fado combines beautiful guitar playing and singing that originated in Portugal.
If you want to go see a Fado Performance I recommend this ticket off GetYourGuide. I went to see this Fado show and it was amazing.
That brings us to the end of our 2-day Porto Portugal itinerary. Since you only have a short amount of time to explore this amazing Portugal city you need to make the most of your days and this itinerary shows you how. Hope this Porto itinerary helped you plan an amazing trip and answered any questions you may have had. I hope you have the most amazing trip and safe travels!
