Portugal Diary: Day 4 & 5 - Porto 🇵🇹
After Day 1, 2 & 3 in Portugal; I left Lisbon in the morning to go to Porto. My plan was to stay in Porto for the majority of the day and then leave the same day at night. My flight was canceled a few days before but I was able to book another one for the next day and was also able to find a nice Airbnb in Porto to stay the night. I arrived at Porto in the morning and had about 5 hours before I could check-into the apartment.
Check 10 Top Things to Know Before Traveling to Portugal + Cultural Do’s & Don’ts
Chapters
​1, How to Get Your Visa for Portugal | 5. Best Time to Visit Porto |
2. Day 4 & 5 Diary | 6. Accommodations in Porto |
3. How to Get to Porto | 7. Best Cafes & Restaurants in Porto |
4. How to Move Around Porto | ​ |
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I found a small cafe near the bus station to have breakfast and then started wandering the city. I didn't have plans for the first day, since my flight was late the next I thought it would be better to relax the first day and then explore the city the next day since I have time.
Check Why You Should Visit Portugal: 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Portugal
I stayed for a bit in that cafe and then I walked around the city for a bit, and then it started raining. I traveled in August to Portugal and the weather was terrible the whole time I have been there. I found a building I could stand under to avoid the rain for a bit, and then when it stopped raining I continued walking. I walked a lot but it was nice, and then I found a place to have lunch and then after I finished I started heading to the Airbnb for check-in.
Now it was supposed to be easy to reach the Airbnb, the address is not hard to find. I found the street easily and was walking to find the building where I was staying. The host informed me that the building number was 122A, As I was walking I found building number 132 and next to it was 130 so I thought it will be easy to find 122. As I was walking I found 124 and right after it was 120, there was no 122, and of course the other side of the street are buildings with odd numbers so I found 123 and 121. I walked through that same part of the street about 3 times, until an old lady from a cafe I passed by came out to see what I was looking for, that cafe was in building 126. The old lady only spoke Portuguese which I didn't speak, she then brought someone out from the cafe who speaks English, I told him the building number I was looking for and we both walked through the street again and we of course couldn't find that building, now at that point literally everyone who was at that cafe came out to search with us, and they lived in that area.
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It took 5 minutes until we gave up and they asked me what is the name of the owner, and when I told them they said that it was probably the building next to the cafe. At that point there was still 30 minutes left before check-in so they invited me to stay with them in the cafe, they were all really nice I have to say. Then the guy who spoke English left, and I waited about 15 minutes until I went out of the cafe to call the owner and turned out they gave me the wrong building number and it was 121 and not 122. I went back inside to get my stuff and leave, the owner asked me if I found it or not and luckily for me he spoke French so I was able to communicate with him. I left to go to the Airbnb and I stayed there for the rest of the day since I was tired.
Check Portugal Travel Guide: The Ultimate 1-Week Travel Itinerary
The next day I got up early and left the Airbnb at 10:0 in the morning. I then went off to explore the city and visit the places I wanted to see. The weather was better that day so I was able to enjoy the city. I visited Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto), Clérigos Tower (Torre dos Clérigos), and walked by the Duoro River.
Check 5 Top Places to Visit in Portugal
I then booked a boat trip through the river and a ride on Vila Nova De Gaia cable car. I enjoyed seeing the city from the boat as well seeing it from above while in the cable car. After I finished both of these rides, I then went a place to have late lunch and then headed to the airport to leave. Even though the weather wasn't that great during the majority of my trip, but I still enjoyed it.
Check Lisbon Travel Guide: 15 Top Things to do in Lisbon, Portugal
How to Get to Porto
Porto has an airport with a lot of international flights arriving from different locations, so you can see if there is a flight available from where you are visiting. However most flights go into the capital, Lisbon, so it is also possible to get to Lisbon and then take a direct train or a bus from there to Porto.
A train ride takes around 3 hours and it cost between 26€ and 60€, take the train from Gare Oriente. A bus ride takes between 4 to 5 hours and it cost between 25€ and 37€, take the bus from either Sete Rios or Gare Oriente. I love to use Omio to book most train or bus rides in Europe in general.
I like to use Omio to find either buses or trains in Europe, and if I am looking for a flight I would use WayAway to find cheap flights. You can also use this promo code - TP-385219 - for WayAway Plus or you can directly visit this link! (You will get 10% off WayAway Plus subscription!)
Check Porto Travel Guide: 5 Hidden Gems to Visit in Porto, Portugal
How to Move Around Porto
When you make it Porto, it is easy to explore on foot as most sights are within a walking distance from each other so make sure to wear some good and comfortable walking shoes. Simply make sure to buy tickets for the trams and funicular railway in case you get tired of walking. Also, using Uber to get around Porto is a good idea as well as Uber is not expensive in Portugal in general.
Best Time to Visit Porto
Porto is a beautiful place to visit any time of the year but during the winter it rains a lot there. The best times to visit would be late spring or early autumn as it is sunny and the temperatures are much cooler, and also it won't be as crowded as during the summer as there are less tourists during these times.
Accommodations in Porto
If you want to be by the riverside then stay at Ribeira, but if you prefer the hill and that view then stay near Igreja do Carmo. I stayed at an Airbnb, but you can also find a lot of hotels in those areas.
Best Cafes & Restaurants in Porto
Mesa 325 (Gluten-free options, vegan friendly, European)
Hungry Biker (Gluten-free options, vegan friendly, European)
Noshi Coffe & Healthy Food (Gluten-free options, vegan friendly)
Restaurante Chama (Vegan friendly)