Top Ten Things To Do In Porto
1. CAIS DE GAIA
PORTO'S STUNNING SKYLINE AND THE TASTE OF PORT
Cais de Gaia The views from Cais de Gaia are perhaps the longest-lasting images of Oporto for visitors. It's impossible not to stand in awe at the city's stunning skyline, whose impact is further enhanced by the picturesque boats that stand in front, and the soaring double-decker Dom Luis Bridge.
Breathe in the atmosphere from the several cafes and restaurants at the riverfront (Bogani Café is especially recommended for a drink and chill-out sounds), and then visit the terracotta-topped Port Wine warehouses that stand behind them.
Most of the world's supply of Port is stored and aged here, and a visit to any of the warehouses should not be missed. If you venture into the alleys uphill, you will find 19th century manor houses and even more port lodges (that of Taylor's is especially worth a visit).
It is best to come here in late afternoon and stay for dinner overlooking Oporto.
2. SERRALVES MUSEUM
PORTO'S CULTURAL EDEN
Serralves Museum This world-class museum displays cutting-edge international contemporary art in a striking minimalist building by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Alvaro Siza Vieira.
Like the Guggenheim, there is no collection permanently on display, with temporary exhibitions taking up the entire space, as well as that of the separate "Casa de Serralves," a pink Art Deco construction located in the surrounding formal gardens (which are magnificent and worth a visit in their own right).
The eighteen hectares of grounds also contain natural farmland, and are dotted with modern sculptures (including a much-photographed gigantic shovel by Claes Oldenburg Serralves Museum and Coosje van Bruggen).
Major exhibitions in the past have included "Andy Warhol: A Factory," "Francis Bacon: Caged - Uncaged," and "Paula Rego."
This is a sight that should not be missed when visiting Porto, and be sure to also pass by the museum shop for some of the best of Portuguese design.
If you're in the city in late May or early June, be sure to check out the museum's annual "Serralves em Festa" festival, with 40 hours of free events related to contemporary art and culture.
3. CASA DA MUSICA
PORTO'S ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL
Casa da Musica This twelve-storey, irregular-shaped building was designed by world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas exclusively for musical performances.
It opened in 2005 and for admirers of architectural marvels it justifies a visit to Oporto on its own.
The striking white concrete structure is an inventive building. Inside the 1,300-seat auditorium of perfect acoustics is a baroque organ pinned to the wall, and the VIP room has hand-painted blue tiles, blending contemporary minimalism with traditional touches.
You can see it all in a highly recommended guided tour.
Top international orchestras have already played here, and there is also a resident company.
Casa da Musica On the top floor is "Kool" (named after the architect?), one of the best restaurants in the city. It serves a mostly Italian menu.
From outside some have described the building as looking like a meteorite landed in the middle of the city. It's located on the city's main avenue (Avenida da Boavista that stretches for 7km toward the sea), on a roundabout that is overlooked by a column bearing a lion and a flattened French eagle -- a monument that celebrates the victory of the Portuguese and British in the Peninsular War.
Location: Avenida da Boavista, 604-610
Getting there: Metro - Casa da Musica station
4. SÃO FRANCISCO CHURCH
PORTO'S EXTRAORDINARILY LAVISH CHURCH
What from outside looks like an ordinary 14th century Gothic and Baroque construction, has the most extraordinary church interior in Oporto and unquestionably one of the most fabulously opulent in all of Europe.
The extensive 17th and 18th baroque decoration is a profusion of gilt wood carvings in the vault pillars and columns: cherubs, plants, and animals dripping with gold -- note the "Tree of Jesse," dating from 1718.
The little that is not covered in pure gold (it is said that there is 400kg of it here) such as the wide-ribbed Gothic arches, is made of marble.
There is a museum housed in the catacombs below consisting of artifacts from the former monastery.
São Francisco Church Beneath the flags of the cellar are thousands of human bones, stored to await Judgment Day.
Church services are no longer held here, but it is often the venue for classical music concerts.
If you only have time to visit one church in Oporto, make it this one.
Location: Largo de São Francisco
Getting there: Bus #1
5. CAIS DA RIBEIRA
THE SOUL OF PORTO
Ribeira The alluring district of Ribeira is made up of medieval streets and seedy alleyways. It is a crumbling but fascinating place, ending at a riverfront square ("Praça da Ribeira").
Wth photogenic traditional boats floating at the quayside overlooked by colorful ancient houses, this is the most picturesque spot in the city and the place everyone loves -- UNESCO did too, and declared it a World Heritage Site.
Have a refreshing drink and take in the unique atmosphere, and return at night when it is especially lively. There are dozens of cafés, bars, and restaurants sheltered under medieval arches, making it the most popular district in the city for eating and drinking.
The entire city seems to come by on feast days (especially on Saint John's Day every June and on New Year's Eve) to watch the major fireworks shows.
Ribeira In the center of the square is a bronze cube surrounded by café tables, and just around the corner on Rua da Alfândega is "Casa do Infante" (or "House of the Prince"), where Prince Henry the Navigator was born in 1394.
Over the years the building also served as the city's customs house, and now contains the city archives, including the document of Prince Henry's baptism, and other articles and manuscripts related to the history of Oporto.
From Ribeira you can also see the series of Port Wine houses across the river, as well as the attractive Cais de Gaia riverfront.
Ribeira is also the most romantic district to stay in the city, and couples should consider Hotel Pestana Porto, or one of the apartments in the neighborhood.
Location: Riverfront/city center
Getting there: Walk down to the riverfront from city center.
6. PALACIO DA BOLSA
PORTO'S EXUBERANT "RECEPTION ROOM"
Palacio da Bolsa This pompous 19th-century building with a vast Neoclassical façade is the former stock exchange that was built to impress and earn the credibility of European investors.
Inside it could be mistaken for a royal place, especially the ornate Arab Room, an oval chamber that attempted to copy Granada's Alhambra Palace. It is now "the grand reception room" of the city where heads of state and other luminaries are received on a visit to Oporto.
Another noteworthy room is Pátio das Nações, lit by a large skylight that is a magnificent example of iron architecture. Flags of most of the countries that had trade relations with Oporto are represented here.
There is also a remarkable grand staircase with two bronze chandeliers hanging from the cupola.
Location: Rua de Ferreira Borges
Getting there: Bus #1
7. DOM LUIS I BRIDGE
AN IRONWORK SHOWPIECE
Dom Luis I Bridge Oporto's iconic bridge opened in 1886, when it held the record for the longest iron arch in the world. Today the metro crosses the upper level, while the lower level is used by cars and pedestrians to cross the river between the center of Oporto and the spectacular city views and port wine warehouses of the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia.
There are four other bridges in the city, best seen on a Douro River cruise. The most famous of all is the impressive Dona Maria Pia Bridge, also an iron railway bridge, completed in 1876. Designed by Gustave Eiffel before he built the famous Paris tower, and named after King LuÃs I's wife, it held the world record for the largest span for seven years. It remained in service until 1991 but today it stands as a national monument (it has also been designated an "International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark" by the American Society of Civi Engineers).
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The other bridges are Ponte do Infante (whose central 280-meter reinforced concrete arch is the world's longest), the triple-arched Ponte de São João, and Arrabida Bridge -- the least attractive of the city's bridges, but representing a mean feat of engineering: spanning 270 meters, and supported by a single arch. It was the largest such reinforced concrete bridge when inaugurated in 1963.
Location: Cais da Ribeira
Getting there: Walk from city center to the waterfront and Cais da Ribeira
8. SÉ DO PORTO
PORTO'S FORTRESS-LIKE CATHEDRAL
Oporto's austere fortress-like cathedral is where Prince Henry the Navigator was baptised and where King John I married the English Princess Philippa of Lancaster in the 14th century.
The building has its origins in the 12th century, although it underwent many alterations over time.
The Gothic rose window is the only part of the original façade that remains, especially after Baroque alterations in the 18th century.
The loggia on the north front was added at that time, as was the extraordinary altarpiece inside, entirely made up of silver.
The Gothic cloisters are more outstanding than the church itself, covered with magnificant blue and white tiles from the 18th century.
Oporto cathedral cloister Also worth a visit is the dazzling chapterhouse and its collection of sacred art.
Before going inside, contemplate the fine views over the rooftops of old Oporto from the terrace, and admire the grandiose three-storey façade of the Episcopal Palace whose interior can not be visited.
Although the cathedral is the city's largest church, the most impressive church in Porto is São Francisco Church which has a magnificent golden interior which should not be missed by anyone visiting the city.
Location: Terreiro da Sé
Getting there: Walk from São Bento Station.
9. CLERIGOS TOWER
OVERLOOKING THE CITY FROM ITS ICONIC LANDMARK
Clerigos Tower Clérigos church tower was the tallest structure in Portugal when completed in 1763 (the national record is now Lisbon's Vasco da Gama Tower), and as the main feature of the city's skyline, ships used it as a guide when coming into Cais da Ribeira.
It's a remarkable baroque landmark designed by the Italian architect Nasoni, who also designed the adjoining church. It has become a popular tourist attraction for the aerial view of the city from the top (76 meters up -- after a steep flight of 240 steps). Inside the church, the highlight is a polychromatic Baroque-Rococo marble retable.
Opposite the tower is Cordoaria Gardens and an imposing Neoclassical and Pombaline building that is the city's former prison. The ground floor houses a photography museum with both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The collection includes the works of a Scotsman named Frederick William Flower who spent much of his life in Porto in the 19th century, and who photos (many of them of Oporto) are Portugal's oldest.
From here it is possible to the monumental Santo Antonio Hospital, classified as a national monument for being a remarkable example of 18th century Neoclassical architecture.
Location: Rua de São Filipe de Nery
Getting there: Walk from Avenida dos Aliados
10. SOARES DOS REIS MUSEUM
PORTUGAL'S OLDEST NATIONAL MUSEUM
Soares dos Reis Museum This was Portugal's first designated national museum. It was founded in 1833 to showcase works of art from dissolved monasteries and convents, including a valuable collection of paintings, glass, ceramics and jewelry (especially noteworthy is an 18th century breast piece studded with precious stones).
The collection's most emblematic work is "O Desterrado" ("The Exhiled") by sculptor Soares dos Reis (after whom the museum is named), but also of note are two portraits by François Clouet (1522-72), and landscapes by Jean Pillement (1727-1808).
Another highlight is the huge "Pedra de Eiró", a rock taken from a threshing ground by the Douro River, engraved with spiral motifs that are typical of western European megalithic art.
Location: Rua D. Manuel II
Getting there: Several buses, including #3, 20, 35, 37
PORTO'S STUNNING SKYLINE AND THE TASTE OF PORT
Cais de Gaia The views from Cais de Gaia are perhaps the longest-lasting images of Oporto for visitors. It's impossible not to stand in awe at the city's stunning skyline, whose impact is further enhanced by the picturesque boats that stand in front, and the soaring double-decker Dom Luis Bridge.
Breathe in the atmosphere from the several cafes and restaurants at the riverfront (Bogani Café is especially recommended for a drink and chill-out sounds), and then visit the terracotta-topped Port Wine warehouses that stand behind them.
Most of the world's supply of Port is stored and aged here, and a visit to any of the warehouses should not be missed. If you venture into the alleys uphill, you will find 19th century manor houses and even more port lodges (that of Taylor's is especially worth a visit).
It is best to come here in late afternoon and stay for dinner overlooking Oporto.
2. SERRALVES MUSEUM
PORTO'S CULTURAL EDEN
Serralves Museum This world-class museum displays cutting-edge international contemporary art in a striking minimalist building by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Alvaro Siza Vieira.
Like the Guggenheim, there is no collection permanently on display, with temporary exhibitions taking up the entire space, as well as that of the separate "Casa de Serralves," a pink Art Deco construction located in the surrounding formal gardens (which are magnificent and worth a visit in their own right).
The eighteen hectares of grounds also contain natural farmland, and are dotted with modern sculptures (including a much-photographed gigantic shovel by Claes Oldenburg Serralves Museum and Coosje van Bruggen).
Major exhibitions in the past have included "Andy Warhol: A Factory," "Francis Bacon: Caged - Uncaged," and "Paula Rego."
This is a sight that should not be missed when visiting Porto, and be sure to also pass by the museum shop for some of the best of Portuguese design.
If you're in the city in late May or early June, be sure to check out the museum's annual "Serralves em Festa" festival, with 40 hours of free events related to contemporary art and culture.
3. CASA DA MUSICA
PORTO'S ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL
Casa da Musica This twelve-storey, irregular-shaped building was designed by world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas exclusively for musical performances.
It opened in 2005 and for admirers of architectural marvels it justifies a visit to Oporto on its own.
The striking white concrete structure is an inventive building. Inside the 1,300-seat auditorium of perfect acoustics is a baroque organ pinned to the wall, and the VIP room has hand-painted blue tiles, blending contemporary minimalism with traditional touches.
You can see it all in a highly recommended guided tour.
Top international orchestras have already played here, and there is also a resident company.
Casa da Musica On the top floor is "Kool" (named after the architect?), one of the best restaurants in the city. It serves a mostly Italian menu.
From outside some have described the building as looking like a meteorite landed in the middle of the city. It's located on the city's main avenue (Avenida da Boavista that stretches for 7km toward the sea), on a roundabout that is overlooked by a column bearing a lion and a flattened French eagle -- a monument that celebrates the victory of the Portuguese and British in the Peninsular War.
Location: Avenida da Boavista, 604-610
Getting there: Metro - Casa da Musica station
4. SÃO FRANCISCO CHURCH
PORTO'S EXTRAORDINARILY LAVISH CHURCH
What from outside looks like an ordinary 14th century Gothic and Baroque construction, has the most extraordinary church interior in Oporto and unquestionably one of the most fabulously opulent in all of Europe.
The extensive 17th and 18th baroque decoration is a profusion of gilt wood carvings in the vault pillars and columns: cherubs, plants, and animals dripping with gold -- note the "Tree of Jesse," dating from 1718.
The little that is not covered in pure gold (it is said that there is 400kg of it here) such as the wide-ribbed Gothic arches, is made of marble.
There is a museum housed in the catacombs below consisting of artifacts from the former monastery.
São Francisco Church Beneath the flags of the cellar are thousands of human bones, stored to await Judgment Day.
Church services are no longer held here, but it is often the venue for classical music concerts.
If you only have time to visit one church in Oporto, make it this one.
Location: Largo de São Francisco
Getting there: Bus #1
5. CAIS DA RIBEIRA
THE SOUL OF PORTO
Ribeira The alluring district of Ribeira is made up of medieval streets and seedy alleyways. It is a crumbling but fascinating place, ending at a riverfront square ("Praça da Ribeira").
Wth photogenic traditional boats floating at the quayside overlooked by colorful ancient houses, this is the most picturesque spot in the city and the place everyone loves -- UNESCO did too, and declared it a World Heritage Site.
Have a refreshing drink and take in the unique atmosphere, and return at night when it is especially lively. There are dozens of cafés, bars, and restaurants sheltered under medieval arches, making it the most popular district in the city for eating and drinking.
The entire city seems to come by on feast days (especially on Saint John's Day every June and on New Year's Eve) to watch the major fireworks shows.
Ribeira In the center of the square is a bronze cube surrounded by café tables, and just around the corner on Rua da Alfândega is "Casa do Infante" (or "House of the Prince"), where Prince Henry the Navigator was born in 1394.
Over the years the building also served as the city's customs house, and now contains the city archives, including the document of Prince Henry's baptism, and other articles and manuscripts related to the history of Oporto.
From Ribeira you can also see the series of Port Wine houses across the river, as well as the attractive Cais de Gaia riverfront.
Ribeira is also the most romantic district to stay in the city, and couples should consider Hotel Pestana Porto, or one of the apartments in the neighborhood.
Location: Riverfront/city center
Getting there: Walk down to the riverfront from city center.
6. PALACIO DA BOLSA
PORTO'S EXUBERANT "RECEPTION ROOM"
Palacio da Bolsa This pompous 19th-century building with a vast Neoclassical façade is the former stock exchange that was built to impress and earn the credibility of European investors.
Inside it could be mistaken for a royal place, especially the ornate Arab Room, an oval chamber that attempted to copy Granada's Alhambra Palace. It is now "the grand reception room" of the city where heads of state and other luminaries are received on a visit to Oporto.
Another noteworthy room is Pátio das Nações, lit by a large skylight that is a magnificent example of iron architecture. Flags of most of the countries that had trade relations with Oporto are represented here.
There is also a remarkable grand staircase with two bronze chandeliers hanging from the cupola.
Location: Rua de Ferreira Borges
Getting there: Bus #1
7. DOM LUIS I BRIDGE
AN IRONWORK SHOWPIECE
Dom Luis I Bridge Oporto's iconic bridge opened in 1886, when it held the record for the longest iron arch in the world. Today the metro crosses the upper level, while the lower level is used by cars and pedestrians to cross the river between the center of Oporto and the spectacular city views and port wine warehouses of the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia.
There are four other bridges in the city, best seen on a Douro River cruise. The most famous of all is the impressive Dona Maria Pia Bridge, also an iron railway bridge, completed in 1876. Designed by Gustave Eiffel before he built the famous Paris tower, and named after King LuÃs I's wife, it held the world record for the largest span for seven years. It remained in service until 1991 but today it stands as a national monument (it has also been designated an "International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark" by the American Society of Civi Engineers).
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The other bridges are Ponte do Infante (whose central 280-meter reinforced concrete arch is the world's longest), the triple-arched Ponte de São João, and Arrabida Bridge -- the least attractive of the city's bridges, but representing a mean feat of engineering: spanning 270 meters, and supported by a single arch. It was the largest such reinforced concrete bridge when inaugurated in 1963.
Location: Cais da Ribeira
Getting there: Walk from city center to the waterfront and Cais da Ribeira
8. SÉ DO PORTO
PORTO'S FORTRESS-LIKE CATHEDRAL
Oporto's austere fortress-like cathedral is where Prince Henry the Navigator was baptised and where King John I married the English Princess Philippa of Lancaster in the 14th century.
The building has its origins in the 12th century, although it underwent many alterations over time.
The Gothic rose window is the only part of the original façade that remains, especially after Baroque alterations in the 18th century.
The loggia on the north front was added at that time, as was the extraordinary altarpiece inside, entirely made up of silver.
The Gothic cloisters are more outstanding than the church itself, covered with magnificant blue and white tiles from the 18th century.
Oporto cathedral cloister Also worth a visit is the dazzling chapterhouse and its collection of sacred art.
Before going inside, contemplate the fine views over the rooftops of old Oporto from the terrace, and admire the grandiose three-storey façade of the Episcopal Palace whose interior can not be visited.
Although the cathedral is the city's largest church, the most impressive church in Porto is São Francisco Church which has a magnificent golden interior which should not be missed by anyone visiting the city.
Location: Terreiro da Sé
Getting there: Walk from São Bento Station.
9. CLERIGOS TOWER
OVERLOOKING THE CITY FROM ITS ICONIC LANDMARK
Clerigos Tower Clérigos church tower was the tallest structure in Portugal when completed in 1763 (the national record is now Lisbon's Vasco da Gama Tower), and as the main feature of the city's skyline, ships used it as a guide when coming into Cais da Ribeira.
It's a remarkable baroque landmark designed by the Italian architect Nasoni, who also designed the adjoining church. It has become a popular tourist attraction for the aerial view of the city from the top (76 meters up -- after a steep flight of 240 steps). Inside the church, the highlight is a polychromatic Baroque-Rococo marble retable.
Opposite the tower is Cordoaria Gardens and an imposing Neoclassical and Pombaline building that is the city's former prison. The ground floor houses a photography museum with both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The collection includes the works of a Scotsman named Frederick William Flower who spent much of his life in Porto in the 19th century, and who photos (many of them of Oporto) are Portugal's oldest.
From here it is possible to the monumental Santo Antonio Hospital, classified as a national monument for being a remarkable example of 18th century Neoclassical architecture.
Location: Rua de São Filipe de Nery
Getting there: Walk from Avenida dos Aliados
10. SOARES DOS REIS MUSEUM
PORTUGAL'S OLDEST NATIONAL MUSEUM
Soares dos Reis Museum This was Portugal's first designated national museum. It was founded in 1833 to showcase works of art from dissolved monasteries and convents, including a valuable collection of paintings, glass, ceramics and jewelry (especially noteworthy is an 18th century breast piece studded with precious stones).
The collection's most emblematic work is "O Desterrado" ("The Exhiled") by sculptor Soares dos Reis (after whom the museum is named), but also of note are two portraits by François Clouet (1522-72), and landscapes by Jean Pillement (1727-1808).
Another highlight is the huge "Pedra de Eiró", a rock taken from a threshing ground by the Douro River, engraved with spiral motifs that are typical of western European megalithic art.
Location: Rua D. Manuel II
Getting there: Several buses, including #3, 20, 35, 37
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