Looking for the best way to spend 2 days in Porto? With this 2 day Porto itinerary (by a local!), you’ll be able to see some of the most famous sites, go on a boat tour, visit wine cellars, and more.
Porto, the second largest city in sunny Portugal, is the perfect place for a short city break in Europe as its city center is rather compact and all the monuments are close by. With just two days in Porto, you can see some of the most famous attractions, like Clerigos Tower and São Bento train station, take the 6 bridges boat tour, sample port wine, and much more.
This is a guest post by Sara Riobom from blog Portoalities
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission.
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Is 2 Days in Porto Enough?
Two days in Porto is the perfect amount of time to get a feel for the authentic Portuguese city and see the main sites. Since it’s a fairly compact city, it’s easy to get around and you won’t spend all day traveling from one site to another. Additionally, most of the monuments are close to each other which makes it even easier.
This 2-day Porto itinerary allows you to see the best of the city in a short period of time. If you have more time, of course, there are plenty of other things to do and nearby day trips. But for a weekend or quick city break, 2 days in Porto is perfect.
You can easily include this in your 5-day Portugal itinerary or pair it with 2 days or 4 days in Lisbon for a longer Portugal trip.
How to Spend 2 Days in Porto, Portugal: The Best Things To See & Do
2 days in Porto: Day One
Visit the Clerigos tower
The Clérigos Tower was considered the most famous building in Porto(until Casa da Música was inaugurated, in 2005). No wonder: its unusual structure in the form of a pendant (due to the slope of the terrain it was only possible to build a single tower on this church, unlike any other church in the world), combined with a baroque façade of stunning beauty earned it the interest of thousands of visitors.
My recommendation is to take the time not only to climb all the way to the top of the Clérigos tower (it’s only 225 steps, nothing too much!) but also to check the interior of the church itself, decorated in pink marble and Portuguese golden leaf. It’s stunning!
This is one of Porto’s most popular attractions, so I highly recommend grabbing a skip-the-line ticket in advance.
Lose track of time in São Bento train station
São Bento train station was built over a hundred years ago and it is still very famous today due to the 20.000 hand-painted tiles that decorate its walls. It is definitely worth it to take some time to admire these tiles that represent historic moments as well as the daily life routines of Northern Portugal. Make sure to check the beautiful iron clock on the wall as well.
Have coffee at Café Majestic
There are plenty of nice coffee shops in Porto but Café Majestic is special. After all, it’s not every day that you get to have a coffee sitting at an art nouveau café that dates back from the crazy 20s, right after the end of WWI.
My recommendation? Go for an abatanado (the Portuguese word for the large American coffee!) together with a rabanada (similar to French toast but served with egg cream and pine nuts on top). It’s delicious!
Do some window shopping
Porto might not be a fashion capital like Paris or Milan but it certainly has its attractiveness when it comes to do street shopping. There’s a “store for everyone”, from traditional Portuguese grocery stores (they’re perfect for food shopping!), fashion stores from young designers, and concept stores for those of you who like to buy unusual gifts with a modern twist. You can get a quick start on your shopping afternoon by reading my guide on best shops in Porto.
Watch a concert at Casa da Música
Casa da Música, designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhas, is one of the most beautiful contemporary buildings in Porto. There are paid tours inside the building that you can take on any day of the week (and they are quite well structured and informative), but I think that the best way to experience the building is to simply get a ticket to one of the eclectic music shows that take place there. You can check the schedule here.
2 days in Porto: Day Two
Visit one of the best Port wine lodges
If I had to pick one thing that made Porto an internationally acclaimed city it would have to be the Port wine. After all, it’s not every city or even country that is famous for producing wines that were appreciated by queens and world leaders like Winston Churchill.
In Porto, you can find more than a dozen Port wine lodges that represent some of the most well-known brands of this beverage: Graham’s, Taylor’s, Sandeman, Ferrerinha, etc. Each one of them is unique in its own style, but you can read my guide on the best Port wine lodges in Porto to decide which one would better suit you.
Take the 6 Bridges cruise
I cannot lie to you: taking the 6 Bridges cruise is definitely one of the most touristy things to do in Porto. But it doesn’t mean it’s a bad activity, quite the contrary! Being able to see the six bridges of Porto and to appreciate the facades of the picturesque Ribeira neighborhood from the middle of the Douro River is quite a pleasant activity, especially for families with kids or for senior travelers.
And despite being one of the most touristy things, it’s affordable too! This 6 bridges cruise starts at just 15 euros per person. The bridge tour is also included with a hop-on hop-off bus ticket.
Walk the Luiz I bridge
Here’s one of my favorite things to do in Porto! Luiz I bridge is mistakenly thought to have been built by Gustave Eiffel, the same engineer who designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris. But in fact, it was a former partner of his – ThéophileSeyrig – who designed this stunning double-deck iron bridge that separates Porto from Gaia (the city where the Port wine lodges are located).
You can walk both the upper and the lower decks of Luiz I bridge, but to get some stunning photos of the landscape I would certainly recommend you to walk on the upper deck. (It’s windy though so make sure you bring a scarf!).
Get the tram line to Foz
There are few cities in Europe with historical tram lines as the ones that exist in Porto. They were almost irremediably gone but a few years ago the City Hall made a heroic effort to reconstruct three of the most beautiful lines.
My favorite one rides from the gothic St Francis church to Felgueiras lighthouse, all the way riverside. You can get the tickets on board.
Should I Get A Porto Card?
In many cities, when covering a lot of ground in just 2 days, I would recommend getting a city pass or city card. And Porto does have one – the Porto Card offers 1, 2, 3, and 4 day options.
But, most of the activities on this two-day Porto itinerary are either already free or not included with the Porto card. So in this case, I don’t think it’s worth it. But if you are a museum buff and plan to see more of Porto’s museums than outlined in this itinerary, you may want to consider it, as you do get free entry to 6 museums and 50% off at others. Other Porto Card amenities include free public transportation, 10-50% off at some popular attractions, and 2-for-1 port wine tasting.
See all the benefits of the Porto card here to see if it’s worth it for you.
Another option, in lieu of the Porto card, is to get a hop-on hop-off bus ticket. The 48-hour pass will drop you off in front of pretty much any tourist attraction you’d like and includes a 6 bridges tour as well as port cellar tour. Since both of those things are on this itinerary, I think this is a better value than the city card.
See all the benefits of the Porto hop-on hop-off bus here to see if it’s a good value for you.
Is Porto A Walkable City?
For the most part, yes. Porto’s city center, especially the Ribeira area, is quite small and easy to walk – though there are some hills so pack good shoes!
For sites outside of Ribeira, the metro is the easiest transportation option and will take you to all of the major landmarks for just a few euros.
If you choose to get the Porto card, you’ll have free public transportation included and the hop-on hop-off bus also visits pretty much any tourist attraction that you don’t want to walk to.
How to Get to Porto
Whether Porto is your main destination or a stop on a bigger Portugal itinerary, you have several options for reaching the city.
Plane. You can find international flights from North America and Europe into OPO, on major and budget airlines.
Train. You can easily reach Porto via train from other European cities. Porto Campanhã is the main train station, though you can also transfer to São Bento Station. You can travel to Porto via train in just 3.5 hours from Lisbon, 6 hours from Faro, and within a day from Spain. If traveling from other countries, you’ll likely want to split the trip and overnight in Barcelona or Madrid.
Bus. If you’re traveling on a budget, you may want to look into reaching Porto via bus. Flixbus is a popular budget option and ALSA, Gipsyy, and Rede Express are other bus lines within the country. I recommend using a site like Omio to check all options.
Drive. If you’re visiting Porto as part of a Portugal road trip, you can easily get here from Lisbon in just around 3 hours and Faro in just under 5 hours, making for a relatively easy day of driving – though I recommend adding in a few stops!
How To Get To Porto City Centre From The Airport
Porto only has one airport, so no matter what airline you fly with, you’ll always end up at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) which is just 11km from the city center. From there, you’ll have many different options for the city center, including public transportation and private transfers.
Metro: There is a direct connection between the airport and the city center with Line E (purple). The metro runs every 20 to 30 minutes. It will take you 25 minutes to get to the city center and a one-way ticket costs 2,45 €.
Bus: There are a couple of buses that connect the airport with the city center like bus No 120 which runs every 30 to 40 minutes and takes 30 minutes to get to the city center. One-way tickets cost around 2 €.
Private Transfer/Taxi: The easiest and most convenient way to get to and from the Porto airport is a private transfer. Welcome pickups charge the same as a taxi, but the driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall, he will give you a bottle of water and a map of the city and will be able to provide you with local information. It will take you 20 minutes to get to your hotel in the city center and the cost is 24 € for up to 4 passengers traveling together.
Click here for more information and to book your private transfer.
Where to stay in Porto
For this 2-day Porto itinerary, you’ll want to spend at least 1 night in the city – though 2 nights is ideal. Here are my top picks for where to stay in Porto, for all budgets.
MyStay Porto Centro – $
Located in the União de Freguesias do Centro area of Porto, this hotel offers basic clean rooms with air-condition, free wi-fi and cable TV.
Click here for more information and to book your stay.
Vincci Porto $$
This elegant 4-star recently renovated hotel is housed in a landmark known as Bolsa do Pescado located on the waterfront. It offers elegant rooms with air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and mini bar.
Click here for more information and to book your stay.
Hotel Dom Henrique – Downtown $$
This recently renovated hotel in the heart of Porto offers modern rooms with free wi-fi, air-conditioning, satellite TV, and a mini bar. It also has a rooftop bar offering panoramic views and a restaurant serving traditional Portuguese cuisine.
Click here for more information and to book your stay.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Porto?
Like most popular European cities, the best time to visit Porto is the shoulder season. This includes the spring months of April and May as well as the fall months of September and October. You’ll find lower prices, fewer crowds, and close to perfect weather for walking and exploring.
Summer in Porto is beautiful, of course, and can be a good time to visit – but as the city grows in popularity, the summer months get busier and busier. Still not as busy and crowded as Lisbon but you will still find crowds at the popular destinations and higher prices. Accommodation options can also be limited in the summer, so be sure to plan ahead!
About the author: Sara Riobom is a Portuguese blogger at Portoalities, a blog about Porto and Northern Portugal. She shelved her degree in Engineering and quit her well paid job at a consulting firm to follow her passion of writing and telling stories. Contrary to just about everyone else’s expectations, this turned out to be a great idea.
Nowadays Sara is a professional in the most Portuguese of all hobbies: being a good host.
When she is not showing around Porto, Douro Valley, Braga, and Guimarães, you can find her playing with her crazy cat, learning more about wine or happily arguing about cinema and literature. You can follow her latest adventures on Facebook and on Pinterest.