Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Porto?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Porto?
Many visitors spend two to five days in Porto during their trip. If you're not sure how much time you might need here, we have the answers because your journey calls for making the most of every moment. The port city offers the chance to sample the delicious cuisine, spend time at the museums, browse around the old town, and discover the big city activities.
Porto offers the perfect combination of tourist attractions and authenticity. The street art gives the city a culture of its own. There are also cellar tours where you can experience and enjoy port. Seaford lovers will appreciate the many Portuguese restaurants around town. There are also many museums and outdoor activities to choose from.
Do you have one or two days to visit Porto? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Porto?
Porto is a large port city that is quite popular with tourists. One day is probably not enough time here. You might feel rushed to see the main attractions of Porto such as the food, the famous sights and museums, the historic old town, and the big city activities. To thoroughly enjoy all that the port city has to offer, you'll probably want more time. Most travelers schedule two to five days to fully experience the cultural port city. Nevertheless, if time is of the essence, we have some nice suggestions for your visit.
How to spend a day in Porto
Don't miss Cais da Ribeira during your trip to Porto, as it's one of this destination's most well-known attractions. You should make sure to set aside enough time to see it.
The delicious food of Porto is one of the main highlights of a trip to the region. Dining out is one of the highlights of a trip. Make sure you take the time to taste as much of it as possible during breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this port city's best restaurants. And consider a food tour or cooking class. You can easily fit one into your schedule since many are just a few hours or half a day. The area's cuisine combines the ocean setting with the agriculture of the surrounding area, so you'll enjoy both seafood dishes as well as fresh meats and vegetables. The area is also famous for its Port wines and red wines. There are plenty of cellar tours as well was waterfront seafood restaurants to choose from.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Porto Tapas and Vinho Verde Tour ($88)
- Portuguese Cooking Class in Porto with Portuguese Wine ($154)
- Porto Petiscos and Wine Tour ($82)
Porto is a very walkable city. With only a day in the port city, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. The city center is very compact with most of the sights within a short walk of each other. The area is also very hilly, so getting from place to place can require a bit of effort.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Porto?
Since it's a large city, you'll probably need more than a weekend to take advantage of everything to do in Porto. Two or three days still gives you a good amount of time to explore, though, as you'll have a chance to experience at least some of the major attractions. In addition to the great food and fun museums and landmarks, visitors can enjoy the big city activities, nightlife, and beautiful scenery by staying for a weekend.
Porto
How to spend 2 days in Porto
If you have more than a weekend (two to three days) in Porto, you'll appreciate the added time for everything the port city has to offer.
Plenty of amazing museums and famous landmarks make Porto a special place to visit. Spend at least one full day visiting the sights that are appealing to you. With such a long history, there are many landmarks and sights in the city. Popular attractions include the Clérigos Tower, Palácio da Bolsa, and Igreja de São Francisco.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Pink Palace Entry Ticket & Tasting at WOW ($27)
- Porto Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour ($5)
- E-ticket to Porto National Museum Soares dos Reis ($13)
This port city is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. This city comes to life in the evening, particularly on weekends when locals and tourists alike flock to the many bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Pub Crawl Porto ($23)
- 4-hour Guided Porto Pub Crawl including drinks ($22)
- Porto Pub Crawl With Unlimited Beer ($20)
Public transit in Porto is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the port city quite easily. There is a metro system as well as a bus system. While the metro system does have six lines, most stations aren't close to the tourist attractions, so it likely won't be that helpful to visitors.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Porto, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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