The top 11 attractions in Porto

If you’re in Porto you absolutely, positively must visit Ribeira Square. This old city district located by the Douro is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Yes, it’s swarming with tourists, but don’t let that put you off. Cross the river in a rabelo boat; go wobbly looking at the Luíz I, D. Maria II and Arrábida bridges (great backgrounds for dramatic photos); visit the Bacalhoeiros Wall, the Casa do Infante museum, the Rua da Reboleira, Cubo square, São Nicolau Church and the ‘Alminhas da Ponte’, a sculpture by artist Teixeira da Lopes. Eat at the Adega de S. Nicolau (they sometimes have fado nights), drink at the Pestana Vintage Hotel’s amazing RIB bar, and then head up to the heights on the Guindais Funicular Railway. Phew!

Porto’s sister city Gaia has beaches and those famous Port wine cellars. They’re gorgeous, with guided tours to teach you the history of the stuff and the distinguishing features of each variety (there are many varieties of port). Every tour has a happy ending: a Port tasting. We recommend the Sandeman Cellars (Largo Miguel Bombarda, 3; the ones with the chap in the black cape), which include a museum; Taylor’s (Rua do Choupelo, 250), featuring the highly rated O Barão de Fladgate restaurant; and Cockburn’s (Rua Serpa Pinto, 346), where you can enjoy a picnic with some lip-smacking Portuguese delicacies.

Foz is almost a mini-city within Porto. In the nineteenth century it was a seaside resort where Brits and well-heeled Porto residents went on holiday. Nowadays, visit it for its beaches (several of them have a blue flag), seaside-y outdoor cafés (try the ones at the Praia da Luz and iBar’s, located among the rocks), or a stroll in the sun along the Avenida do Brasil with its view of the Atlantic. Nearby is the Queijo Fort, the Passeio Alegre Fountain, the Felgueiras lighthouse, the Molhe Breakwater and Old Foz (a quainter part of the district). You can eat very well around here: try chef Pedro Lemos’s eponymous restaurant (for a splurge), Casa Vasco, Cafeína or a burger at Peebz.

This ornate, 75-metre bell tower, which watches lovingly over the city of Porto, is arguably the city’s most iconic silhouette. It was opened in 1763 and is blessed with a beautiful barrage of Baroque motifs thanks to its Italian designer Nicolau Nasoni. Given its prominent position, you can get some amazing 360° views of the city from the top, but you’ll have to climb 225 steps to get there.

The Serra do Pilar is a jagged hill above the Douro river on the Gaia side. Needless to say, the view is spectacular, especially at sunset. Visit the thirteenth-century monastery to find out more about the four World Heritage sites in Portugal’s northern region: the historic centres of Porto and Guimarães, the Douro wine region and the Côa Archaeological Park.

The Guardian and travel website Lonely Planet picked this as the world’s third most beautiful bookstore. Are they having a laugh? It’s gorgeous! More than a century old, Lello is an art nouveau pearl with gothic details, stained glass and a fabulous red staircase, said to have inspired the one in Hogwarts (JK Rowling once lived in Porto). Harry Potter fans: make a beeline here immediately. There are so many visitors these days that you are now charged to enter, but this is discounted with any purchase. Plenty of tours go to the Lello Bookstore.

Porto’s Cathedral (‘Sé’) is the city’s most important church. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, it’s a national monument. Look out for the gothic cloister, the chapel frescoes, the Teixeira Lopes sculpture in the baptistery and the medieval portrait of Our Lady of Vandoma, the city’s patron saint. When locals talk about the ‘Sé’, they don’t just mean the cathedral: the name also applies to the historic district at Porto’s heart. Wander its streets, keep Google Maps turned off and you’ll thank us for it.  

The classic train station is a means to an end: it’s where you go to get somewhere else. And let’s face it, most train stations are not exactly great places to pass the time (although they do beat airport departure lounges). Estação de São Bento is a different beast. This former convent combines a Belle Epoque facade with an iconic interior decorated with 20,000 painted tiles. Artist Jorge Colaço adorned the walls with images from the country’s history, including – fittingly – scenes of everyday life and modes of transport. Just don’t get so caught up in gawping that you trip over a commuter. This busy station also links to Miramar, Braga, Guimarães and other popular destinations.

When Googling this park, if you’re faced with a bunch of fibreglass dinosaurs, then you’re in the wrong Crystal Palace. Despite the lack of prehistoric models, these gardens are somewhat more exotic than what London has to offer. Not only does this verdant paradise have a maze of walkways, tree-lined waterways, sculptured topiary and a huge domed pavilion (all thanks to German landscape architect Emile David), but it overlooks the Douro River too. Well worth the hike up there.

The benefits of a saltwater swim are legion, but as even the most dedicated wild swimmer will know, covering a decent distance in the open ocean can be tricky (not to mention, potentially dangerous). At Marés Pool, you get all the health-boosting pluses that an open-air salty swim brings with the luxury and calmness of a delicious lido. Stretch out tired muscles with a few good lengths of the pool, then retire to the surrounding rocks to admire the epic sea views surrounding Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira’s incredible creation.

This bucolic attraction is an absolute dream. A pink 1950s house stands proudly overlooking lush, beautifully manicured gardens, with its bountiful flora, fountains and modern art museum. What more could you want? The Álvaro Siza Vieira-designed, white box of a museum stands in stark contrast to its Art Deco neighbour, but is a wonderful addition to the grounds. Leave yourself the best part of a day to explore every bit of Fundação de Serralves thoroughly.