2024 Guide to Porto, Portugal: What to See & Do in Porto

[Music] This is my first time really traveling in europe  and porto seems to be the perfect introduction   the city has amazed me in so many ways right from  the start porto has amazing beauty a captivating   history charming streets and alleyways and some  really delicious food in this episode we're going   to discover the city's hot spots and go off the  beaten track to find out what makes porto such an   amazing destination the second largest city in  portugal porto is one of the oldest cities in   europe going back over a thousand years [Music]  downtown porto's historic center is a unesco world   heritage site bordered by an arcaded walk that  contains shops and restaurants built into the old   city wall the historic heart of the city is a maze  of narrow stone alleyways porto city proper has a   population of around 232 000 and the surrounding  metro area has approximately 1.7 million people   we're going to start by showing you some of the  things you just can't miss when you visit porto   am i at a museum or an art gallery  neither one i am at one of the most   beautiful railway stations in the world the sao  bento located in the historic district of porto   the sao bento railway station is  resplendent with 20 000 azolejo tiles   the first tile was laid in 1905 and the last in  1916. these beautiful hand-painted tiles reflect   important events and people throughout portugal's  history beyond the station's beauty sal bento is   still a working station and the gateway to  other destinations around portugal [Music]   the station sits right in the heart of the city   here the hustle and bustle takes place surrounded  by stunning architecture and charming cafes this   is a perfect place to introduce yourself to  porto and begin to take it all in [Music] just a short walk up the hill from the train  station is one of the most important monuments   in porto the porto cathedral it's easy to spot as  it is built on the highest point in all of porto   many gothic and baroque alterations and additions  have been made to the cathedral over the centuries   but the general aspect of the facade has  remained romanesque one addition in 1333   was the gothic funerary chapel and tomb of a  knight jiao gordo this cathedral is also where   king john the first married english princess  philippa of lancaster in 1387. make a plan to   get to the cathedral early in the day as it can  get very busy wow the porto cathedral is amazing   you have got to come here if you're in porto  there is so much to see in here the price of   admission is three euros and you even get to climb  up a narrow winding staircase to the bell towers   that leads out to a magnificent view of the city  the view alone is worth the price of admission just to the west down a flight  of stairs from the cathedral   you will find a stunning museum of sacred  art and archaeology the museum is packed   with history and artifacts and you can climb  to the top of the bell towers of the church   of sao lorenzo where there is a good chance of  having this fantastic view all to yourself [Music]   right around the corner from the  porto cathedral is the dom luis bridge   this is easily the most recognizable  and iconic spot in all of porto [Music]   built in 1876 this double deck metal arch bridge  spans the doro river connecting porto to the city   of gaia it's lower level services automobiles  while the upper level is used for the porto metro   trains and pedestrians when it was built it was  the longest arch bridge in the world at 564 feet   walking across the bridge day or night and  you should experience both you are rewarded   with stunning views in every direction upstream in  the dorro valley downstream to the atlantic ocean   and the views of porto city are to die for  from here there is a large viewing platform   at the monastery just across the bridge that  allows for stunning views of the bridge itself   below boats on the very popular six  bridges tour give a unique view of the city   and tell the history of all the bridges the  most popular tour is just under an hour and   is a great way to see the doro waterfront and  the stunning buildings that line the banks carrying on across the dom lewis bridge gaia makes  for a more laid back escape from porto proper   gaia is home to the famous port  wine caves the caves of over 50   wine companies can be found in this area and  many of them are open for tourists to visit it's worth taking the time to explore the back  streets of gaia getting away from the waterfront   and strolling its historic streets and alleys  where you will be rewarded with some old world   charm and stunning views of porto i came upon the  taylor one of the very oldest port wine houses   dating back to 1692. i loved taylor's here you  don't go on an organized tour but have the chance   to explore at your own pace you can walk the long  barrel rooms get educated on the history of port   wine and best of all you finish in a beautiful  rose garden that serves as their tasting room   the price for the self-guided tour includes the  tasting of two ports but they also offer a port   wine menu that allows you to taste some of the  more valuable and highly sought after vintages i   decided to splurge a little and tasted the 40 year  old and the very old port which was 52 years old   the difference was remarkable these  were absolutely fantastic and so much   more complex than what i had previously  tasted i am definitely now a fan [Music] the wine itself is not grown in gaia or  porto but the cooler climate near the coast   provides the perfect climate for it to age the  barrels of wine were historically transported   down the river by boat from the vineyards in  the doro valley if you have the time it is an   absolute must to spend a day or more in the doro  valley not only is it stunningly beautiful but   you will learn the history and tradition of what  makes the area perfect to grow port grapes [Music]   the doro river winds its way through the narrow  valley that is lined with gorgeous vineyards and   dotted with breathtaking villages so this morning  we're going to change things up a little bit   we're headed about a mile outside of the historic  city center should be an easy walk we're going to   a famous place called the crystal gardens it's  supposed to be spectacular and we can't wait to   see it getting around porto is easy and there are  lots of transportation options the metro trains   are easy and utilize a pay-by-zone system and will  get you around town and to and from the airport   there are plenty of buses uber and other ride apps  are available and there is even the historic tram   system that still runs a few lines this is mostly  utilized by tourists there is also a cable car   that will take you up from the river to  the dom louis bridge on the gaia side of   the river i found porto to be a very walkable  city with most sites being within 15 minutes of   the center of town [Music] the crystal gardens is  situated on a bluff that overlooks the duro river   and across the river to the city of gaia not only  is the view breathtaking these gardens are awesome   the crystal palace gardens were designed in the  19th century but the palace itself is long gone   it was demolished in 1951 and replaced with  a dome-shaped arena known as the ufo [Music]   these botanical gardens are known as an  escape to the locals and tourists alike   and you can definitely tell why it is  so peaceful beautiful and tranquil here give yourself several hours  to explore this beautiful park   entrance is free and there are even several  large friendly peacocks that call this place home   the crystal garden is actually a mosaic of  many small gardens connected by pathways   lawns fountains and sculptures and best of all  it's all free to the public there are views from   the edge of the garden looking down on the dorrow  this place is here for the purpose of relaxation   so find yourself a peaceful little  corner and enjoy a few moments of zen after several hours at the park i made  my way over to a great little place   called the base porto the base is a bar  situated in an old olive grove where   you can get a drink and relax on the  grass surrounded by historic buildings   it's hard to imagine a more chilled and relaxing  spot to have a drink and listen to some nice music   i have found myself at the base on quite  a few occasions since i arrived in porto making the effort to explore the  areas away from the city center   you are sure to be rewarded i stumbled across  proverage square and park one day by mistake   and it became one of my favorite areas of porto  provero square is a beautiful local neighborhood   it has features a wonderful park and other  lovely green spaces the neighborhood has   a real bohemian feel it is lined with bars and  restaurants that feature authentic portuguese food   and best of all it's only a 10 minute  walk from the historic city center i stopped at a place called casa guerres which has  been around for decades and has three locations   around porto here i was able to sample some great  portuguese food such as volginos de bacalao steak   prego rolls delicious pork sandwiches and  i also tried a heavenly pancetta which was   cooked to crispy perfection other delightful  foods widely available around porto include the   kachorinos hot dogs and a crazy drowned sandwich  called the franchiseena and whatever you do   don't forget the pastel de nada tarts with a great  espresso style coffee when we first came up here   casa gladis had such a huge line that there  was no way we could just wait to get in so   we ate elsewhere but we came back here  for lunch today and it did not disappoint   before getting to my favorite spot in porto there  are a few other tourist hot spots that i really   need to mention and you should definitely try to  make time to visit located one block up from the   dooro river is another famous historic site the  bulsa palace also known as the stock exchange   was built by the commercial business owners  association back in the mid-1800s no royalty   ever lived here it's called a palace because of  the wonderful way it's decorated the fine works   of art inside and so decorated inside it took 60  years to finish a tour of a former stock exchange   might not sound that exciting but i promise  this historic building is well worth seeing   the interiors are absolutely gorgeous and the  arab room was breathtaking one of the most   impressive things i have seen in porto and the  most beautiful church interior i have ever seen   is at the monument church of saint francis  this cathedral dates back to the 14th century   and while the exterior of the building is  impressive the interior is beyond belief   unfortunately they do not allow photography  inside so you will just have to come and check   out the intricate guilt wood carved altarpiece  for yourself when you come to visit porto   egregia deutsche clerigos or church of the  clergyman is another impressive baroque   structure here in porto the church was completed  in 1750 the impressive 246 foot tall bell tower   with its stairway of 240 steps was completed in  1763. the clericos tower is not only beautiful   if you climb the six floors to the top you are  rewarded with an impressive view of the city   this great bell tower has become a symbol of the  city and while it is a must visit site be sure to   get here early as the stairs and the top of the  tower can get very crowded on my very first day   in porto i was exploring the city and came across  what has turned out to be my very favorite spot   for tudish park this beautiful and relaxing place  is tucked into a narrow canyon only a five minute   walk from the center there are several terraced  levels and great shady spots to relax while i   love the crystal gardens i am so happy to have  discovered brutudish park not only is it closer   to the city center but it is a wonderful place  to take in some great views of the doro river   virtudisch feels like a sanctuary the crystal  palace gardens are spectacular but there are   comparatively so few people in virtudisch that you  can easily find a complete escape and leave all   your worries behind i brought along a picnic today  of some bread wine and chorizo and i can't think   of a better place to enjoy it i am a little sad  though as i will be leaving porto tomorrow off to   another destination porto has been a real delight  and i can't wait to come back here in the future

Channel: Far Away Now

Views: 81,572

Keywords: Porto, Porto Portugal, Porto Guide, Porto Vlog, Porto Food, Porto Wine, Port Wine, Port Wine Porto, Taylor's Port, Portugal, Travel Porto, Travel Prortugal, Holiday Porto, Backpacking Porto, Gaia, Gaia Portugal, porto travel guide, oporto, porto things to do, things to do in porto, porto portugal

Id: UTNbcMrzllQ

Length: 16min 39sec (999 seconds)

Published: Wed May 25 2022