First Time in Porto: Everything You Need to Know

First time in Porto? You’re going to love it. Porto is one of my favorite cities in Portugal and one I’ve visited several times already. It’s beautiful, easy to explore, full of amazing food, and one of those places I always end up wanting to stay longer.

In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know before your first time in Porto, from where to stay and how many days you need, to getting around the city, what to expect, and a few practical tips that will make planning your trip much easier.

Planning a trip to Porto? Start Here

🏨 Where to stay in Porto (Quick Picks)

• Budget: Urban Garden Porto Central Hostel

• Mid-range: The Log Porto Hotel by Piemonte Hotels

• Luxury: Timbre Virtudes

🪂 Best Tours & Experiences in Porto

Complete Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch, Wine Tastings and River Cruise

Authentic Food & wine tour in Porto

Douro River Boat Cruise with Port wine and Snacks

Port and Douro Wine Walking Tour With 9 Wine Tastings

🚕 Book your Porto airport transfer
🚎 Book your Lisbon-Porto bus here
🛜 Get an eSIM for Portugal before arriving
🛡️ Get Travel Insurance for Portugal (SafetyWing)

Is Porto worth visiting?

For me, yes. Porto is one of my favorite cities in Portugal and one I’ve been back to several times already. It has enough things to do to keep you busy for a few days, but it’s also the kind of city where you don’t feel like you have to rush around trying to tick off attractions all day.

What I like most about Porto is that it feels much more relaxed than Lisbon. You can spend hours just wandering around, stopping for coffee, eating way too many pastéis de nata, sitting by the river, and somehow the day disappears. If you’re visiting Portugal for the first time, I honestly think Porto deserves to be on your itinerary.

How Many Days in Porto do you Need?

This really depends on the type of traveler you are and also how much time you can actually give to Porto.

Visiting Porto for just one day means you’ll get to explore part of the city center and cover maybe the main attractions. Two days in Porto is the minimum I’d recommend. And the sweet spot would be giving Porto three to four days so that you could include and amazing day trip to the Douro Valley, and some activities like going on a Portuguese food tour or even joining a cool Pastel de Nata cooking class.

You can read my full guide on How Many Days in Porto you need where I break down what you can do day by day and my honest recommendation as a Portuguese.

Where to stay in Porto

If this is your first time in Porto I’d definitely recommend staying in the city center to be closer to the main attractions and where the city is more alive. This will make your days of exploring easier as you can walk to most places and don’t have to spend too much time figuring out the city’s transportation system or depend on Uber and Bolt that can quickly empty your wallet.

For first time visitors in Porto I’d recommend staying in:

Ribeira
Baixa
Cedofeita

Here are 3 good hotel recommendations in the city center of Porto for you to check:

Best Time to visit Porto

The best time to visit Porto depends on what kind of weather you enjoy for your travels. I personally love warm, sunny weather so I prefer summer season, but that is also the time when Porto gets more crowded and accommodation prices get more expensive.

If you want good weather, less crowds and moderate prices I’d say the best time to visit Porto is May-June, right before peak summer, or September-October right before cold and rain arrive.

How to get around Porto

If you are staying in the city center you can walk to many of the main attractions, even thought the city is very hilly so you should be prepared for that.

A good budget option for transportation for longer distances is taking the metro in Porto. The metro system works pretty well and it connects you to the main places that might be a bit too far for a walk.

You can also download the Uber and Bolt apps so you can order car rides at fixed prices.

Things you should know before visiting Porto

Before visiting Porto for the first time, there are a few things that are good to know. The city is easy to explore, but it also has its own personality, and knowing what to expect will make your trip much smoother.

Porto is small and walkable

One of the best things about Porto is that you don’t need to spend your whole trip on public transport. Most of the main attractions are close together, especially around the historic centre, Ribeira, and the areas near the Douro River.

You can spend hours just walking around, finding viewpoints, stopping at cafés, and exploring the old streets without having a strict plan.

Porto is VERY hilly

Porto’s hills are one of the first things many visitors notice. The city has steep streets, stairs, and plenty of cobblestones.

A day of exploring Porto can involve a lot more walking than you expect, so comfortable shoes are a must.

The views are worth the climbs, but be prepared for some uphill walks.

Porto feels very different than Lisbon

Many people visit Porto after Lisbon, or compare the two cities when planning a Portugal trip. While both are beautiful, they have a very different vibes.

Compared to Lisbon, Porto feels smaller, slower, and more local.

If you enjoy wandering without rushing, sitting in cafés, trying local food, and exploring historic streets, Porto is a great fit.

Porto’s weather is not 300 days of sunshine

Portugal is often imagined as a country with endless sunshine, but Porto is in the north and has a different climate.

The city can be cooler and wetter than places like Lisbon or the Algarve, especially outside the summer months. Even during warmer months, evenings near the river can feel chilly.

Vila Nova de Gaia is in the other side of the river

One thing that surprises many first-time visitors is that the famous port wine cellars are not actually in Porto.

They are located in Vila Nova de Gaia, the city on the other side of the Douro River.

Gaia is absolutely worth visiting. It has some of the best views of Porto and the famous wine cellars.

You don’t need a car in Porto

If you are only visiting Porto, you probably don’t need to rent a car.

The historic centre is best explored on foot, and public transport is useful for places like the airport and some areas outside the centre.

A car can actually be more of a hassle because of narrow streets, hills, and limited parking.

Porto is a great base for day trips

Although Porto itself deserves several days, it is also a great base for exploring northern Portugal.

Popular day trips include the Douro Valley, Braga, Guimarães, and coastal towns nearby.

If you have extra time, Porto can easily become more than just a short city break.

Portuguese Food you should try

I might be biased here but as a Portuguese I absolutely LOVE our food. I think because it looks so simple that many people underestimate it, but trust me the magic is in its simplicity because the flavors are all there.

If you are planning a trip to Porto here are foods you can’t leave without trying:

Francesinha
Bifana
Caldo Verde
Piri-Piri chicken
Bacalhau (codfish)
Arroz de Marisco
Pastel de Nata

Is Porto Safe?

After visiting Porto several times, I believe Porto is a really safe city to visit. I always felt safe walking around on my own during the day, exploring every city corner by foot or taking the public transport.

I suggest reading my full guide Is Porto safe for solo female travelers where I tell you everything about safety while in Porto.

FAQs

Is Porto good for first-time visitors?

Whether it’s your first time in Porto or you are returning to explore more, Porto is a great destination for all kinds of travelers and a city I highly recommend to everyone.

Do people speak English in Porto?

Yes! This is another great thing about Portugal and why it’s such a great travel destination. In Portugal most people speak English, which removes language barriers and makes everything so much easier.

Is Porto cheap or expensive?

Compared to other Western European cities Porto is a very affordable destination. Obviously as a Portuguese I can’t say it’s super cheap, but it’s definitely cheaper if you compare it to cities from France, Spain or Italy.

Can you pay by card in Porto?

Yes, most places in Porto accept card payments, but having cash with you is always a good idea as sometimes smaller shops or street food only take cash or have a minimum amount of 5-10€ to be able to pay with card.

Final thoughts

If you’re visiting Porto for the first time, I honestly think you’re going to have an amazing time. It’s a city that has the perfect balance between having enough things to see and do, while still feeling relaxed and easy to enjoy without rushing from one attraction to another.

I hope this guide helped you plan your first trip to Porto, and I hope you love this beautiful Portuguese city as much as I do.