Raise a toast to Porto

Start at

Get your bearings at Torre dos Clérigos, the tallest campanile in Portugal that has towered 76m above Porto for nearly 300 years. You’ll puff your way up 225 steps to the top, but the views are well worth it. Afterwards, wander downhill through Porto’s ancient, cobbled streets to the riverside Ribeira Square. Set in the city’s old district — a Unesco World Heritage Site — it’s a fine place to sip a glass of port and soak up the scenery.   

Don’t miss

Estação de São Bento puts just about all other railway stations to shame. More than a means to a new destination, the Belle Époque facade combines with remarkable interior walls decorated with 20,000 painted tiles from artist Jorge Colaço that trace Portugal’s colourful history. In the heart of the city, Livraria Lello is a tourist magnet with good reason. Come early to avoid the crowds and admire this atmospheric bookshop dating back to 1906.

Stay at

The Largo is the hotel everyone is talking about in Porto right now. Set in the sun-splashed square of Largo de São Domingos, The Largo finds a home in a warren of buildings dating back to the 15th century, stripped back, restored and reimagined to create one of the city’s finest boutique hotels. With just 18 rooms it’s a thoroughly bespoke experience, with striking design by architect Frederico Valsassina and muted interiors by Space Copenhagen that celebrate the city’s heritage while infusing a contemporary aesthetic. Be sure to leave time for a spell in the tub: en-suite bathrooms centre on lavish tubs carved from a single block of local marble.

Sip at

The famous cellars across the river from Porto — in Vila Nova de Gaia — offer the best introduction to the world of port, the region’s famous fortified wine. There’s a range of cellars, all offering tours and tastings, but the big names of Sandeman, Taylor’s and Cockburn’s are reliably good.

Shop at

Don’t leave town without a few (carefully wrapped) ceramics from Costa Nova. This locally grown brand is fêted worldwide for its remarkable stoneware and tableware made just outside Porto. Also make time to stop at Portugal’s iconic cosmetics brand, Benamôr, which brings a modern take on an apothecary aesthetic to its first Porto store. And you’ll certainly want to pack a few Claus soaps in your bag as souvenirs and gifts. This century-old brand is as famous for the quality of their cosmetics as for its striking branding. Browse the entire collection at their flagship store on Rua das Flores, a three-story 19th-century Porto town house that includes a museum showcasing the history of the brand.

Eat at

Since 2016 chef Vasco Coelho Santos has wowed local and international visitors with his signature contemporary kitchen, Euskalduna Studio. With seating at the counter and just a handful of tables, expect a barrier-breaking culinary adventure that transforms “the concept of haute cuisine into a fun experience that appeals to the five senses”. Or head to the mouth of the Douro River, where in the district of Foz Pedro Lemos serves up a season-driven menu of inspired fine dining. Little wonder it was the first restaurant in Porto to bag a Michelin star.

Or hit the market

If fine dining’s not your jam, and you’ve eaten your body weight in pasteis de nata (Porto’s best are from Confeitaria do Bolhão, established in 1896), head for the Time Out Market Porto. It’s one of eight Time Out Markets worldwide — including one in Cape Town — and offers a snapshot of the city’s culinary zeitgeist across 12 kitchens and two bars.

Located in the southern wing of the gorgeous São Bento Station — stop to admire the tiles — you’ll find a cross-section of the city’s best bites, including a pocket-friendly introduction to the food of Euskalduna Studio’s chef Vasco Coelho Santos and the city’s famous octopus fillets with rice from Casa Inês.

But also

Don’t leave town without loosening your belt for one of Porto’s iconic francesinha sandwiches. It’s a Portuguese take on the croque-monsieur, only, bigger. Think thick slices of white bread with layers of ham or Portuguese sausage, served with a fried egg and drenched in a heart-stopping beer and cheese sauce. It’s a must-try in Porto: Anthony Bourdain loved the workaday vibe of O Afonso, but Brasão Cervejaria is a more upmarket bet.

Get out of town

As much as Porto will tempt you to stay, it’s worth allowing a few days to head inland and discover the Douro Valley. While Porto may lend its name to the region’s famous fortified wine, and tastings are enjoyed on the city’s riverbanks, it is in the steep, terraced vineyards that the wine is made. You can explore the region on a guided tour, take the daily boat trips upstream for the day or overnight, or take the scenic train to the Pinhão station upriver.