How To Spend 48 Hours In Porto Portugal

Much light has been shed recently over the second-largest city in Portugal. Charmingly traditional and aesthetically delightful, visitors may find themselves bombarded with the kind of unique opportunities that foster the need for travel. For some, a month may not be enough time to enjoy all Porto has to offer, although 48 hours is plenty to see the main attractions, including the best viewpoints, architecture and cuisine.

Make the most of your Porto experience by joining Culture Trip’s immersive nine-day Northern Portugal adventure, which includes a guided culinary walking tour of Porto.

Day 1

Morning

Begin with a stroll down the most popular destination in Porto: the Ribeira. It’s lined with colourful, mismatched houses on one side and the Douro River on the other.

In Portugal, no morning is complete without a cup of coffee, so stop in a café mid-walk. A typical Portuguese breakfast consists of coffee (with or without milk) and a toast or croissant with butter, cheese, ham, and/or honey and jam. There are many cafés along the river, but walking a block or two into the historical centre will lead to the oldest and more traditional shops in the city. Majestic café, Café do Cais and Piolho Café are a few historical cafés.

Lunch

Dining out is a must in Porto, but take some time for a picnic with a view. Why not buy traditional treats from A Perola do Bolhao, a historic grocery store dating back to 1917, and people-watch in a nearby park?

Afternoon

Walk over to the Avenida dos Aliados for an architectural treat. The banks, hotels and cafés project grandeur that’s quite unique within the city, making Aliados an excellent starting point to begin taking in the local architectural smorgasbord. Start at the northern end of the avenue and experience the 19th century Trindade Church, the granite and marble City Hall, and the nearby bell tower. Continue walking south, occasionally pausing to snap pictures, and in a short time reach São Bento Station. This iconic train station offers a mesmerizing representation of azulejo artwork.

Dinner

Experience traditional Portuguese cuisine for dinner. Finding a restaurant is as easy as closing your eyes and pointing, but following word of mouth from the locals is the best way to choose. Tripas à moda do Porto is the local dish – one that pairs well with a glass of local wine, Vinho Verde.

Day 2

Morning

After breakfast, switch up classical architecture with contemporary art and head to the Serralves Museum. It’s the most important institution for contemporary art in Portugal, showcasing national exhibits in addition to work from international artists. The Serralves estate, where the museum is located, is a wondrous landmark with extensive gardens.

Lunch

24 hours is more than enough time to go without biting into a francesinha, so make that the focus of your next stop. Many restaurants claim to house the best francesinhas in Porto, and Capa Negra is one of them.

Afternoon

Continue a tour of contemporary Porto art by popping in and out of the many galleries. Wrap up the two-day experience with a stop at the Crystal Palace, where the gardens and interior museums together display a blend of modern and antique scenes. End the entire trip with a glass of wine and reflect on the memories made.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.