The Most Charming Neighbourhoods in Porto, Portugal

Stay in the heart of Porto, where cobbled streets lined with colourful houses shadow the Douro River. The Ribeira is an old neighbourhood, designated a Unesco World Heritage site for historic architecture like the St Francis Church. Stop for drinks or a pastel de nata (Portuguese egg custard tart) at one of the waterfront restaurants and watch vintage rabelo boats cruise under the giant iron skeleton of Dom Luís I Bridge. When evening falls, the lights of port wine lodges flicker on the opposite bank.

The buzzing centre, Baixa, is home to many key landmarks. Visit the Romanesque Cathedral of Porto, climb 240 steps for sweeping skyline views from the Clérigos Tower and visit the ornate Lello Bookstore, which was a major inspiration for JK Rowling’s Harry Potter universe. In Baixa, trains whistle in and out of the grand São Bento station, decorated with traditional Portuguese azulejo tiles. There’s also a thriving restaurant and bar scene, mostly centred on Avenida dos Aliados.

Head west of the city centre and you’ll find yourself in Miragaia, which was once set outside the Porto city walls. The neighbourhood feels like an extension of the Ribeira with its multicoloured, shuttered houses and narrow streets strung with washing. Miragaia was once the heart of Porto’s Jewish and Armenian communities, built on a Medieval former shipyard. Today, you’ll find lively bars and restaurants complete with shimmering river views, as well as zany street art and the pretty São Pedro church.

While Vila Nova de Gaia isn’t technically in Porto, it sits on the opposite riverbank and offers supreme Ribeira views. Walk across the Dom Luís I Bridge to hop from one port wine lodge to the next for tours and tastings. Moored rabelo boats, once used to transport barrels of wine, bob on the water’s surface while the cable car passes overhead. Vila Nova de Gaia’s steep streets spiral up to the hilltop Serra do Pilar church, which showcases sunset views over Porto.

The art district, Cedofeita, is a trendy hotbed of offbeat stores and street-side cafes within walking distance of Baixa. The main street, Rua Miguel Bombarda, boasts plenty of art galleries where you can browse for pieces, while the Saturday Porto Belo Market is the best place to snap up handcrafted souvenirs. The most notable tourist sites here are the peaceful Crystal Palace Gardens and Porto’s oldest church, São Martinho de Cedofeita.

If you want a break from the tourist crowds, head to Bonfim, which is connected to the riverbank by a funicular. This quiet residential area lies east of the liveliest neighbourhoods in Porto, Ribeira and Baixa, and is home to a mix of elderly residents and students who enjoy cheaper housing. Stay among locals in this slowly gentrifying district, where craft beer pubs and hipster coffee shops are just beginning to pop up.