3 days ago
How to spend the weekend in Portugal's wine-loving second city
Portugal 's second city needs no introduction. Famous primarily for giving port, or 'divine nectar of the Gods', to the world – tastings of which are highly recommended in any of the port lodges that flank the River Douro – it also gave the country its name, in Roman times when Portus and Cale straddled the magnificent River Douro.
Today, it is a city which draws millions of visitors to its granite streets, its glossy blue and white tiled facades, soaring church towers, design-savvy hotels and acclaimed restaurants.
Porto residents also know how to have a good time, especially in June for the feast day of St John the Baptist, the city's patron saint. Celebrations last all night under a sky illuminated by fireworks, followed the next day by a regatta, when wooden rabelos race down the Douro River. Year-round, this same sense of rich tradition and heritage are woven through daily life in Porto – here's how to spend a weekend in this vibrant city.
For more Porto inspiration, see our guides to the region's best hotels, restaurants, bars and things to do.
In this guide:
How to spend the perfect weekend in Porto
When to go
Where to stay
How to get there and how to get around
Know before you go
How to spend your weekend
Day one: morning
'In Braga they pray, in Coimbra they study, in Porto they work and in Lisbon they play' goes the old Portuguese saying. But first coffee. Locals normally start the day with a bica (espresso) and a pastel de nata (custard tart), and there are still several cafés in town which date back to the beginning of the 1900s when coffee, sourced via Brazil, was introduced here. Café Majestic is one, long considered a venue for writers and intellectuals with lovely art nouveau interiors. Or visit Café A Braziliera, the first place to serve coffee to drink on the premises, still with an old sign reading 'please don't spit on the floor' – an indication of its initial reception. Also worth a mention is Café Guarany, once frequented by musicians. It sits on beautiful Aliados Avenue, the perfect place to start the day.
