this endearing city was honestly everything i hoped it would be and more. it truly charms you by combining the best of old and new – jaw dropping 18th & 19th century buildings, cobble stoned streets, cable cars and pastel colored homes, tiled walls, new indie bars and restaurants, old OG bars and restaurants run by families, boutique hotels, extremely nice people and overall a very laid back vibe – it's safe to say i could happily live in this town. we had 4 days here to explore, and while it technically felt like "enough" i was also very sad to leave this cozy place.
for more info, see our full porto travel guide
- wander the streets [any streets, really] and stop in random bars/restaurants/shop – they're honestly all good
- pop into mercearia flores for a canned fish or pastry
- explore baixa, porto's downtown district
- admire the beautiful product packaging at a vida portuguesa | a very cool shop that sells all local portuguese goods
- hike up to the mosteiro da serra de pilar: this offers ridiculous views and gets you in the neighborhood of port tasting
- from here, watch a sunset from the dom luis bridge
- walk down rua dos caldeireios, and stick your head into miss'opo [a boutique hotel/restaurant] if they're open. grab a bottle of wine from the shop across from alley
- drink said bottle of wine in the jardim municipal do horto das virtudes with the locals
see my previous post on porto for some of our favorite spots to eat & drink!