Bagintravel
Download
Porto

Portugal travel guide

What to see in Porto

The Ribeira, the bridges over the Douro and the port wine cellars across the river in Gaia.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 7 must-see places
  • Stay in Ribeira
  • Typical food: Francesinha
Photo: Rititaneves · CC BY-SA 3.0

Porto highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Ribeira

    The UNESCO riverfront facing the cellars of Gaia.

  2. Livraria Lello

    A neo-Gothic bookshop; buy your ticket in advance.

  3. Gaia wine cellars

    Port wine tasting in the historic caves.

  4. São Bento Station

    An entrance hall with 20,000 azulejos of Portuguese history.

  5. Clérigos

    A Baroque tower with views over the city.

  6. Dom Luís I Bridge

    The iron bridge by the Eiffel school between Porto and Gaia.

  7. Bolhão Market

    A renovated fresh-produce market with azulejos.

Where to stay in Porto

The handiest areas for getting around and going out.

  • Recommended areas

    Ribeira · Cedofeita · Vila Nova de Gaia

Day trips from Porto

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Porto

Any time of year is good to travel to Porto: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

Typical food of Porto

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Porto from your kitchen).

Francesinha
Photo: jfcfar from Aveiro, Portugal · CC BY 2.0

Francesinha

Porto’s hefty sandwich: thick sliced bread with meats and sausages, covered in melted cheese and drenched in a spicy tomato and beer sauce. It’s served with chips.

  • Serves 2
  • 45 min

Ingredients

  • 4 slices of thick sliced bread
  • 2 thin beef steaks
  • 2 fresh sausages and 2 slices of linguiça or chorizo
  • 2 slices of cooked ham
  • 8 slices of melting cheese
  • 2 eggs (optional)
  • For the sauce: 330 ml beer, 200 ml beef stock, 2 tablespoons tomato purée, 1 splash of port, 1 chilli, 1 tablespoon cornflour

How to make it at home

  1. Make the sauce: boil the beer with the stock, tomato, port and chilli for 10 minutes and thicken with the cornflour dissolved in cold water.
  2. Griddle the steak and the sausages (split in half).
  3. Build the sandwich: bread, ham, sausages, linguiça, steak and bread.
  4. Cover it with the cheese and grill it in the oven until it melts down the sides.
  5. Top with a fried egg if you like, pour over the hot sauce and serve with chips.

The trick: Every place has its own sauce: the port and the chilli are the key.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a tasca. The dishes you can’t miss are in the Portugal guide.

  • Cantinho do Avillez

    Baixa

    Contemporary Portuguese.

  • Café Santiago

    Baixa

    Classic francesinha.

Frequently asked questions about Porto

What to see in Porto?

Ribeira, Livraria Lello, Gaia wine cellars, São Bento Station, Clérigos and Dom Luís I Bridge.

What to see in Porto in one day?

Don’t miss Ribeira, Livraria Lello, Gaia wine cellars, São Bento Station, Clérigos and Dom Luís I Bridge. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

Where to stay in Porto?

The handiest areas to stay are Ribeira, Cedofeita and Vila Nova de Gaia.

What’s the best time to travel to Porto?

Any time of year is good to travel to Porto: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

What day trips can you take from Porto?

Six bridges cruise, Douro Valley and Port wine cellars.

What is the typical food of Porto?

Francesinha. Porto’s hefty sandwich: thick sliced bread with meats and sausages, covered in melted cheese and drenched in a spicy tomato and beer sauce. It’s served with chips.

Bagintravel · We travel together

Shall we plan your trip to Porto?

Tell us where and in under a minute you’ll have your day-by-day route, with places to stay, transport, expenses and tips. And we go with you in your pocket, offline too.

The app is currently available in Spanish.

More in Portugal

Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.