A weekend in Porto: a 2-day itinerary with port, pastéis and the river

Planning a weekend in Porto? It’s a short flight from the UK and one of the easiest city breaks to fit into two days, with a colourful riverside old town, port cellars across the water and plenty of custard tarts. Here’s how I spent my weekend in Porto, from grazing round the market to a boat tour under the bridges, plus where we stayed, a few things I learned along the way and the tips I’d pass on.

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Where to stay in Porto: House of Sandeman Hostel

We stayed at House of Sandeman Hostel in Vila Nova de Gaia, which opened in 2018 on the opposite bank of the River Douro from Porto’s old town, right by the port lodges. It’s a great base for a weekend: the Gaia waterfront is on your doorstep and you can walk across the Dom Luís I bridge to reach Porto itself.

One perk worth knowing about: hostel guests get 10% off Sandeman tours and tastings, which we made the most of on Sunday (more on that below). Prices are worth comparing on Hostelworld if you’re tempted. I’m a big fan of hostels for city breaks, as you’ll see in my budget weekend in York.

Day one in Porto

Morning: Dom Luís I bridge and pastel de nata

We started early by walking across the top deck of the Dom Luís I bridge, the iron double-decker bridge linking Gaia and Porto. The morning light on the hillside houses was gorgeous, and the views over the Douro are some of the best in the city.

Fun fact: the upper deck opened in 1886 and was designed by Théophile Seyrig, a former business partner of Gustave Eiffel. It now carries the metro as well as pedestrians, so keep an eye out for trains rolling past.

Once across, we headed uphill to Sabores da Invicta for a pastel de nata. The recipe is said to have been created by monks at Lisbon’s Jerónimos Monastery, and no trip to Portugal is complete without trying one. Pairing Porto with Lisbon? Here’s my plan for two days in Lisbon, including the famous custard tarts at Belém.

Late morning: Mercado do Bolhão

Next up was Mercado do Bolhão, often described as Porto’s most storied market. The building opened in 1914 and was designed by José Marques da Silva, the architect behind São Bento railway station. It closed in 2018 for a major restoration and reopened in 2022.

We went hungry and grazed our way round, trying oysters, cheese and other local produce, with a glass of wine to go with it. It’s a lovely way to have lunch in Porto, because you can pick and choose rather than commit to one sit-down meal. Good to know: it’s free to enter, but it’s closed on Sundays, so plan your visit for a Saturday like we did.

Afternoon: Ribeira and a port cellar in Gaia

In the afternoon we wandered down to the Ribeira waterfront. Look across the river and you’ll see Gaia’s port lodges lined up on the opposite bank, with the huge Sandeman sign above the rabelo boats, the traditional wooden boats that once carried barrels of port down from the Douro Valley.

Then it was back over the river for a tasting at the Quevedo port cellar, which turned out to be a real highlight. As well as the classics, it gave us some more unusual options to try, including a 10 year old white port and a rosé port. There’s a reason all those lodges are in Gaia: for centuries, port had to be aged and shipped from here, and the Douro is one of the world’s oldest demarcated wine regions, established in 1756. A tasting is the best way to understand the difference between styles like ruby, tawny and white port.

Evening: Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau

Our evening stop was Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau. It’s very touristy and the codfish cakes are overpriced, so I wouldn’t come for the food. It is worth popping in to see the building, though, which is quite the spectacle.

Day two in Porto

Morning: Ribeira and a 7 bridges boat tour

On Sunday we headed back to Ribeira, Porto’s riverside district of tiled townhouses and narrow lanes, and took a 7 bridges boat tour along the Douro. We booked ours through Booking.com. It’s a relaxing way to see the city from the water, and you get a completely different view of the Dom Luís I bridge from the river.

Midday: World of Wine and the Pink Palace

Back in Gaia, we spent a few hours at World of Wine, better known as WoW. This cultural district opened in 2020 across 55,000 square metres of regenerated port lodges. It was led by the Fladgate Partnership, the group behind Taylor’s, Fonseca and Croft, and cost well over €100 million to create. Inside you’ll find museums, restaurants, cafes and wine bars, so it’s easy to spend half a day here. These are the main museums:

• The Wine Experience: an interactive exhibition on how wine is made, with tastings.
• The Bridge Collection: a private collection of more than 2,000 drinking vessels spanning over 9,000 years.
• Planet Cork: all about cork, with Portugal being the world’s largest producer.
• The Chocolate Story: the history of chocolate, with a working chocolate factory and samples.
• Porto Region Across the Ages: the story of the Porto region from Roman times to the present.
• The Pink Palace: a playful museum dedicated to rosé wine.

We visited the Pink Palace, which is exactly as pink as it sounds. Across 11 rooms you’ll find oversized pink balls, murals, a vintage pink Cadillac and a ball pit. At the time of writing, your ticket includes a tasting of five rosés from Portugal and France, including Mateus Rosé and a pink port, with a non-alcoholic option too. It’s also home to the upside-down room, which makes a brilliant photo.

The Pink Palace is semi-guided and takes around 90 minutes, and if you’re visiting several museums, a multi-museum ticket works out cheaper than buying each one separately. If you like to book ahead, GetYourGuide is worth a look, and readers can get 5% off in the app with the code WEEKENDSANDAWAY5.

Afternoon: aged tawny port tasting at Sandeman

For our last big stop we did an aged tawny port tasting at the Sandeman cellars. Sandeman was founded in 1790 by George Sandeman, who was just 25 when he borrowed £300 from his father to set up as a wine merchant in London. He bought lodges in Gaia in 1811, and today the cellars hold more than 2,000 ageing casks.

You’ll also meet the caped figure known as the Don, who was created in 1928 from a poster painted by George Massiot-Brown. Tawny ports are aged in wooden casks, which gives them their nutty, caramel character, and the older bottlings are well worth trying. As House of Sandeman Hostel guests we got 10% off the tour and tasting, so do mention it when you book.

Evening: the Gaia waterfront at dusk

Finish your weekend with a stroll along the Gaia riverfront as the lights come on. Looking back across the Douro, Ribeira’s houses climbing the hillside make a lovely last view of Porto.

Where to eat and drink in Porto

Here’s a quick recap of where we ate and drank over the weekend:

• Sabores da Invicta: a pastel de nata stop on the way to the market.
• Mercado do Bolhão: oysters, cheese, local produce and wine, all in one place.
• Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau: touristy and pricey, but worth a look for the building.

For more city food guides, see my tips on where to eat and drink in York.

Tips for a weekend in Porto

• Wear comfortable shoes. Porto and Gaia are hilly, and the old town is full of cobbles.
• Walk across the Dom Luís I bridge at least once, ideally early in the morning.
• Visit Mercado do Bolhão on a Saturday, as it’s closed on Sundays, and go hungry.
• Allow at least 90 minutes for the Pink Palace, and more if you’re visiting other WoW museums.
• Try the less common styles at a port tasting. At Quevedo we tasted a 10 year old white port and a rosé port, which you won’t find on every shelf.
• Ask about discounts. As hostel guests we got 10% off Sandeman tours and tastings.
• Compare flights on Skyscanner before you book, and see my hand luggage only packing tips if you’re travelling light.

You’ll find the travel companies I recommend on my resources page.

Weekend in Porto FAQs

Is a weekend long enough in Porto?

Yes. Two days is enough to see the old town, visit a market, take a boat tour and do a port tasting in Gaia, as in the itinerary above. A third day would give you time for a day trip or to slow the pace.

Where should I stay for a weekend in Porto?

I stayed in Gaia at House of Sandeman Hostel, which is close to the port lodges and a short walk over the Dom Luís I bridge to Porto’s old town. Staying in Ribeira or the city centre would put you closer to the market and restaurants.

What is World of Wine in Porto?

World of Wine, or WoW, is a cultural district in Vila Nova de Gaia that opened in 2020. It brings together museums, restaurants and wine bars in regenerated port lodges, including the rosé-themed Pink Palace.

Is Mercado do Bolhão open on Sundays?

No, it’s closed on Sundays. It’s open Monday to Saturday, so a Saturday visit works well for a weekend in Porto.

Is Porto walkable?

Mostly, yes. Most of the sights are close together, but be prepared for steep hills and cobbled streets.

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