What to see in the port in one day? The best sights of Porto with photos and descriptions Visit the "Harry Potter Library" Livraria Lello.
And one more thing, when buying a ticket, tell me what you need to get to San Bento Station ( São Bento ) to get directly to the old part of the city, the historical center of Porto, recognized
UNESCO world heritage and under its protection.
So, we bought a ticket to San Bento, got on the train and drove off. For 3 hours you don’t have to think about anything, just look-look-look out the window. When you arrived in Porto - this is the final station, get off and change to another train to Sao Bento: look at the signs. There is no need to buy a ticket, you have already bought it in Lisbon.
When you exit Sao Bento Station, turn right, go up to the church on the corner on the left and walk along Santa Catarina Street ( Santa Catarina ). This is a street where commercial centers, cafes, restaurants and markets are located.
Pay attention to the cafe "Majestic" ( Majestic ). It is said that the author of Harry Potter sat in this cafe for hours, working on a book.
Mario Suares and Georges Sampaio have also been here. Here, together with the consul of Macau, a farewell dinner was arranged when Macau gained independence.
Take a look at the Bulyau market ( Bo lha o ), built in 1839 and intended for the sale of fresh products.
It is worth walking along the Military Square ( Praç a da Batalha ) and Naberezhnaya Square ( Praç a da Ribeira),
go to St. Francis Church Igreja de Sao Francisco - Playing da Sau Francisco.
If you turn left from the station, you will reach the mouth of the Douro River, cross the Don Luis Bridge and enter the village of Vila Nova de Gaia ( Vila Nova de Gaia ) - this is the center of winemaking.
The place where they are concentrated All cellars with
world reserves of Portuguese port wine - Porto. Each cellar has its own coat of arms and flag.
On the way back from Vila Nova da Gaia to the historic center of Porto, you can use the funicular to go up to the bridge (save some time and effort). The funicular is next to the bridge.
You can also get to Porto by the Rede Expressos bus from the Sete Rios bus station, st. metro Gardim Zoologico. Buses leave every hour, starting at 6 am, on the way 3.5 hours. The last bus from Porto is at 21:30. The fare is 19 euros one way. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online.
I will answer questions in the comments.
Thank you for visiting.
Be healthy and happy you and your loved ones.
Light, warmth and sun to your hearts, homes and souls.
Lyudmila Medvedeva was with you.
Perhaps the first thing to see in Porto is the famous Eiffel Bridge. In fact, it was not built by Eiffel himself, but by his student, and named after King Luis I. Don Luis Bridge or Dom Luis was built in 1886 by Theophil Seyrig and is still simultaneously a railway, road and pedestrian bridge across Douro River, which connects the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.
Unlike Lisbon, the houses in Porto look poorer. I can’t say that it is very annoying, but still it is felt that the city does not have enough funds for improvement.
The top level of the Eiffel Bridge offers great views of the city.
Sometimes it seems that in 10-20 years Porto will be completely overgrown with greenery. Alas, some of the buildings are completely unfinished. And in the heart of the city…
Be sure to take a walk to the other side of the Douro River. Previously, Vila Nova de Gaia was a separate city, but now it is just a district of Porto. From here, again, gorgeous views of the city and the Eiffel Bridge open.
And also to the central part of the city of Porto.
Walking along the Eiffel Bridge is a must in the program of every tourist visiting the city of Porto!
Clerigos Tower
In Porto, the best place to live is in the Ribeira area, the oldest in the city. Highly recommend, value for money is beyond praise!
Clerigos Tower is located in the heart of the area and if you love viewing platforms, then this is the place for you! The bell tower of Torre dos Clerigos is visible from almost everywhere. Here, for example, is a classic view of the Ribeira region and the Clerigos tower.
The tower itself is located somewhat behind the Clerigos church. The ascent to the bell tower is paid, but it is quite inexpensive, only 3 euros. At the top, there are gorgeous views of the city, and even in cloudy weather, the city looks great from a bird's eye view!
View of Porto from the Clerigos Tower
The observation deck goes in a circle, i.e. the view is 360 degrees. There is a similar observation deck on, here the truth is probably still more picturesque!
You can see the Se Cathedral very well. By the way, there are also quite nice views of the city near it!
On the opposite bank you can see the famous wineries of Porto, where, if you wish, you can taste the local port wine.
By the way, I forgot to mention, climbing the Clerigos tower on foot, not by elevator. For some, this may be a problem, after all, the height of the tower is slightly less than 80 meters! If this does not bother you, then I definitely recommend going up! The views of Porto will not disappoint you!
Ribeira area
Be sure to take a stroll through the streets of the old town. The most central square of Porto is the Liberty Square Praça da Liberdade. In the center of the square stands a monument to King Pedro IV, and opposite it you can see the building of the City Hall of Porto.
Freedom Square is perhaps the most well-groomed place in Porto. Being on it, you can even think for a moment that you are not in Porto, but in Lisbon. There are much more such areas, but I have already spoken about this. Porto is just a port town, but at the same time with its own charisma 😉 Be sure to take a walk along Avenida dos Aliados boulevard, a very pleasant place.
In Portugal, things are also dried right on the street. Moreover, there are a lot of such houses and streets in Porto.
Walking through the old city of Porto to the Eiffel Bridge can take 2 to 3 hours, depending on your desire to photograph everything around.
Se Cathedral
Separately, I note the central cathedral of Porto. Se do Porto was built in the XII century and then it was also a fortress. The stern and somewhat brutal appearance of the cathedral has been preserved to this day.
I repeat that next to the cathedral there is also an observation deck, from which, however, some neglect of the city of Porto is even more clearly visible.
Se Cathedral is located between Liberty Square and the Eiffel Bridge, so it can be easily visited by walking along the old streets of the city.
Porto Sao Bento Railway Station
In Europe, very often railway stations, in addition to their main duty, are also the sights of the city. I already wrote about one such railway station when we drove from Amsterdam to Bruges and stopped by to inspect on the way. Sao Bento Railway Station, which by the way turns 100 this year, is also very beautiful!
Inside the station, the walls are very picturesquely painted with azulejo tiles.
It is very convenient to visit the station upon arrival or departure from the city. For example, we did this when we arrived by train from Lisbon. Although the station itself is located just a 5-minute walk from Freedom Square, and I think it is possible to plan a visit to it purposefully.
Inspection of the station will take no more than 30 minutes. So, do not spend a lot of time, but you will get 100% pleasure!
Teleferico de Gaia cable car on the Duro River
In fact, this is not quite an attraction, but it is quite possible to ride! Especially on a rainy day. The cabanas depart from the Cais de Gaia station on the banks of Vila Nova de Gaia.
The final stop is not far from the Eiffel bridge. Walking along the road will take about 5 minutes.
The cost of a one-way ticket is 5 euros, and a round-trip ticket will cost 8 euros.
Port wine tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia
Be sure to walk through the boutiques, and if you wish, visit some winery in Vila Nova de Gaia. Port wine is sold right on the waterfront. Just be careful with tasting, still 20 degrees is not a joke.
Our favorite was Graham's Port. By the way, in the picture above you can see the winery of this port. We were not there, but I think it’s quite possible to visit, especially if you like this drink.
Or you can just buy a small bottle and just relax in your hotel room after walking around the city and visiting the sights of Porto.
Porto attractions on the map
By tradition, for convenience, I add a map with attractions.
All great parties and vivid impressions of the city of Porto.
The church was built over 18 years - from 1732 to 1750.
The baroque church was built for the Brotherhood of Clerics by the Italian architect and artist Nicola Nasoni. Subsequently, Nikola Nasoni joined the Brotherhood of Clerics. And after his death, according to his last will, he was buried in the church crypt.
What about going up? In Porto, I personally liked the views from natural sites more. But if you really want to, then you can :), especially not very difficult (225 steps).
We visit the church and move down.
2. We go down to the central square Save Freedom (Praça da Liberdade), where you can see the city hall (in the center in the background), a monument to King Peter IV, who granted the constitution to Portugal (1866).
3. Walking a little forward and turning left - we see the main station of Porto Sao Bento. It's worth visiting even if you don't have to go anywhere.
The walls of the main hall are decorated with blue-and-white mosaic paintings depicting scenes from the life of the brilliant monarch João I, under whose reign Portugal flourished.
4. We move on, first down and then up Avenida Dom Afonso Henriques.
We see a pointer to the Xie Cathedral, but for now we pass by and move on.
Admiring how the abandoned houses are originally hidden
And after a few meters...
Yes, we are on the upper tier of the most beautiful bridge in Porto - the Luis I Bridge.and the weather got a bit worse.
The bridge has a length of 385.25 m and weighs 3045 tons, the length of the arch span is 172 m, and its height is 44.6 m.
In general, the bridge is multifunctional, it is both railway and automobile, and even pedestrian. It was built in 1886 according to the project of the student and companion of Gustave Eiffel Theophile Seyrig and named after King Luis I.
On it you can go to the satellite town of Vila Nova de Gaia. On one side of the Porto bridge - on the other, Vila Nova de Gaia.
5) When the bridge and the city are explored from above, you can go back and see the Se Cathedral.
For those who liked the mosaic of the railway station, you can visit the Se patio, also tiled - or in the correct "azulejo".
In general, many houses in Porto are decorated with the help of azulejos. By the way, the word itself came from the Arabs - it was they who brought tiles from the East to Spain and Portugal, and the oldest azulejos were brought to Portugal from Seville.
6) Now we go down (first along the stairs, in the previous photo) to the embankment. Any street leading down, you can go through the museum on Largo do Colégio.
And here we are at Praça Ribeira. Yellow, red, green azulejos and overcast sky are nothing for us :)
7. After walking along the promenade, we continue along Rua Reboleira and exit at Rua Infante Dom Henrique.
And in front of you will probably be the most beautiful church in Porto - Sao Francisco (circa 1400), the interior of which is richly decorated with gilded wooden carvings. (I didn't manage to take a picture :()
8. We leave the church and take tram number 1 (you can buy a ticket from the driver) and go to the ocean. The old trams themselves are one of the main attractions of Porto.
If there is little time at all, then we skip 9.
9 Hello, ocean!
10. Now go back 1 to stopMuseo do carro Electricoand change to tram 18, which will bring us to the Church of Do Carmo.
On the side wall, scenes of the founding of the Carmelite Order on the sacred Israeli Mount Carmel (azulejo) are depicted.
11 We pass the square DOS Leões and on Rua das Carmelitas we visit one of the most beautiful bookstores, where, unfortunately, photography is not allowed.
Although there are those who can :) you can see here http://zyalt.livejournal.com/376565.html, though of course it's better live.
12. Now we cross the shopping center and we are again in front of the Clerigos Tower.
I tried to describe one of the ways to see the main sights of the city in a day. There are, of course, others, for example, to ride a tourist bus.
Now, as for the tasting of port wine - you need to do this in Vila Nova de Gaia
By the way, port wine is a fortified wine produced in the north-east of Portugal in the Douro River Valley. According to international marketing law, only drinks produced in the designated region of the Douro Valley according to the established technology are entitled to bear the name "port wine". And they produce it inVila Nova de Gaia, andYou can get there in 2 ways:
1) Near Clerigos - at the end of tram 22, take the funicular (rarely goes, because it waits for the trailer to pick up), you can go down the stairs - go down to the embankment, (well, or just go down to the embankment from anywhere)
Walk along the lower tier of the bridge and you are already on the promenade of Vila Nova de Gaia. - a great end to the day I think :)
2) Cross the upper level of the bridge (or take the subway fromSao Bento) and go down the cable car (or again down the winding road).
On the waterfront you can both Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, you can take a boat and ride.
And you can go off V a park Jardins do Palacio de Cristal.
Or to the market
I continue to prepare for the next trip, in which I plan to visit Portugal for the first time. There will not be much time for the trip, so I will limit myself to the tourist minimum - Porto and Lisbon and, possibly, their environs. In this post I will be gathering information about what to see in Porto.
I would like to highlight all sorts of unusual places in Porto and try to devote time to them too.
Porto - second largest city in Portugal. What to see in Porto? Here is highest in Portugal The 76-meter Clerigos tower, ancient churches, many sites with beautiful views and one of the most beautiful bookstores. A satellite city Vila Nova de Gaia will offer delicious port wine for every taste.
Probably everyone at least once saw a photo from Porto with many colored houses. They are literally stuck on each other, and narrow cobbled streets so they invite you to take a walk. This area of Ribeira is one of the favorite attractions of tourists visiting Porto.
During daylight hours, the local population of Ribeira is quite friendly to tourists, but, they say, in the evening it is better not to look there. It turns out that approximately a third of the houses in the area are abandoned, and after dark it doesn't get very crowded. In general, Porto is quite a calm and peaceful city.
You can get to the Ribeira area by metro, the nearest stations are Jardim do Morro And Sao Bento.
Rua Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina Street is full of famous brands and Portuguese brands, cafes and restaurants, street performers and other attributes. tourist street. A sort of Moscow Arbat in Porto.
Among other things, Santa Catarina Street is located beautiful church and famous Cafe Majestic.
Cafe Majestic(majestic)
Cafe "Majestic" is a famous and iconic place in the city. The cafe is famous unusual old interior and magical atmosphere, which it has kept since its opening in 1921.
Prices Here not cheap, during the tourist season you may encounter queue at the entrance. Food is not praised, coffee is scolded(with a cup of coffee about 4 euros). Go just for the atmosphere.
Lello Bookstore
The Livraria Lello & Irmao bookstore is located in the center of Porto. open in 1869 year and since then has repeatedly been recognized as one of the the most beautiful shops in the world various guidebooks, newspapers and other publications.
The store is famous wooden stairs, which allegedly served as a prototype magic stairs in the Hogwarts library described by J. Rowling in Harry Potter. Apparently, based on this assumption, the store owners set an entrance fee!
Getting inside will cost 4 euros, but if you buy something, then this money will go in in payment for the purchase. Judging by the reviews, buying something more worthwhile is not an easy task, since the books are here mostly in portuguese.
In principle, the highlight of the store, the famous staircase that leads to the second floor, can be seen from the street. A queue at the entrance and the crowd inside I personally do not have a burning desire to pay for the entrance.
Ticket price: €4 (included in the purchase).
Opening hours:
- on weekdays from 10:00 to 19:30;
- on Saturday - from 10:00 to 19:00;
- on Sunday - from 11:00 to 19:00.
This, of course, is not the famous Lisbon tram number 28, but it is also a very colorful transport.
One of the entertainments in Porto is to look at the Atlantic Ocean from the window tram number 1, 1930. Route starts against Churches of Saint Francis And ends at the coast Atlantic Ocean (the terminus of the tram on Rua Passeio Alegre).
When you reach the end, you can look at ancient lighthouse of the 16th century - Sao Miguel o Anjou(Torre, farol, capela ou Ermida de São Miguel-O-Anjo). After that, you need to take a walk towards the coast, and minutes after 10-15 another beautiful one will seem lighthouse - Farol da Senhora da Luz. Opposite it will be located castle of sao joan baptista(Castelo de São João Batista).
Tram opening hours: from 08:00 to 20:55. Detailed timetables are available at the stops.
Fare:
- single trip ticket €3 ;
- 2-day ticket €10 (for children from 4 to 12 years - €5).
Tram number 1 leaves from stops in front of the church of St. Francis(Igreja de São Francisco) on the street Rua do Infante D. Henrique.
A similar route can be taken by bus number 500. The trip will be no less interesting, because. The buses of this route are double-decker! Climb to the second floor and admire the scenery, especially since 98% of the path lies along the embankment.
Douro Promenade and River CruiseThe Douro embankment is a very picturesque place. From here you can take a boat trip, of which there are many.
For example, a river trip "5 bridges"- one of the standard tours of the Douro. This route is offered by several river companies (for example). Some of the excursions start from the Ribeira embankment, some from the opposite bank, from the satellite town of Vila Nova de Gaia. Mini cruise lasts about an hour and usually costs 10 15 euro.
Advice from the experienced - it's better on such a cruise take more warm clothes. There can be very unpleasant and cold winds on the water.
Also advise to buy tickets for these excursions in the city itself, away from the embankment and tourist trails. There prices will be lower by 2-5€.
Bridges
Luis I Bridge (Ponte Luís I)
The creation of Theophilus Sayrig, a student and companion of the famous Gustave Eiffel, was completed in 1886 and is now one of the visiting cards of the city. Many travelers point out that The Luis I Bridge is one of the best viewpoints in Porto. From here you get great pictures with a view of Ribeira.
The afternoon is the worst time to shoot from here due to the location of the sun. If you shoot in the direction of Ribeira, then the second half of the day will do.
On the other side of the river, from the side of the bridge in Vila Nova de Gaia, there is a small cozy Morru park. In addition, this side has observation deck of the monastery da Serra do Pilar, with which one obtains beautiful photos Porto.
Maria Pia Bridge (Ponte Maria Pia)
Railway bridge over the Douro River - the main artery of Porto. The railway bridge connected Porto and the sister city of Vila Nova de Gaia. The architect of this building is the famous Gustave Eiffel. The bridge was built in 1877, 12 years before the construction of the tower in Paris, which glorified his name.
Now the bridge has been deactivated, and a new railway bridge has been built nearby. These bridges are located a little far away, just before them a sightseeing boat swims.
By the way, there is river beach, which many locals prefer to the ocean coast (because of the water temperature, obviously).
Arrábida Bridge - how to climb the bridge
Unusual way spend time and admire the city from above - with the help of specially trained people and safety equipment, climb onto the road bridge in Porto.
Ticket price:
- Entrance to the cathedral and to the observation deck free.
- Ticket to courtyard and museum – €3 ( children under 10 years old - free of charge).
Address: Terreiro da Se. You can get to the cathedral by metro (line D) and buses. The nearest station is Sao Bento. The cathedral is visible from almost anywhere in the city.
Opening hours:
- in summer from 09:00 to 12:15 and from 14:30 to 18:30
- in winter from 09:00 to 12:15 and from 14:30 to 17:30
- mass from 11:00.
Church of Clerigos(Igreja dos Clerigos)
Walk along the pedestrian street de Santa Catarina, admire the Porto City Hall (Camara Municipal do Porto), Freedom Square, as well as the Catholic Church of Clerigos (Clerigos) and its bell tower (Torre dos Clerigos).
The Baroque Clérigos Church has a very beautiful and opulent façade. AT 12:00 you can listen there organ. Behind the church rises the bell tower, which is the tallest bell tower in the whole country.
For an additional fee, you can climb the same 76 meter bell tower, but you should be prepared for a long climb (225 steps) along a narrow and crowded staircase. And they say the best view of the city opens from the platform of the monastery da Serra do Pilar at the bridge on the banks of Vila Nova. And the views from natural sites are no worse.
Ticket price:
- Tower + Clerigos Museum €4 (up to 10 years free);
- tour to the Clerigos museum + church + tower €6.
Opening hours:
Daily from 9:00 to 19:00.
Besides, after 19:00 you can climb the bell tower by purchasing an evening ticket for €5(from 19:00 to 23:00).
Church of Saint Francis(
Sao Francisco)
The church was built at the beginning of the 15th century and is considered one of the most outstanding gothic facilities in Porto. Its main facade is magnificent.
To St. Francis Church paid entrance and not very cheap. The interior decoration is famous for its wooden gilded carving, which decorates the walls from floor to ceiling, and the ceiling itself. Baroque lovers a must to visit. Photography inside is prohibited, but you can buy postcards and booklets.
But from a small platform near the Church of St. Francis, you can admire a good city view so so look.
Address: Rua do Infante D. Henrique.
Ticket price: €5.
Opening hours:
- from November to February 9:00-18:00,
- from March to October 09:00-19:00 (July, August, September 09:00-20:00);
- closed: 25 December.
Church of Santa Clara(Igreja de Santa Clara)
Few people know about this church! Inside, it is not inferior to the church of St. Francis, but unlike the latter, here the entrance is free. Everything inside is wooden gilded carving, Very beautiful!
The church itself is located near the cathedral Se. Photo and video shooting is prohibited inside.
Address: Largo 1º de Dezembro.
Church of Santa Catarina(Capela de Santa Catarina)
The Church of Santa Catarina, located on the street of the same name, was built in the 18th century. According to tradition, the church is finished with azulejo ceramic tiles. It is noteworthy that such a finish can only be used in the absence of negative temperatures.
Church Do Carmo
Built in XVIII century. It is an excellent example of architecture built in the spirit of classicism and baroque. Right next door to Do Carmo is carmelite church. Many tourists mistake them for one building, but in fact the buildings are not related to each other in any way.
Church of Saint Ildefonsou
Located near the square Batalha. The building was built in the style baroque.
The facade of the building is completely made of tiles azulejo sky blue. The mosaic panel depicts scenes from the life of Saint Ildefons, as well as images from the Gospel. It took over 11000 tiles, the Portuguese artist Georges Colas worked on the drawing.
The interior of the church is decorated eight stained glass windows. In the center of the hall on the side walls hang two paintings from 1785 and 1792 (Domingos Teixeira Barreto), framed in a Portuguese Baroque frame.
Capela do Senhor da Pedra
If the center of Porto has already been explored, you can go to the coast of Vila Nova de Gaia, where another interesting attraction is located - a small chapel. She is located directly on the beach, which can be reached on foot from Miramar train station (drive from Porto for 30 minutes).
I think what is remarkable here is not so much the chapel itself, but the place where it is located and incredible scenery.
Observation deck at the Church of Igreja Paroquial da VitoriaIt is better to mark this place on the map in advance, as the path here is not trivial. The first thing you see when you get here is old abandoned building. But that's right, you're almost there - the best free viewing platform in Port.
Have a small churches of Igreja Paroquial da Vitoria located at the intersection of the streets Rua da Vitoria And Rua de São Bento da Vitória, there is one of the best and absolutely free viewing platforms available at any time of the day or night. This is a great place to admire sunrises and sunsets, from here the city and the river are in full view. In addition, this observation deck is not yet as popular and famous as others, so here there should be no crowds of tourists.
Address:
Rua de São Bento da Vitória 11. The nearest metro station is São Bento.
If you get tired of the noisy streets and squares of Porto, then you can relax for free in the local botanical garden or in the crystal palace park. And if you have enough free time and have 5 extra euros, feel free to go to Serralves Park.
Botanical Garden
The botanical garden is considered part of the natural science faculty of the local university. The garden is small but very beautiful. This attraction of Porto is conditionally divided into three zones - the first is presented lots of ponds, second - luxurious flower beds, third - thermophilic plants in greenhouses.
Address: Rua do Campo Alegre, 1191. Not far from the garden are the stations metro Casa de musica And francos, can be reached on buses No. 1 or No. 200.
Free admission.
Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, on weekends from 10:00 to 18:00.
Crystal Palace Landscape Park
Another place where you can take a break from the hustle and bustle is the Crystal Palace Landscape Park. Open from the park great panoramas of the Douro river. The Crystal Palace Park consists of three thematic areas, it is made up of "Garden of Roses", "Garden of Feelings", "Garden of Smells".
The park has many alleys, flowers, lawns, benches and even pond. Among other things, here you can meet peacocks and even feed their.
Entrance to the Crystal Palace Park is free.
Address: Rua de Manuel II. You can get to buses number 3, 20, 35, 37. Stop Rua de Julio Dinis.
Museum of Contemporary Art and Serralves Park
The museum will not leave you indifferent modern art lovers. This is one of the biggest museums in Porto. Opened relatively recently - in 1999.
The collection mainly consists of paintings second half of the 20th century. Various cultural events are also held here.
The Museum of Modern Art was included in the parks and gardens section for a reason. Next to the museum is a huge Serralves park. Serralves park occupies 18 hectares and consists of many magnificent, harmoniously interconnected spaces: gardens, forests and traditional farm with adorable animals.
In the park many routes different duration. Grows here about 200 kinds various plants. In general, according to reviews, the park is worth a visit, and even more than a museum. Park map.
Palace of Bolsa(Palacio da Bolsa)Palace of Bolsa or stock exchange building is located Infanta Henriques Square(Henry the Navigator). Despite the fact that most of the building was built in 1850, internal finishing was completed by 1910. During all this time, many artists and architects worked on the building, thanks to the efforts of which this building turned into a real palace.
The palace has many halls, each of which has its own name and architectural features. Central courtyard, or Court of the Nation, sheltered octagonal glass dome with national emblems trade partners of 19th century Portugal. Leads to the upper floors chic staircase, which is decorated with sculptural busts created by prominent sculptors Antonio Soares dos Reis and Antonio Teixeira Lopez.
Golden Hall and Assembly Hall, Tribunal Hall and many others open to visitors amazing interiors, they are decorated with paintings, sculptures and other works of art. The most impressive hall - Arabic, dazzling with the golden sheen of arabesques, and designed to receive especially important guests - heads of state, honored persons and famous figures.
Interior lovers - mastvisit! You can get here only with a tour.
Ticket price:
- adult €8.5 (or combined ticket with Serravilla for €14.8!);
- children under 18 — €5.5 .
Opening hours:
- from November to March - 9:00 - 12:30 / 14:00 - 17:30;
- from April to October - 9:00 - 6:30.
The tour lasts 30-40 minutes. The following languages are available: Portuguese, Spanish, French, English.
Wine cellars and tours
Porto is the birthplace of port wine. In general, port wine is fortified wine produced by special technology and only in the Douro Valley .
Therefore it is worth forget "port wine" 777 and other "port wines" produced in the expanses of the former USSR and CIS countries. And in no case should they be associated with port wine produced in Porto. Personally, thanks to these “drinks”, port wine is more associated with “chatter”, a cheap drink. But that's not the case at all, real port wine is a whole art.
In a satellite town Vila Nova de Gaia there are many wine cellars, both large and well-known brands, and small manufacturers. You can get here at buses 900, 901, 906, or take the funicular, or just walk across the bridge.
The town offers many excursions and tastings, the prices are also different, but on average cellar visit and simple tasting(2-3 inexpensive flavors) will cost 10-15 euros. You can purchase additional tasting sets. It's best to go with a company, then you can order different sets and try some port wine, and it’s just more fun together. 🙂
There are also cellars where the tour will not cost not a penny given that, if you purchase any products(everyone knows which :)). For example, Porto Augusto’s, their address is Alameda do Senhor da Pedra (there is no information about excursions on the website, prices for port wine begin from 16-19 euros, found by reviews).
For more information about tasting rooms and more, visit the City of Porto website.
Here is a collection of information found on the Internet about where it is better to buy port wine:
- Port is cheaper at local shops like Pinga Dose or Mini Preso.
- Mini Preso has one type of port wine (Calem Tawny). There are no bagaseiras and other pleasant strong drinks.
- Jumbo (Arrabida shopping center) has a large selection of port wine, prices are normal.
- In ordinary grocery stores, the choice is small, but the prices are lower.
- On Cais do Ribeiro (in Porto) in the shops you can taste (free, with a bonus view of the Luis I Bridge) and buy. There are both large bottles and small souvenirs of various varieties.
A good port wine (according to people's reviews), in the name the first word in the name is the type of wine, the second is the manufacturer:
- Ruby Cocburn;
- LBV Cocburn and LBV Offley,
- Vintage Taylor and Vintage Ferreira;
- white Lagrima Sandeman.
If you like to ride funiculars or want to enjoy the views of Porto from an unusual angle, you can easily do it.
Funicular dos Guindais
This funicular was launched in 1891, but after working for only 2 years, it broke down and was closed. Only after more than 100 years, in 2001, it was decided to restore his work.
The funicular connects the upper part of the city (Bataglia district) and the lower part (Ribeira district). The length of the line is about 300 meters, the height is 61 meters. Time on the way 3 minutes.
Ticket price A: One way funicular ticket will cost you 2.50 €.
Opening hours:
- from November to March - Sun-Thurs from 08:00 to 20:00, Fri-Sat from 08:00 to 22:00;
- from April to October - Sun-Thu from 08:00 to 22:00, Fri-Sat from 08:00 to 24:00.
The upper station of the funicular "Batalha" is on the street Rua de Augusto Rosa, A lower station "Ribeira" located directly under the Luis I bridge on the street Av. Gustavo Eiffel.
Teleferico de Gaia funicular
On the south bank of the Douro river there is a cable car leading to the aforementioned Serra do Pilar monastery ( da Serra do Pilar) from where you can enjoy an amazing view of the Douro River and the Ribeira quarter.
The funicular is located on the banks of the Douro River from Vila Nova de Gaia. His path runs along the waterfront to the upper level of the Luis I bridge, which allows you to enjoy the view of Porto and the Ribeira promenade.
This tourist attraction operates since April 2011. The length of the route is about 600 meters, the height is 63 meters. Time on the way 5 minutes.
Ticket price:
- adult €6 (round-trip €9);
- children from 5 to 12 years old €3 (€4.5).
Opening hours:
- from April 26 to September 24 from 10:00 to 20:00;
- from March 24 to April 25 and from September 25 to October 24 from 10:00 to 19:00;
- from October 25 to March 23 from 10:00 to 18:00.
Upper funicular station located at the exit from the upper level of the Luis I bridge. bottom station funicular is located directly on the waterfront in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Food in Porto
Be sure to try Porto's signature dish called Francesinha.
- In fact, Francesinha is a sandwich for gluttons, which is able to saturate the body with a huge amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in one sitting. What can I say, it's better to eat once. 🙂 And eating it is not bad in the company of a glass of fino beer.
- Try the dish "Tripash and Fashion to Porto"(Tripas à moda do Porto) from various types of meat, offal (beef tripe), smoked meats and white beans.
- Salted cod dish Bacalhau.
Complex lunch usually served from 12 to 14-15, after which most cafes close for a siesta.
Cafe "Marina"
- quite pleasant interior and views from the window;
- the price is lower, because is located a little further from the center of Ribeira (almost at the Bridge itself).
Where to eat cheap in Porto
Âncora d'Ouro(Golden anchor).
Located between Cordoaria Park and Praça dos Leões.
Casa Adao(Casa Adão) Avenida Ramos Pinto, 252, Vila Nova de Gaia
- inexpensive restaurant;
- large portions.
Ta-se Ben(Tà-se Bem) Largo Sampaio Bruno 25, Vila Nova de Gaia
- popular with locals
- authentic atmosphere.
Transport in Porto
Complicated payment system between zones. You need to charge trips to the Andante card (price 0.5 euros).
If you plan to use public transport, then you can take a travel card and not bathe. travel card Andante tour card for 24 hours(includes buses, metro, funicular, commuter trains, does not include trams!) — 7 euro; for 72 hours - 15 euros. Need to validate before each trip!
And when registering on airbnb using this link https://www.airbnb.ru/c/tgorokhova2?currency=RUB you will find discount of 1500 rubles!
© DepositphotosStarts in Portugal in a couple of weeks Eurovision 2018 . And, if you are the lucky one who will watch the competition live, we recommend visiting as many interesting places as possible during your stay in Portugal. One such place is Porto, the second largest city in Portugal. It is here that the highest tower in Portugal Clerigos is located - 76 meters, it is here that the best port wine is produced and it is here that they relax in the most beautiful bookstore in the world. And also Porto was the first city on the Iberian Peninsula, where tram traffic was organized. In a word, there is a lot of interesting things here!
Things to do in Porto - cross the bridge designed by Eiffel
Ponte de Dona Maria Pia is a railway bridge across Porto's main artery, the Douro River. It unites Porto and sister city Vila Nova de Gaia.
Interestingly, the project was developed by Gustave Eiffel himself, who in 1875 won a competition to build a bridge that could shorten the 12 kilometers between the two cities.
Eiffel offered the cheapest idea. Two years later, in November, the bridge was already standing over Dora. To date, the bridge is not used as a railway. But here you can walk and admire the beautiful views of both cities.
Things to do in Porto - stroll through the old town
A post shared by Alma H.(@halmasssa) on Sep 3, 2017 at 4:21am PDT
Back in 1921, in the very heart of the city, the luxurious and aristocratic Elite cafe opened its doors. Over time, it was renamed to Majestic.
This is not just a cafe, this is an institution that tells the history of Porto of the twentieth century, when writers, poets and public figures gathered in such institutions. Majestic has quickly become a favorite haunt of the creative and intellectual elite.
Majestic is located on Santa Catarina Street, open every day from 9:30 to 24:00.
Note that it was previously known that from Kyiv it will be possible to fly cheaply to European countries. You can find out about new directions and prices
