There is so much to see and do within Porto, and though I have been visiting for over 25 years I seem to discover something new with every visit. The city's rich historical legacy is countered by a modern, vibrant and contemporary culture, and no visitor is ever left struggling to find things to do, as can happen in other cities of Porto's size.

There are the standout historical attractions such as the Palácio da Bolsa, the Dom Luís I Bridge and the Sé cathedral. However, for me it is more the lesser sights which make the city: watching the sun set from the Serra do Pilar viewpoint, riding the quaint tram to Foz, or a leisurely afternoon sat in the Ribeira watching the street performers.

If you have come to this guide wanting to know what there is to see and do in Porto, be assured there is so much. I even had to switch this guide from a "top 10" to a "top 10 sights and top 10 activities" so I could condense my ideas into just twenty of my favourite things.

I have been exploring Portugal since 2001, and my Portuguese wife has family living in Porto, so the city has been our second home for the better part of twenty-five years. This guide details my favourite sights and activities in Porto, and the ones I recommend to friends and family for their first trip.

My top 10 attractions and sights in Porto
1. Ponte Luís I - A wonder of 19th-century engineering that I never tire of crossing, especially for the view from the top level.
2. Palácio da Bolsa - A palace built not for kings but for business, as the home of Porto's stock exchange. Simply stunning in every way.
3. Ribeira - The colourful district that lines the Douro waterfront. Painted houses stand above a quayside bustling with restaurants, and for me there is no better place to be on a sunny afternoon.
4. Torre dos Clérigos - A decorative Baroque tower offering what I think are the best views of the city.
5. Igreja de São Francisco - Overwhelming religious carvings covered in so much gold leaf that it is said to hold more gold than the Bank of Portugal.
6. São Bento station - The history of Portugal played out in exquisite tile paintings that cover the main foyer. I still admire them while catching the train to Braga.
7. Vila Nova de Gaia waterfront - Home of Porto's historic Port wine cellars, with traditional rabelo boats moored along the banks of the Douro. A place I come to for one reason and then end up spending the entire day.
8. Livraria Lello bookshop - Overrated, I feel, but its fame and connection to Harry Potter mean it is high on many visitors' lists of sights, and my nieces would not let me leave it off.
9. Bolhão Market - A traditional covered market where I like to browse the stalls and later dine in the upper-level restaurants.
10. Sé cathedral - A fortress-like Romanesque cathedral sitting at the highest point of the old town.

The Ribeira on a sunny Sunday in July

My top 10 activities and experiences
1. Port tasting and cellar tours - Plan your trip around the tours of the historic cellars and tastings of Porto's famous drink. There are more than 15 cellars to visit and I always suggest at least two. See my cellar and Port tasting guide.
2. Watching the sunset from the Serra do Pilar - Looking west along the Douro from one of the highest points of the city is magical. Close by is the Jardim do Morro, which has a much livelier setting at sunset.
3. A cruise along the Douro River - So many options, from hour-long tours passing beneath the six bridges of Porto to full-day cruises into the heart of the Douro valley.
4. The tram ride to the Foz district - Ride the traditional tram to Foz, one of my favourite areas of the city, which sits at the mouth of the Douro - Foz guide.
5. Social media photos at the Igreja do Carmo - The impressive 360-square-metre tile panel depicts the founding of the Carmelite Order and also makes the finest backdrop for a Porto social media post.
6. Beach time at Matosinhos - Porto is hot and stifling in the summer, and an afternoon on the golden sand and in the chilly Atlantic waters of Matosinhos is ideal - Matosinhos guide.
7. Eating a francesinha - The classic dish of Porto is a carb and meat overload, with one filling enough for both my lunch and dinner. My favourite is served at Brasão Aliados.
8. Peace and art at Serralves - A contemporary art museum surrounded by tranquil gardens. For me, the perfect antidote to the bustling granite city.
9. Estádio do Dragão stadium tour - Porto is a proud footballing city and there is no better place to experience it than a tour of the home of FC Porto. Unfortunately I can't take my wife, as she is a Benfica fan.
10. Jardins do Palácio de Cristal - The relaxed central park of Porto, offering greenery, shaded walks and views over the river.

The interactive map below displays the locations of my top 10 sights and 10 activities. The sights are marked in green and activities are shown in yellow. Note: zoom in or out to see all of them.

Sights of Porto (green): 1) Ponte Luís I bridge 2) Palácio da Bolsa 3) Ribeira 4) Torre dos Clérigos 5) Igreja de São Francisco 6) São Bento station 7) Vila Nova de Gaia 8) Livraria Lello 9) Bolhão Market 10) Sé do Porto
Activities of Porto (yellow): 1) Port cellars 1a) Cálem 1b) Sandeman 1c) Ferreira 2) Serra do Pilar viewpoint 3) Douro River cruise 4) Tram to Foz 5) Igreja do Carmo 6) Matosinhos beach 7) Brasão Aliados 8) Serralves art museum 9) Estádio do Dragão 10) Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

I wanted this guide to be solely focused on Porto, so all of the sights and activities are within the city. If you are fortunate enough to have a longer trip of more than two days, you may wish to read my guide to the best day trips from Porto, which could easily extend a trip to a week.

The Ponte Luís I is the majestic iron bridge that spans the Douro River, and connects Porto to the north with Vila Nova de Gaia on the southern side.

This iconic bridge has two levels, and from the top deck (which carries the metro) is one of the finest viewpoints of Porto.
Insight: The bridge is named after King Luís I, but unlike many other monuments named after Portuguese royalty the “Dom” (King) is not included; this is a snub at the king who did not attend the inauguration organised for him in 1887.

The Luis I bridge is the icon of Porto

Porto is famed for Port wine, which is matured in vast cellars that line the banks of Vila Nova de Gaia.

To be classified as Port, the grapes must be grown in the Douro Valley and then aged in Vila Nova de Gaia. This means that all of the major Port producers (Sandeman, Cálem, Croft, Ferreira, Offley and Ramos Pinto) have cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia and are within a relatively compact area.

Each Port producer provides informative tours of their cellars and is often combined with a Port tasting session. With over ten different Port cellars to visit, you are guaranteed to leave Porto as Port Connoisseur!
Advice: The tours of the cellars are at set times and in specific languages. It is always advisable to pre-book tickets for popular times, or at least know the times of the appropriate language tours.
Related links: Cálem tour and tasting tickets

Port tasting at the end of a tour!

The Gothic Igreja de São Francisco contains one of Portugal’s most extravagantly decorated church interiors.
Every possible surface is adorned with elaborate wood carvings and lavished with gold leaf; there is so much gold leaf that it has been estimated to be more than 100kg of gold!

A highlight among the many Baroque wood carvings is the Árvore de Jesse (Tree of Jesse), which depicts the family tree of Jesus.
The 13th-century church was originally part of a monastery complex, but the cloisters were destroyed by fire during the 1832 Siege of Porto.

The Gothic Igreja de São Francisco church with the classic tram

Porto is a city that was established and flourished based on its proximity to the mighty Douro River, and there is no better method to view the city than from the river.

There are two types of cruises: boat tours of the city or full-day excursions to the Douro Valley. The city cruises pass beneath the six bridges of Porto and visit the mouth of the Douro River. The full-day cruises head to the stunning scenery of the Alto Douro, with its terraced vineyards and scenic riverside towns.
Related articles: The Douro Valley

Elegant river cruisers travel along the Douro River

We have worked with Getyourguide.com for the previous six years, and some of their best Douro River tours include:

Contemporary art is a divisive subject; to some, it is thought-provoking and inspirational, while for others, it is abstract nonsense.

The Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves attempts to bridge this divide, with an outstanding collection of exhibits, along with beautiful grounds and the wonderful Art Deco Casa de Serralves villa.

The Fundação Serralves has a peaceful and tranquil setting, and is a highly recommended location to escape the hecticness of central Porto.
Related links: Tickets for the Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves

The Art Deco Casa de Serralves villa with the grounds of the Fundação Serralves complex

The most famous meal of Porto is a Francesinha, a variation of the French Croque Monsieur, and was introduced to Porto during the 1950s.

The Francesinha combines bread, fried steak, sausage, bacon, a rich tomato sauce, and a side of chips. It's filling, delicious and ideal after a long day of sightseeing.

There are many variations of Francesinha, but they are all filling!

The Livraria Lello is regarded as the most beautiful bookshop in the world and was also an inspiration for the Harry Potter series of books.

It was here that J K Rowling penned the initial chapters of the series and the bookshop's staircase was the inspiration for the grand staircase in Hogwarts.

The Livraria Lello is a beautiful store lined with handcrafted wooden panels, a stained-glass roof and a dramatic stairwell connecting the two levels.

The only issue is that its popularity means that it is always crowded with tourists.

The Livraria Lello Bookshop, just expect it to be much more crowded!

The Ribeira is the oldest district of Porto and is a warren of narrow streets and colourful houses that line the banks of the Douro River. This is a characterful area of Porto with numerous family-run shops, traditional restaurants and trendy bars.

In the evenings, there is no better location to be than the Ribeira; sipping a glass of Port, with views over the Douro River and Luís I bridge, and surrounded by social atmosphere.

The Ribeira district stands under the shadow of the Ponte Luís I bridge

The 18th-century Igreja dos Clérigos is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Porto and inside is a unique oval-shaped nave.

Attached to the church is a 75m-high bell tower (the Torre dos Clérigos), which from its construction in 1763 to the late 19th century was the tallest building in Portugal. There are 240 steps to reach the top of the tower, but the view over central Porto is worth the climb.
Related guide: The Torre dos Clérigos

The Torre dos Clérigos is still the tallest building in the historic centre of Porto

The Linha 1 is the scenic tram route that connects the Ribeira district to the Foz district, and follows the Douro River downstream.

Trundling slowly along the route are delightful trams that date from the 1930s. Inside are many original features, such as polished wood seats, brass dials and even a bell to ask the driver to halt.

If you have two or more days in Porto, you should certainly include the Foz district. It sits at the mouth of the Douro River, and offers pretty riverside walks, sandy beaches and a relaxing atmosphere.
Related article: Porto tram guide

The classic tram of the Linha 1 route

The Igreja do Carmo and Igreja dos Carmelitas are two beautiful Baroque churches, but most visitors come to view the stunning tiled exterior wall on the Igreja do Carmo.

This wonderful artwork depicts the foundation of the Carmelite Order on Mount Carmel and was painted using azulejo tiles.

Curiosity: Between the two churches is Portugal's narrowest house (less than 1 m wide), which separated the male monastery at the Igreja do Carmo and the women's convent in the Igreja dos Carmelitas.

The Mercado do Bolhão is the traditional market of Porto and is the location to experience typical Portuguese daily life.

This bustling market is a joy to wander, with its stalls of freshly grown produce (fruit, veg and meats), local handicrafts and souvenir stalls.

The market is housed in a classical wrought-iron building

The Majestic Café is one of Porto's original Art Nouveau-style cafés. The café, with its original features and hectic atmosphere, is bursting with character, and a great location for a mid-afternoon coffee and delicious Portuguese pastry.

The Rua de Santa Catarina, on which the Majestic Café is situated, is at the heart of Porto's shopping district and is a pleasant area to browse shops.

The Art Nouveau-style Majestic Café was inspired by Parisian cafés

Porto’s passion is football, and FC Porto is one of Europe’s top 25 clubs, which routinely wins the Portuguese football league.

Their stadium is the modern Estádio do Dragão, and a tour of the stadium and museum is a fantastic experience.

The main train station of central Porto is a tourist attraction in itself, due to the beautiful azulejo tile images that adorn the waiting hall.

The traditional blue and white tiles depict important events in Portugal's history while the multicoloured tiles display scenes of rural life. The two styles of tiles represent the transition of Portugal from a monarchy to republic in 1910, with the blue tiles painted before and the coloured after.

The azulejos tile paintings in São Bento Train Station

Surrounding Porto is the stunning Costa Verde coastline, with its golden sand beaches, rugged scenery and freezing sea waters.

The closest large sandy beach is at Matosinhos, which is just a short metro ride from the centre of Porto. This beach is popular with the residents of Porto who flock here during the summer, but it overlooks the ferry terminal so is not the most idyllic setting.

If you are planning a beach day, you may wish to travel a bit further by train to Vila do Conde, Espinho, Miramar or Póvoa de Varzim, for much more beautiful beaches.
Related articles: Matosinhos guide - Porto beach guide

Matosinhos beach is always popular, but unfortunately, it overlooks a busy harbour

The Neoclassical Palácio da Bolsa was the stock exchange of Porto and represented the financial importance of the city during the 19th century.

Inside the stately building is the exquisitely decorated Arab Room, the grand Hall of Nations and an impressive central courtyard. Tours must be booked to visit the interior of the Palácio da Bolsa, and are highly recommended.

The Mercado Bom Sucesso is a 1940s covered market which recently reinvented itself as a trendy food market and dining venue.

Within the dining area are numerous unique food stalls, and a communal seating area, which is a wonderful place to meet up and socialise.

Along with the permanent food stalls, there are cocktail bars and mini-pop-up shops, including jewellery and clothing. The whole building has an artsy retro vibe and is a cool place to hang out.

The Half-Rabbit is a distinctive piece of urban art hidden down a side street in Vila Nova de Gaia.

This colourful artwork was constructed from discarded waste and was created by the celebrated urban artist Bordallo II.

The art installation is known as the Half-Rabbit as one side is painted with vivid colours while the other is the unaltered colour of the waste materials.

Both sides of the Half Rabbit are only seen if you look at the corner of the building

The Galerias de Paris is the main nightlife street of Porto, close to the university and filled with many trendy bars. At night there is always a lively atmosphere here, especially at the weekends when the socialising spills onto the streets.

Unique bars to definitely include in your night are the Casa do Livro Bar, a former bookshop, and the Galeria de Paris Bar, which was converted from a fabric shop and retains many of the original features.
Insight: Porto nightlife starts very late and doesn't get going at the weekends until at least 11pm.