Essential Porto

Tour Creator

Jelena (PhD of Architecture, urban history and cultural heritage) is an architect and designer, living in Porto, Portugal since 2014. She specializes in built heritage and researches sense of place.…Read More Bio »

Porto

GPS-directed

Remote Tour Included

2+hrs

2.5km

In our tour through the heart of Porto, we will get to know its most prominent landmarks and see how the historical and contemporary city layers intertwine. We will enjoy several panoramic views to the historical center, which, as a whole, is a monument – a World Heritage Site. We will time travel between the Middle Ages and the present, and grasp the senses of Porto.

Amazing Views

Enjoy spectacular views of Porto on our tour

Avoid the Crowds

Allows you to explore without having to be shoulder-to-shoulder in a large tour group

Expert-created Tour

Written by a Porto-based licensed architect with a PhD of Architecture, urban history and cultural heritage

GPS Directions

Easy-to-follow GPS directions to get you from one point to the next on your tour

Highlights include:

The House of the 24, Sao Bento railway station, and Igreja do Carmo

Remote Tour Included

As with all our tours, a remote tour is included that can be enjoyed from home

Itinerary

Essential Porto

  1. Terreiro da Sé - Here, the city came to be: a great spot for introductory notes on Porto and its symbol, the Cathedral.
  2. Miradouro da Rua das Aldas - Let’s explore what makes Porto’s historical landscape so distinctive, and also find out why there never was a Porto Castle
  3. Ruínas da Cámara Mediaval - The ruins of The House of the 24, the medieval town hall, which, after centuries of abandonment, got new life and shape
  4. Estação de São Bento –  The French-style central railway station of Porto. Some claim it’s haunted. •
  5. The São Bento railway station (interior) – Perhaps the most beautiful station vestibule of Europe and beyond. Its tiles tell many stories, both epic and mundane.
  6. “Quem és, Porto?” - The largest glazed tile panel of Porto, a result of a participatory artistic project reflecting on the city’s identity.
  7. Café “A Brasileira” - In Porto, the locals enjoy their “cafezinho” at any time of the day. This is where the tradition began.
  8. “O Porto” - The statue at the Aliados Avenue (Avenida dos Aliados) Let’s explore the Aliados, the main city square, and, among other stories, unveil the curious destiny of this statue.
  9. Rua da Galeria de Paris - We’ll peek into the former warehouse blocks and find out how they turned into a hip nightlife district.
  10. Igreja do Carmo - An impressive baroque church where the side façade is the one which deserves a spotlight.
  11. The hydroponic garden of Praça de Lisboa -The new favorite public garden of Porto, dialoguing with its historical neighbours: The Clerics’ Tower and the Lello Library
  12. Miradouro da Vitoria with a view of Dom Luis I Bridge- We’ll tackle two more symbols of Porto, its iconic bridge and its famous port wine, and enjoy the panoramic view!

Check out a free sample of this tour!

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