Explore Porto Portugal, a city rich in character, known for its wine, riverside cafés, and vibrant markets.
Like a fine port wine, the rich character of Porto reveals itself slowly. The “second city” of Portugal is often favored by those day-tripping from Lisbon, three hours south. Compared to the busy capital, Porto feels more approachable, with its riverside cafés, lively markets, one-of-a kind culinary treats, and of course, it’s wine.
Whether you’re sipping old-vine Portuguese sparkling or still wines, or its seductive ports, many of them are still aged here. With so much to do, taste, and explore in Porto, travelers often find they’ve planned too few days to enjoy all the city has to offer. Here are some of the best places to experience in this beautiful and exciting city.
EAT
Open your visit on a Taste Porto (tasteporto.com) food tour. Run by incredibly knowledgeable and fun local aficionado André Apolinário, Taste Porto is the city’s longest running food-tour company, dishing out a tantalizing lineup of walks, tastings, and cooking classes. Apolinário and his team of Porto culinary experts are obsessed with authentic local restaurants and the food and drinks they serve. Better still, they’ll show you how certain dishes are intertwined with the city’s history and culture. No wonder Anthony Bourdain and Rick Steves toured Porto with these folks. Just remember the most important things: reserve your tour in advance, and come hungry.
Francesinha Sandwich (BearFotos)
You might join Taste Porto for one of its Bolhão Market (mercadobolhao.pt) tours to sample wines and classic foods, or you can work your way through on your own. Start with a glass poured by wine bar/store Graínha: Bolhão (you can walk around the market with it), then visit vendors selling plates of local charcuterie, cheeses, pastries, coffee, olives, fresh oysters, and famous Portuguese tinned seafood like sardines, cockles, clams, and tuna.
Porto’s most iconic dish is the francesinha, an overly indulgent and utterly delicious steak and ham sandwich that’s covered with melted cheese and topped by a port-wine gravy, usually served with fries. You’ll find them on menus all over town, though Brasão (brasão.pt) is a francesinha fave with six Porto locations.
You can fill up on even more fantastic sandwiches, like a famously hearty bifana or leitao, simple buns layered with slow-cooked steak or suckling-pig slices. (Porto is known for its high-quality meats.) Taxca (facebook.com/taxca) tavern in the Aliados neighborhood makes great ones served almost like Spanish tapas, and it also serves good wines by bottle or on tap.
For decidedly more modern dining (and with more vegetarian options), reserve a table at small, woman-helmed Gruta (grutaporto.com) for creative Portuguese and Brazilian variations. Or check out queer owned Boteco Igrejinha (botecoigrejinha.com) that serves filling Brazilian dishes and good cocktails in a contemporary space.
One of our favorite experiences was when we headed down the Douro River to explore the UNESCO World-Heritage neighborhood of Ribeira, home to many restaurants serving Portuguese must-try fare, such as bacalhau à brás (salted cod cooked with potatoes, onion and eggs; arroz de marisco (seafood rice, like paella); and caldeiradas (fish stew). Stop in at Chez Lapin (chezlapin.pt) for some of the best traditional dishes in a historic building, with a large riverfront terrace.
SLEEP
Porto is famously hilly, making a central hotel helpful for reaching sights on foot, by easy metro or bus, or taxi/Uber/Bolt. The Editory Boulevard (editoryhotels.com) ticks all the right boxes, with a prime location on Aliados plaza outside historic City Hall. It’s part of a locally owned collection of 11 boutique hotels (three of them in Porto), with a chic bar and stylish rooms.
The Yeatman Hotel (the-yeatmanhotel.com) provides jaw-dropping views of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto as well as the Douro River from every restaurant as well as every guest room. A member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux collection of hotels, the stunning property offers 82 guestrooms, all with their Celebrating Pride in Porto own private terraces or balconies.
Celebrating Pride in Porto (Unai Huizi Photography)
Another great option is the riverfront Porto River Aparthotel (portoriver.pt). Set in a historic building that’s recently been remodeled, this is the perfect place for cozy, luxury accommodations. With more than 1,000 hotels in a relatively small city, Porto has no shortage of lodging options for every budget and location preference.
DO
To dig deeper into Porto’s LGBTQ+ culture and community, join a Queer Porto Tour (queerportotour.com), with public tours available most days of the week, and the option to schedule private tours that your host will customize to your interests. You’re sure to learn about the most famous lesbian couple of Porto, whose story is depicted in Netflix’s 2019 film, Elisa & Marcela.
In Baixa (central Porto), stop by LGBTQ+ bookshop Livraria Aberta (instagram.com/livraria.aberta), for books and magazines in many different languages. Afterwards, swing over to the small boutique The Portuguese Cock (theportuguesecock.com) for wild souvenirs, seasonal décor, and artsy delights. A fabulous resource for travelers is Variacoes (variacoes.pt), an LGBTQ+ business association that highlights upcoming events and seasonal festivals taking place in Porto, Lisbon, and other cities.
For a fun self-guided excursion, head across the Douro River on foot or by tram via the Ponte Luís I, the iconic bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel. On that southern bank is Vila Nova de Gaia (or just Gaia), the heart of port winemaking since the 17th century. Enjoy getting lost on its winding streets, and join tastings at renowned cellars like Graham’s, Ferreira, Cockburn’s, and Niepoort (reservations are recommended).
One of the newer additions in Gaia is the WOW Cultural District (wow.pt). For everyone from avid oenophiles to vino amateurs, this “world of wine” is a marvelous district for learning about virtually every aspect of wine. There are seven museums with exhibits unpacking everything from cork sourcing (more fascinating than you’d ever think), grape harvesting, and aging; to global wine regions, and specific stories behind port, rosé, and chocolate. Naturally, there are plenty of tasting options, including 10 impressive restaurants, each with its own specialty, including steak, seafood, pizza, and traditional Portuguese (and some with great river views).
Douro River and Porto (Photo by Prosign)
A day trip to the Douro Valley is also a glorious way to be immersed in Northern Portugal’s renowned wine region. The rolling vineyards are picture-perfect, and wineries here are the best place to taste and buy decades-aged port wines you won’t find anywhere else. Among many day-trip companies, Efun Tours (efungpstours.com) hosts several good options that provided a pickup in Porto and a day in the valley. They also lead tours through the stunning historic towns of Braga and Guimarães, a UNESCO heritage city.
DRINK
Porto’s wine and cocktail culture is an all day affair, and while this city is delightfully LGBTQ-friendly, it’s always nice to make new friends at local gay spots. At Bar of Soap (instagram.com/barofsoapporto) get flirting earlier in the evening, then rev up for special events (Portuguese bingo, anyone?), drag shows, and parties.
Over on Rua de Galeria de Paris, lined with good dining and nightlife, Fabrik Bar (instagram.com/_fabrikbar) is a sophisticated lounge with a long indoor bar and terrace out front. For refined cocktails made by career bartenders, head to gay-friendly Torto, (instagram.com/torto.porto) considered one of Portugal’s top all-around bars.
Pouring Port Wine in Porto (Photo by Krilerg Aaragorn)
A few blocks away, check out Invictus (instagram.com/invictusbarporto) café and bar for drinks, dancing, and drag. It’s near Café Lusitano (instagram.com/cafelusitano.porto), a vintage-style tavern with live jazz, burlesque, and a big dance floor. Zoom (instagram.com/zoomporto), the gay hotspot for dancing late over the weekends, is home to a mixed crowd of Portuguese cuties. Nearby on the street of the same name, find Passos Manuel (insta gram.com/passosmanuel_/) a spicy disco favoring a bold younger crowd.
Also on Rua de Passos Manuel, Maus Habitos (maushabitos.com) is a beloved queer-friendly restaurant, bar, art gallery, music venue, and late-late-night disco. It is considered a dynamic local institution, and along with good veg-forward food, Maus Habitos a great spot to meet friends and discover new music.
UNWIND
Porto is perched on the Douro River, and you can follow it three miles west to reach the Atlantic Ocean. There you’ll find the ritzy neighborhood of Foz do Douro (mouth of the Douro), and Serralves (serralves.pt), home to an exceptional modern-art museum (featuring LGBTQ+ artists), huge sculpture park, and a marvelous Art Deco villa now used for exhibits. There’s always something special on view here, and it’s worth spending a good half-day at Serralves to explore the art and 44-acre park.
Wrap up your visit to the waterfront with a stroll along the long coastal promenade, or get your feet wet on a stretch of sandy beaches. There are many bars and restaurants here, but Praia da Luz (praiadaluz.pt) sits right on the waterfront, with indoor and outdoor spaces, plus good food and drinks that will make you want to stay all day.
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