Holidays to Porto

As sweet and rich as the city’s world-famous wine, Porto holidays are all cobblestone miles, hand-painted tiles, crumbling piles and traditional port styles!

City break buzz

A breezy two-hour hop from the UK, a Porto city break is ideal for foodies, families and culture vultures. This enchanting city is small enough to explore over a weekend and has all the essentials: sun, tasty food, delish drinks and a bunch of attractions. And it’s pretty easy on the wallet, too.

So strap on your sensible shoes and wander Porto’s alleyways, passing by big ol’ churches, cool street art, cute cafés and gorgeous azulejo-tiled walls.

ImPORTant information

Porto’s the home of port, so rack ‘em up, give them a try and find your fave! Keep it fresh with a white port, tonic and a bit of mint – a winner with the locals.

Cross the Douro River to Vila Nova de Gaia to visit the port cellars. Cálem, established in 1859, has a little museum for nerding up before a guided tour.

Ribeira rambling

The vibrant waterfront neighbourhood of Ribeira should be at the heart of your Porto mini break. All narrow, cobbled lanes and colourful houses along the Douro River, it’s one of the buzziest spots.

What’s more, it’s home to a bunch of the city’s heavy-hitters, like the Sé, Porto’s giant cathedral, and the impressive Palácio da Bolsa palace. Ribeira’s also a good place to burn a few euros on local ceramics and art before hitting up some bars in the evening.

Atlantic beaches

If you’re staying longer than a weekend and want to explore more of northern Portugal, grab your towel and head to one of the Atlantic-facing beaches along the Costa Verde.

Praia das Sereias (also known as Mermaid Beach – dreamy!) and Madalena are both popular surfing spots. Closer to town, Leça da Palmeira is a hip hangout and ace for bodyboarding and kite-surfing.