Top 10 things to do in Porto, Portugal

Porto is such a delight. Truly, every corner we turned tugged at my heartstrings with its creativity... 

the painted tiles, 

the colors, 

the food, 

the river front, 

port wine....awww...I could go on! 

Here are my favorite things we experienced in Porto...

1) Explore the Ribiera

The heartbeat of the old town is the Ribiera, or waterfront area. The Duoro river runs right through town, and it's a sight to see the Rabelo's (or traditional Portuguese cargo boats originally used to transport barrels of Port wine from the wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia to Porto). There are fun and lively restaurants dotting the waterfront and the cutest little shops to duck in to for some souvenirs. Love the atmosphere here! 

2) Discover Port at a Port Wine Tour 

No trip to Porto is complete without tasting it's namesake alcoholic beverage...Port! I had actually never tried port until I traveled to Porto, and let me tell you...it was magic. Truly, I was expecting a bitter wine...and had no idea it was such a sweet treat. All along the Gaia side of Porto are a slew of excellent Port Wine Sellers that give tours. We chose Sandeman and it was incredible, a total highlight of our trip! Head there in the morning to purchase tickets as they can sell out! 

3) Savor the most beautiful bookshop, Livraria Lello

You guys...this library was OUT OF THIS WORLD! There's a lot of hype about it and some people may say it's over rated, but I'm a sucker for beauty and this gorgeous book shop was a book lover's dream. You can read more about our time there here (including a few tips I have for seeing it, including a delicious brunch spot right next door!) 

4) Gaze at the blue & white tiled church of Ingreja do Carmo

Around the block from Livraria Lello is one of the famous blue and white painted tile churches called Ingreja do Carmo. It's actually 2 churches separated by a little house so the monks & nuns didn't share any commons walls! The church is absolutely breathtaking, and Kev and I had fun admiring it. You can read more about it here! 

5) Take Rick Steve's self-guided walking tour of the city 

One of the best part about Porto (In my opinion) is how walkable the city is! You can literally see just about everything by just strolling along! Rick Steve's is my favorite travel guidebook for Europe, you can never go wrong with his recommendations and self-guided walking tours from his books! 

6) Sample the local cuisine, including a pastel de nata

Ok friends, the food in Portugal swept me off my feet. I was not expecting such a delicious cuisine, but wow, everything I ate I loved. Kev and I have a little motto of "walk and try"...as we are exploring the streets of a city, we'll often just see something interesting and buy it on the spot. The pastel de nata (which is like a custard tart) is an easy one to get most anywhere! Kevin also sampled a local Portuguese favorite of bacalhau  (which is salted cod) baked as a casserole with lots of cheese. One of our favorite "walk and try" experiences in Porto happened when a huge rain storm descended upon us, and we found a "Port & Chocolate Experience" tasting room. We ducked in, and had an exciting time pairing Port with different types of Chocolates made in Porto. I will never say no to chocolate, ha! 

7) Take the Cable Car 

This was one experience we planned to do and then just ran out of time (because Porto is happening!). But...I've heard from multiple people that it is such a unique experience to see Porto from the air. $10 for a return trip! 

8) Listen to the Fado music around the University

We stayed in an epic Airbnb right by the University, and each night we'd go out to the park by the university and listen to college students pluck their guitars and sing traditional fado music. It was one of those experiences you can't fabricate...so much beauty in watching local life happen right before your eyes. The whole university area is really neat...you'll get to experience it when you visit Ingreja do Carmo and Livraria Lello. 

9) Peak in to the São Bento Train Station 

While this is included on the Rick Steve's walking tour, I just had to include it here because it really is such a romantic train station, heralding back to another era. The station is covered with the famous azulejo tiles, their blue and white hues telling a story. We took the train from here to Lisbon, and arrived a few minutes early to really soak in the beauty. 

10) Stand star struck at the Bolsa Palace (or stock exchange building)

Oooookay....let me tell you, I'm not normally in to visiting stock exchange buildings because me and finances don't really mix (I'm not a numbers gal, haha!). From the outside there's nothing too special about this place...however, walk inside, and you'll feel like someone just invited you to a ballroom in a castle! It's gorgeous. However, arrive early as tickets sell out, or book online in advance! (this picture is in the same square as the Bolsa Palace, but is not the actual palace!) 

The great news about Porto, is that whatever you decide, you will LOVE. The town is a lovely foray into all things Portuguese and you can't go wrong! Enjoy!