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Porto
Why Porto?
If Lisbon is Portugal’s city of sprawl, colossal avenues and grandeur, Porto, proud and deeply traditional, is the opposite. An endless labyrinth of cobbled side streets and viewpoints that will enchant you from the beginning. Your first job upon arrival is to get lost in the effortless, earthy charm of the Douro river. If that doesn’t do it for you, work your way up towards one of the traditional taverns, or Tascas and get stuck into a plate of tripas à modo do Porto or of course, one of the city’s infamously gargantuan francesinhas.
Entertainment
"You also should do a Douro River tour if you are interested in green, expansive views, some of the best wine in the world and general good vibes. Yet to be done because I am broke... but it is meant to be an absolute GEM!"
Toby
Year Abroad 19/20
Jardim do Morro
Located on the other side of the imposing Dom Luis I bridge in the neighbouring city of Vila Nova de Gaia is this spectacular park with views across the Douro onto the breath-taking old centre of Porto. During summer months expect beer festivals and more.
Casa de Serralves
For lovers of art and architecture, the Serralves complex is an absolute must visit. It houses a world class gallery space inside one of the primary examples of art-deco architecture in the country.
Matosinhos
Much like Lisbon, Porto gathers much of its charm from being a coastal city. Technically a city in its own right, Matosinhos has the gorgeous beach located just 25 minutes from the centre. It is clean, surrounded by astonishing shops and restaurants and provides everything you could hope for on a sunny Sunday.
Palácio de Cristal
There are many cities of astonishing beauties. Few boast the embarrassing riches of Porto when it comes to viewpoints. Palácio de Cristal is a beautifully curated park ideal for picnics, peacock spotting and that wonderful Porto laze you will come to depend upon.
The Best of Porto
Exploring Porto’s Restaurants and Bars Culture Porto Toby Feldman Community …
Destinations > Portugal > Porto Our Top Restaurants in Porto …
Accommodation
Finding a place to stay in Porto is made significantly easier by its small size. Bonfim, Santo Ildefonso, Boavista, Cedofeita and Lapa are probably the most central and trendy parts of town. However, worry not. You can cross the bulk of the city in 40 minutes by foot and transport is cheap and simple. With this in mind, the options become far more varied. You could live by the beach around Matosinhos or take a gamble and cross the river for a very traditional experience in Gaia.
"I started off living in Uni halls which was a bit dry. I would only recommend it if you like the co-living vibe. The only + is that it is super cheap! 160 euro a month. I found my current house which is awesome on a facebook group. You just type in Casa Porto and look out for a good deal. You can find for as cheap as 200/250 euros a month, but realistically you will be paying 350ish which is what my rent costs."
Toby
Toby
"Definitely visit the house and meet the folk before you sign. I arrived at my current house and the guy offered me a beer, some bread and butter and we had a little chat. It made a big difference and is definitely worth doing! Don't be shy!"Toby
Toby
"I started off living in Uni halls which was a bit dry. I would only recommend it if you like the co-living vibe. The only + is that it is super cheap! 160 euro a month. I found my current house which is awesome on a facebook group. You just type in Casa Porto and look out for a good deal. You can find for as cheap as 200/250 euros a month, but realistically you will be paying 350ish which is what my rent costs."
"Definitely visit the house and meet the folk before you sign. I arrived at my current house and the guy offered me a beer, some bread and butter and we had a little chat. It made a big difference and is definitely worth doing! Don't be shy!"
Toby
Toby
"I started off living in Uni halls which was a bit dry. I would only recommend it if you like the co-living vibe. The only + is that it is super cheap! 160 euro a month. I found my current house which is awesome on a facebook group. You just type in Casa Porto and look out for a good deal. You can find for as cheap as 200/250 euros a month, but realistically you will be paying 350ish which is what my rent costs."
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Transport
Porto is small. Depending on what your daily routine looks like and your commute, you can easily get through a week without using transport too much.
The wider city centre is connected by a metro network. It is very cheap and very easy to use, with tickets starting at €1.20. Do pay attention when buying your tickets as there is a slightly complex zonal system and different stations may require different tickets. Buses can be used with the same “Andante” (Walker) pass that you use on the metro and are particularly useful when trying to cross the river.
Uber journeys are very useful and it will typically cost around €5-8 for a journey back from a night out.
Need help planning your trip? Book a free consultation with one of our team members today!
Our Community
Get in touch with one of our ambassadors who have spent an extended period of time in this place. They have great advice!
Toby
General FAQs
Barcelona is mostly a fairly flat city, where it’s always sunny, so getting around by bike is a very good option. Barcelona has its own version of Boris bikes called Bicing. Also apps like Yego where you can rent mopeds all over the city for around 20 cents a minute.
It is also a good option to buy a T-10 card. With this card you will have 10 trips on all public transport, otherwise it’s €2.20 per ride. The metro runs 5am to midnight Sunday to Thursday, till 2am on Friday and 24 hours on Saturday.
Avoid Uber if you can. It’s a very small city, so its very easy to walk places. FreeNow is a reliable taxi service around the city.
