The river boats on the Douro River from the bridge above at sunset — View of Porto from the Luís I Bridge. Click on my photos to pin on Pinterest!

This blog will be all about my time in Porto, Portugal in the spring! I’ll go over what we all did, best places to eat, my favorite photography spots, and where to stay on your trip to Porto.

Porto in the Spring

My older sister lived in Porto, Portugal for a couple of months, so while she was over there, I decided to go see her for about 10 days. Flights were very reasonable to fly from Minneapolis to Porto, and I was looking for an escape from the chilly midwest. I often fly before or after peak season for better flight deals. So in the beginning of April, another sister, her husband, my boyfriend, and I all packed our bags and went to visit. We only booked this trip about a month and a half in advance, but everything came together incredibly well for a truly magical trip.

Pink flowers blossom on bush near Porto's pretty architecture — Flowers blooming in the spring in Porto, Portugal

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What to Pack

We packed layers for our trip looking ahead at the weather. In the beginning of April, temperatures were around 55-69 degrees each day. We would be warm in the afternoons and a little chilled at night. A light jacket and sweaters were nice to throw on when it was chilly. Make sure to also bring a good pair of walking shoes. We walked SO MUCH all over the city.

Besides clothing, you should also pack a universal travel adapter, euros, and a travel credit card like the SavorOne credit card. This comes in handy while abroad, because there are no foreign transaction fees. Not only are there no transaction fees, but you get cash back on all purchases and there is no annual fee. Travel tip: make sure to choose EUROS vs US when paying with a card to get the best conversion rate. I love this card, and if you’re looking for a great starter card for your international travel, here’s my link to sign up.

Woman standing in front of red door taking a photo with the camera pointed at you — Outside our apartment in Vila Nova de Gaia

Navigating the Metro

Once we arrived to the Porto airport, we took the metro into the city. We looked up the closest stop to the apartment we booked, which was Jardim do Morro, and made sure to get off at that stop. The purple line, Aeroporto Francisco Sá Carneiro (OPO) Metro, goes directly to Jardim do Morro, so navigating the metro was pretty straightforward. I recommend getting an eSIM for navigating the metro. Airalo has cheap eSIMs for Portugal. You can download the Airalo app for quick eSIM delivery. Everything is easier when you’re able to google when you’re out and about.

Where to Stay

Our apartment was located in Vila Nova de Gaia, right across the bridge from Porto. The views were absolutely beautiful! If you’re traveling with a group of 7 or less, our apartment was close to the action and right along the Douro River with the most amazing scenery.

View of the Douro River from inside a window with the sun beaming in — Sunset view from our apartment window

We had the pleasure of crossing the Luís I Bridge each day venturing into Porto. This city is incredibly walkable, just make sure you bring some comfortable shoes! We walked everywhere, which was so amazing. Porto felt small and safe at all times of the day and night, which I loved. I was only there for about 10 days, and I quickly was able to navigate where I wanted to go without using my phone.

A couple smiling and hugging in front of river, bridge, and the city of Porto — Ross and I near the Luís I Bridge

Where to Eat

We spent a lot of our time relaxing and enjoying the food in Porto. We would often wander around the city without a plan and see where the day took us. There are so many little cafes and excellent restaurants all over the city. Some cafes are so small and quaint, they only fit a handful of people! If you’re traveling from the U.S., keep in mind that many cafes do not open until much later in the morning, like 9-10am. If you’re a coffee lover and need it right away in the morning, I suggest grabbing some to keep where you’re staying. My sister found this out the first morning!

Blonde woman drinking wine at open window with a view of the river — Drinking some wine while looking out at the amazing view in our Airbnb

Pingo Doce

One thing we love doing no matter what foreign country we are in, is going to the grocery store, lol! It’s so fun to see the different items and see a little into how daily life is lived. Pingo Doce is a popular grocery store in Porto, and there are various locations. We stocked up on fresh bread, wine, and other fun snacks to keep with us in the Airbnb.

Man sitting on the grass, wearing sunglasses drinking a beer next to a gate — Ross drinking Super Bock at Base Porto

Base Porto

Now let’s get into some of my favorite places for food and drinks besides the grocery store! ;) Definitely grab drinks at Base Porto, an open-air bar right in the city. We ordered drinks and hung out on the lawn for an afternoon here. The sun was shining and we enjoyed the beautiful spring weather. It was laid back and just the right vibe, plus the drinks were delicious of course. The guys drank Super Bock and the girls drank wine and sangria. Almost every place we went, we enjoyed a new version of sangria. It was the best!

Most restaurants in Porto provide English, Portuguese, and French menus. They were very accommodating everywhere we went, which made ordering less stressful. Most younger people in Porto spoke English. However, one restaurant we went to, the server did not speak English. We were still able to order by showing him what we wanted on the menu and we figured it out. This just added to the experience, so if this happens to you, stay calm and work with your server. It’ll all work out :) Make sure to thank your servers by saying Obrigado (if you’re a male) or Obrigada (if you’re a female).

It’s always helpful to learn some of the foreign country’s language before your trip. For my trip to Porto, I took lessons on Duolingo. The short amount of time I took lessons did help while I was over there. I’ll add some phrases at the end of this article that I found helpful.

Couple leaning on each other while sitting in the grass drinking wine and beer — Ross and I enjoying our drinks at Base Porto

Gazela

Next on the list is to try a cachorro, a Portuguese hot dog that's a popular snack food in Porto. I recommend Gazela. Their cachorros were delicious and even Anthony Bourdain recommended this place himself. You can also try a francesinha from here, the wettest sandwich you’ll ever have lol. Francesinha’s are a very popular fast food item originating from Porto. You’ll find them at almost every restaurant.

Food and drinks in Porto are very affordable. We were shocked at how little the bills totaled each time we closed out.

Nutella pancakes with ice cream, bananas, and strawberries on blue plate — Nutella pancakes at Zenith. Yum!

Zenith - Brunch & Cocktails Bar

If you’re looking for a fabulous brunch spot (who isn’t?) Check out Zenith - Brunch & Cocktails Bar. Their food was amazing! They serve brunch all day. I had nutella pancakes, which came with all the toppings, and we all had rossinis to drink. Everything was so delicious. Zenith became a fan favorite of our group.

Nightlife

Porto’s nightlife is no joke. People stay out until the early morning, sometimes even until 8am! We went out with some locals and wanted to leave at 3am. They asked us why we were leaving so early, lol!

Embaixada do Porto

We had a great time at Embaixada do Porto for some nightlife. It’s a cafe during the day that sells photography equipment, vinyls, and other cool items. At night, it’s a bar with live music and a DJ. This was such a fun spot, I recommend you check it out.

three wine glasses with different port varieties — Port wine varieties at Càlem Port Wine Tour

Port Wine Tour

One of our favorite days of our vacation was spent at the Càlem Port Wine Tour in Vila Nova de Gaia. Port wine is a staple of Porto since all port comes from Portugal's Douro Valley. Taking a port wine tour is the perfect way to learn about this history, and of course taste some of the best port wine. During our Càlem Port Wine Tour, we toured the museum and ended the afternoon with a tasting. Port wine is strong! We enjoyed ourselves so much on this tour, the pictures speak for themselves!

3 women hugging and smiling in front of a boat on the Douro River — My sisters and I after our port wine tour at Càlem

We loved the wine so much, we grabbed a couple of bottles to bring back with us. There are a variety of Port Wine Tours to choose from in Porto, so choose one that fits your vibe.

My Favorite Photography Spots

There are no shortage of beautiful spots to take photos while in Porto. If you’re like me, you’ll LOVE the beautiful mosaic architecture.

Blonde woman walking in yellow skirt next to blue tiled church — Azulejos on the Chapel of Souls

Chapel of Souls & Igreja do Carmo

These tiles are called azulejos. The photos above are taken outside the Chapel of Santa Catarina also known as Chapel of Souls. The photo below is taken at the Igreja do Carmo. There are azulejos all over Porto, even at the São Bento Railway Station. There are stores where you can buy your own tiles to bring back home with you and you can even paint your own! Check out this cool tile painting and cocktails experience for a handmade souvenir.

Blue tiled building photographed from below — Azulejos Igreja do Carmo

Porto Cathedral Staircase

Another lovely photo location is the Porto Cathedral Staircase. The view from here is beautiful! You can see the Clérigos Church Tower in the distance, which I also recommend touring! This location is also right next to the Porto Cathedral, which is also amazing and covered in gorgeous azulejos.

Blonde woman smiling with camera on her shoulder with the view of Porto in the distance — View from the Porto Cathedral Staircase

I’m wearing a gold layered chain look in these photos. Get the same ones here! They pair well with so many different outfits.

Clérigos Tower

Make sure to make a point of going to the top of the Clérigos Tower. The Clérigos Tower tour is very affordable and they even have student discounts. You get a tour of the Clérigos Museum and the tower, the tallest campanile(bell tower) in Portugal. This was such a special experience while in Porto.

Grand church architecture with a gold ceiling — Inside Clérigos Church

When you’re up in the tower, you can see all the way to the ocean. It’s pretty cool! The architecture made for some beautiful photography shots.

The Clérigos Tower is right near Base Porto, so you can grab some drinks after your tour or while you’re waiting for your time slot.

man standing on beach wearing a wetsuit and holding a surboard — Surfing at Matoshinhos Beach

Matoshinhos Beach

Speaking of the ocean, we spent a day taking the metro to Matoshinhos Beach to hang out and surf. Ross rented a surfboard and wetsuit, and spent the afternoon riding the chilly waves while I relaxed on the beach. A wetsuit is definitely needed while in the water here. Although the sun was shining, the water was cold!

Matoshinhos Beach is a popular surf spot and great for learning how to surf. We watched a lot of beginners having fun!

Other Things to do Around Porto

A few other things I recommend while hanging out in Porto is visiting some vintage stores. We loved Mon Père Vintage! They had such a fun variety of items.

Kate Skateshop and Muzak Vinyl Records, which are in the same building, are also cool stores to shop at. While we were over there, we made a new friend, Xico, who DJs at Embaixada do Porto and owns Muzak Vinyl Records.

Jardins do Palacio de Cristal, is another lovely spot. It’s a beautiful garden and park that has peacocks roaming around!

Porto apartment buildings with clothes hanging outside to dry — Cute apartments in Porto, Portugal

Overall Thoughts on Porto

Overall, our experience in Porto, Portugal was incredible. We talk about going back all the time to enjoy the laid back atmosphere and great wine. We love Porto and I 100% recommend visiting! I would also love to see more of Portugal, like Lisbon and the Algarve Coast, someday. Portugal is such a special place.