by Charalotte Hardy, CTA
Last month, I had the pleasure of attending Wine Travel Week in Porto, Portugal. It was a three day event filled with wine and travel supplier ‘speed dating’ surrounded by art at the beautiful Soares dos Reis National Museum, wine lunches and dinners at some of Porto’s most iconic venues. It was fabulous!
Before getting down to business, I spent a couple of days exploring Porto. If you have not been to Porto, I highly recommend going. The city is beautiful. The people are wonderful, very willing to tell tourists about their city and give you insider tips. The food and wine is amazing!
Here’s my top 5 things to do when you visit Porto.
1.See the Sights. The Portuguese are well known for their culture, architecture and of course, their beautiful blue and white tiled buildings.
Porto is a very safe and walk-able city. If you have sturdy shoes and don’t mind the cobble stone side walks, streets and some hills, walking is the best way to leisurely see the city.
Most of the important historical buildings and beautiful parks are a short distance from each other. My favorites locations for seeing the beautiful tiles are Sao Bento Train Station and Igreja do Carmo church. 
Don’t feel like walking, no worries you can use the Hop On/ Hop Off bus or the city trolley.
2. Eat Like the Portuguese! The Portuguese are masters of delicious comfort foods, farm to table cuisine and egg desserts.
I recommend visiting the Bolhao Market to sample many Portuguese delights. They have vendors for everything from cheese, meats, jams, honey, wine and, of course desserts. Grab an assortment to create a lovely picnic to enjoy in one of many parks in Porto. 
Sitting on the patio at a café, sipping an expresso and noshing on Pastel de Nata sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon is a must! 
The Portuguese like their sandwiches and THE sandwich to order in Porto is the Franscesehne. It is like the best grilled meat and cheese surrounded by tomato soup. The locals will tell you to order ½ sandwich with the sauce on side. Obviously, I did not listen.
3. Drink Like the Portuguese! When in Porto, drink Port. Port is not saved for dessert. They have White Port (It’s a little drier), Rose Port (for tourists), Ruby Ports and Tawny port (my favorite!)
For those that do not want just a lovely little glass of Port, they have Port and Tonic (very refreshing after a long day of exploring), Vinho Verde ( a very refreshing, slightly effervescent white wine) and many fabulous white or red wines from the region.
4. Talk to the locals. Portuguese people are very friendly and helpful. They love to share their country with tourists. They are happy to show you how to get to where you’re going (not just give directions) and tell you about their cities history and culture along the way.
Don’t worry about the language barrier if you do not speak Portuguese. If you ask someone for assistance and they do not speak English, they will find someone who speaks English to help you. I highly recommend learning a few courtesy phrases in Portuguese before you go. Ola, Bom Día (hello/Good day), Por Favor (please) and Abrigada/Abrigado (thank you) go a long way in building good will and making new friends.
5. Visit Vila Nova de Gaia. Vila Nova de Gaia is just across the Douro River from Porto and home to the famous Port Houses. I recommend walking across the upper portion of the Luis I Bridge. The views of the Douro River, Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto (after you cross the bridge) are spectacular! If you don’t want to walk across the bridge, there is a tram that will take you across.
Just after you cross the bridge, you can visit the monastery, Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar and the Jardim do Morro. The Gardens are a great place to enjoy a picnic.
You can walk down the hill or take the gondola to go spend time by the Douro River, visit WOW (World of Wine) and the Port Houses. The Six Bridges River Cruise is a great way to see Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia from another vantage point and relax.
Don’t forget to visit one or two of the many Port Houses for a tour and tasting. Caves Calem offers a highly enjoyable tour, tasting with Fado music at 6 pm regularly. Round out your day by enjoy a fantastic meal at a riverside café. I recommend Taberninha do Manel for a glass of Port Sangria and Franscesehne sandwich.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my top five things to do in Porto. Porto is a great city to visit over a long weekend, taking in the sights, eating great food, drinking amazing wines, making new Portuguese friends and enjoying the great views from Vila Nova de Gaia. I hope you feel inspired to visit Porto soon.
Cheers!
Charalotte Hardy, CTA
Wine Travel Food Adventures
Europe Travel Specialist, Ocean and River Cruise Specialist,
WSET Level 2 Wine Specialist