Lady’s Itinerary for 24 Hours in Porto, Portugal

Today I want to share my travel itinerary for spending 24 hours in Porto with you. This city on the Douro River in northern Portugal is famous for its port wine, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

24 Hours in Porto

A lot of people who visit Portugal head south for the sunshine. The Algarve is packed year-round with travelers from sun-starved latitudes, all of them seeking the ever-elusive vitamin D.

But there’s more to Portugal than just the beaches, and more sun-blessed regions in the country than just the Algarve. One particularly sunny destination is Porto.

I visited the city on my first trip to Portugal, and when I was invited back by Discover the Origin and the Wine Institute of Porto and the Douro Valley, I was excited to return and spend 24 hours in Porto.

The official purpose of the press trip was to go wine and port tasting in Porto’s across-the-river neighbor, Vila Nova de Gaia, as well as in the famous wine region of the Douro Valley.

But the journey began with 24 hours in Porto. Given how much I loved the city on my first trip, I couldn’t wait to explore again.

Where to Stay in Porto

My group traveled to Porto on Sunday afternoon on a flight from London’s Gatwick Airport.

A driver picked us up and drove us the short distance to the city center, where we checked into a hotel that was literally around the corner from where I stayed on my last trip to Porto.

The only difference was that the hotel we stayed in on this trip—the Hotel Infante Sagres—was a five-star hotel, whereas my previous hotel had been, well, less than that.

The Infante Sagres was a grand dame of a hotel and a great place to stay during our 24 hours in Porto. My room was great, with dark red accents that were perfect for a city famous for its port wine.

The lobby and breakfast room went a bit wild with contemporary flourishes, but overall the stay was a good one.

Things to Do in 24 Hours in Porto

Outside the hotel, I spent my 24 hours in Porto exploring the city. I started by walking through the wide Praca da Liberdade, which was flanked on both sides by beautiful historic architecture.

I then went past the famous Sao Bento train station, with its iconic blue azulejo tiles. From there I continued down the hill, passing colorful buildings that make Porto one of the most vibrant cities I’ve ever visited.

As I walked in the sunshine, I couldn’t help but think Porto looked more polished than it did on my last trip to Portugal. The buildings seemed to have fresh coats of paint, the streets appeared cleaner, and it seemed like Porto was on the rise.

The number of chic boutiques and modern pastelarias, or bakeries, seemed to attest to that as well.

The only things that hadn’t changed—thankfully—were the prices. It was still less than 3 euros for a beer at the restaurants on the river, and elsewhere a cup of coffee cost only 90 cents.

I couldn’t think of anywhere else in Western Europe where such reasonable prices prevailed. It was refreshing.

When my 24 hours in Porto brought me to the Douro River, the area was bustling. This was not least because there was a boat race taking place.

Huge sailboats zipped across the water in front of the stunning backdrop of the Ponte de Dom Luis I bridge and the port houses of Vila Nova de Gaia.

Walking back up the hill, my 24 hours in Porto continued as I made my way over to the Igreja de Santo Ildefonso church. It had a stunning azulejo-covered facade.

I then meandered down the pedestrianized Rua Santa Catarina and across Praca da Liberdade to the area around the university.

It too seemed nicer and newer than it had on my last visit, and after wandering around for a bit, I sat in a pretty park and read up on Portuguese wines before dinner.

The next day my 24 hours in Porto continued as my group went to the famous Mercado do Bolhao. There we indulged our senses in fresh produce, bright flowers, and plump olives in the faded glory of the arcaded building.

From the Mercado do Bolhao we walked up to Porto’s most famous bookstore, Livraria Lello, which may be the most beautiful of its kind in the world.

I never thought anything could trump the stunning interior of Daunt Books in London’s Marylebone, but Livraria Lello beat it.

The carved double staircase and gorgeous railings had me more interested in woodwork than books for what may have been the first time in my life.

It even had a small cafe at the top that looked like the perfect place for a cup of coffee or a glass of port.

Back outside, the last stop on my 24 hours in Porto was lunch at Cafe Guarany, a restaurant on the Praca da Liberdade just around the corner from my hotel.

Its large, airy dining room was a historic gem, and the food surpassed my expectations.

The traditional caldo verde soup with shredded kale was great, and my risotto with olives, lime, and salmon was delicious, if a bit non-traditional.

The wine, a red Duas Quintas, was excellent as well, and it was a great way to end our 24 hours in Porto and kick off our wine tasting trip in Portugal.

To that end, after lunch we made our way across the Douro River to continue our Portugal itinerary in Vila Nova de Gaia.

24 Hours in Porto

But given Porto’s proximity to both London and the Atlantic beaches, its sunshine, good wines, and its beautiful architecture, I’m sure I’ll be back again.

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