Five hours in Porto - what to do, see, eat and drink?

[nidarosa]

Hi knowledgeable peregrinos, I will be getting the bus from Santiago to Porto city centre after our camino, late March, and will arrive at around three o'clock in the afternoon. Our flight from Porto is at ten, so leaving two hours to get to the airport, carrying only hand luggage (peregrino packs) would leave five hours-ish to have a wander in Porto. I have been there for three hours once, and only ate some local dish and looked at the river flowing below me. This time we were hoping to see or do something typical to Porto and of course have a glass of port, red or white, while people watching.

So what should we see or do in our five hours? Where to eat? City centre only please, as we will be wanting to relax and wind down after our camino. Walking up and down the hills to get to the river should be a doddle after O Cebreiro but the less we have to move around, the better. Any suggestions?

 

[Former member 22438]

Hi knowledgeable peregrinos, I will be getting the bus from Santiago to Porto city centre after our camino, late March, and will arrive at around three o'clock in the afternoon. Our flight from Porto is at ten, so leaving two hours to get to the airport, carrying only hand luggage (peregrino packs) would leave five hours-ish to have a wander in Porto. I have been there for three hours once, and only ate some local dish and looked at the river flowing below me. This time we were hoping to see or do something typical to Porto and of course have a glass of port, red or white, while people watching.

So what should we see or do in our five hours? Where to eat? City centre only please, as we will be wanting to relax and wind down after our camino. Walking up and down the hills to get to the river should be a doddle after O Cebreiro but the less we have to move around, the better. Any suggestions?

The famous local dish in Porto is Francesinha, a dish -a pile of meat , sausage, bread, molten cheese an egb on top and a hot sauce. Try it. Very special and nouritive so you do not need to eat before you are back in Trondheim

What to see. There is so much to see but have a look at the riverside, walk over the fa ous bridge, drink a portwine at one of the famous porthouses alingside the river. The cathedral, the famous Sāo Bento railwaystation with its famous hall with the tipical blue and white paintings in tiles.
You will fall in love with this town and come back next time to walk the caminho Portugues.
Godt tur

 

[nidarosa]

@Albertinho, thanks for that! I actually think that was the thing I ate last time - it was like a huge, stuffed empanada with everything in it, and you're right, we won't need to eat again that day!! I am making a note of the railway station, I wouldn't have thought of that but I love the azulejos so will definitely put that on the itinerary. I loved the city when I was there for three hours so imagine what will happen if I am there for five ... I was planning on walking the Portugues this summer but my partner had to use or lose his holiday time before April, so Astorga to Santiago it is. We lived in Tavira in the Algarve for a while and will be flying there from Porto, can't wait to have some frango piri-piri and some grilled sardines, washed down with some vinho verde!

Bom caminho to you too!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, nidarosa,
Totally agree with Albertinho about walking across the bridge. Make sure you cross on the upper level of the bridge to get to the Gaia side, then walk down and find a port lodge on the water. The view from the park at the top is one of the most beautiful "built environment" sites ever, IMO (my picture on the left was taken from there as I arrived on the Caminho Portugues). You can then hop into a cab quickly to get back to the center. Another option is to take the metro from the train station across to the first stop on the other side. The metro views are pretty stunning and you'll be on the upper level of the bridge as well.

I love walking around the old central core. A little bit gritty, still lots of residents with a lot of street life, you will have no trouble filling up your free time in Porto. Bom caminho, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

p.s. Forgot to add a link to a New York Times 36 hours in Porto piece, it may have some good ideas for you.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/travel/36-hours-in-porto-portugal.html?_r=0

 

[whariwharangi]

Hi knowledgeable peregrinos, I will be getting the bus from Santiago to Porto city centre after our camino, late March, and will arrive at around three o'clock in the afternoon. Our flight from Porto is at ten, so leaving two hours to get to the airport, carrying only hand luggage (peregrino packs) would leave five hours-ish to have a wander in Porto. I have been there for three hours once, and only ate some local dish and looked at the river flowing below me. This time we were hoping to see or do something typical to Porto and of course have a glass of port, red or white, while people watching.

So what should we see or do in our five hours? Where to eat? City centre only please, as we will be wanting to relax and wind down after our camino. Walking up and down the hills to get to the river should be a doddle after O Cebreiro but the less we have to move around, the better. Any suggestions?

One of the Autna bus stops is located next to a McDonalds restaurant. Consider it a return to 'civilization'.

If I was you I would get off the bus at the airport and check in. Then take the Metro downtown to use up whatever time remains. My guess from using Google Earth is the Metro station Casa de Musica on line E is close to downtown.

Monbus provides bus service from Santiago bus station to Vigo bus station.

Autna provides bus service from Vigo bus station to Porto.

Autna has bus stops in Porto at the following locations from South to North:

a. Campo Mártires da Patria, 37
The closest Metro is Estação Sao Bento line D

b. Avda. de los Aliados – McDonald’s
The closest Metro is Estação Sao Bento line D

c. Aeropuerto
Metro line E

Monbus
http://www.monbus.es/index2.htm

Autna
http://www.autna.com/es/

Metro do Porto
http://www.metrodoporto.pt/

 

[Former member 22438]

One of the Autna bus stops is located next to a McDonalds restaurant. Consider it a return to 'civilization'.

If I was you I would get off the bus at the airport and check in. Then take the Metro downtown to use up whatever time remains. My guess from using Google Earth is the Metro station Casa de Musica on line E is close to downtown.

Monbus provides bus service from Santiago bus station to Vigo bus station.

Autna provides bus service from Vigo bus station to Porto.

Autna has bus stops in Porto at the following locations from South to North:

a. Campo Mártires da Patria, 37
The closest Metro is Estação Sao Bento line D

b. Avda. de los Aliados – McDonald’s
The closest Metro is Estação Sao Bento line D

c. Aeropuerto
Metro line E

Monbus
http://www.monbus.es/index2.htm

Autna
http://www.autna.com/es/

Metro do Porto
http://www.metrodoporto.pt/

I agree with you checking in at the airport is a good idea. There is a direct busline by ALSA from Santiago to Porto Praça da Musica but also stops at the Porto airport .
it leaves the Santiago busstation at 12.00 but for sure ask at the busstation or the tourist information in Santiago. https://www.alsa.es/portal/site/Alsa/template.PAGE/menuitem.a2b8c42c4264a03c66c766c7421000e5/?javax.portlet.tpst=28b12525bd34c9fec845c845421000e5&javax.portlet.prp_28b12525bd34c9fec845c845421000e5=_spageview=%2FSearchExpeditions.do&_kraview=1&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken

When at the busstation either in Santiago or Vigo where the bus has its first stop keep an eye on your luggage when the luggage compartmentdoors are opened.
Nobody is attending and you will not be the first to miss your backpack arriving at your final stop some hours later. I waited outside untill the driver closed the luggage compartment doors.

 

[Former member 22438]

I also remember that we got a discount on the busfare because we are pensionados.
A so called " descuento tercera edad " Which means such as discount for the "third age" as they call us pensionados in Spain and Portugal too. " Terça idade"
A pensionado in Spanish is a "jubilado" and in Portugal "aposentado "
If you have reached the pensionado age -ikke tygger du är Nidarose -always ask for the descuento tercera edad. Saves you some money
Till lycket og godt tur

 

[nidarosa]

Cheers, @peregrina2000, much appreciated - I am taking notes! Hoping to find a bus that goes out to the airport, went and checked in first and then went into town by Metro last time but if you miss one train it's half an hour wait. We are on an Alsa bus that stops by the Casa da Musica and will go from there. If all else fails we'll get a taxi back to the airport, depending on where we are when we need to get going.

 

[kellyz]

Oh, I'm jealous. I would spend the whole time eating bacalao and sardines, but that's me. I had a great dinner at A Grade (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...e-Porto_Porto_District_Northern_Portugal.html), near the river but slightly up a side street from the other restaurants.
But, there are so many excellent places to eat in Porto... Check back and let us know what you discovered!

 

[katdavis]

Cafe Majestic (Rua de Santa Catarina) while touristy is a great place to try the Francescina sandwich. If you have any room left after that, fill up on some portuguese tarts (Pasteis de nata), and wash them down with a glass of Beirao (portuguese liquor).

On the same street is the Capela Das Almas which has a beautiful blue tiled facade.

Then the Sao Bento station to see it's lovely tiled interior.

Forgot to mention visiting the Cathedral and its cloister & museum.

Pop over to the bookshop "Livraria Lello" described as one of the most beautiful book shops in the world.

Then across the bridge for port tasting.

Buen Camino!

Kat

 

[docpam]

Be sure to go to The Bookshop, even if just to look at the crazy architecture. Lovely!

 

[nidarosa]

Duly noted, especially the bookshop! So looking forward to it now, can hardly wait even if it is only five hours...

 

[Former member 22438]

Cafe Majestic (Rua de Santa Catarina) while touristy is a great place to try the Francescina sandwich. If you have any room left after that, fill up on some portuguese tarts (Pasteis de nata), and wash them down with a glass of Beirao (portuguese liquor).

On the same street is the Capela Das Almas which has a beautiful blue tiled facade.

Then the Sao Bento station to see it's lovely tiled interior.

Forgot to mention visiting the Cathedral and its cloister & museum.

Pop over to the bookshop "Livraria Lello" described as one of the most beautiful book shops in the world.

Then across the bridge for port tasting.

Buen Camino!

Kat

You are "the " connaiseur Kat !
Hope @nidarosa finds the time to do and see all those things in such a short time but why not come back ? Portugal and Porto are such great places to be .
Can't wait to go back. Allready counting down

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

I did a quick video on my last visit of some of the sights, yes a great city for people watching...

 

[Former member 22438]

I did a quick video on my last visit of some of the sights, yes a great city for people watching...

Memorias feliçes ! Thanks for sharing. It supports all the posts on this thread so Nidarosa and all who are interested to stay in this great city , now have an idea of what it is like

Um Braço
Albertinho

 

[sueque12]

I can hardly wait!!

 

[Walli Walker]

Albertino, what is the pensionado age in Portugal? Sixty or 65?
Thanks, Jacki.

 

[Former member 22438]

Albertino, what is the pensionado age in Portugal? Sixty or 65?
Thanks, Jacki.

Jacki. As in many countries here in Europe the official age changes per annum due to the long lasting recession.
In Portugal at this moment the age for official retirement is 66 years..
Here in Holland this year 2015 you have to be 65 +3 month before you get your state -and company pension. When I retired in 2013 it was 65 + 1 month.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retirement_age

 

[scruffy1]

Modern architecture and art! The Porto School!! Don't miss Casa da Música built by Koolhaus andFundação de Serralves built by Alvaro Siza Vieira easily reached by city bus ask at the tourist info - not to be missed!.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

[QUOTE=" When I retired in 2013 it was 65 + 1 month"[/QUOTE]
Really? But your wife is only in her late 20's .....
Laurie - I wondered about that wall in your profile!! Here's the same wall in 2013!

with some old tramp
Nidarosa - you must have enough suggestions by now! You could check my diaries on my web site. I LOVE Porto [and Lisbon!]
Buen camino!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, nidarosa,

You've got enough to fill several days in Porto. The bookstore and the cafe Kat mentions are really special. And you'll find lots of little nooks and crannies just walking through that old part that will surprise you -- an old fashioned hardware store, a shoe repair store that looks like it's using medieval instruments, those hole in the wall groceries with dusty bottles of piri piri -- it's a lot of fun.

But just a note on the airport check-in -- I'm not sure about the suggestion to check in for your 10 pm flight at 2 or 3 pm. I have arrived in the Lisbon airport several hours before a flight because of a situation like yours, and found that the counters for checking in for my flight were not posted, and I couldn't check in till close to departure time. I'm not sure if there's a standard policy about this or not but it would be a pain to arrive at the airport only to find you couldn't check in. But since you said you have done it before, maybe it's not that risky. Hope you will report back on your saunter through Porto! Bom caminho, Laurie

 

[DurhamParish]

I will be in Porto for a few days in April with my wife and 3 friends after our Camino from Sarria to Santiago. I have been to Porto a couple of times and I agree it is a beautiful and wonderful place and I am excited to be returning.

Two questions:

1. Is is possible to go up in the Clergios Tower?

2. Can anyone recommend a good and reasonably priced company for a day trip up the Duoro Valley? My wife and I stayed in Folgosa for a couple of days in 2012 and loved it. I would love to see the Duoro Valley again and I know my friends would love it.

 

[peregrina2000]

I will be in Porto for a few days in April with my wife and 3 friends after our Camino from Sarria to Santiago. I have been to Porto a couple of times and I agree it is a beautiful and wonderful place and I am excited to be returning.

Two questions:

1. Is is possible to go up in the Clergios Tower?

2. Can anyone recommend a good and reasonably priced company for a day trip up the Duoro Valley? My wife and I stayed in Folgosa for a couple of days in 2012 and loved it. I would love to see the Duoro Valley again and I know my friends would love it.

To number 1 -- yes, it's possible, I've done it. Schedule here: http://www.torredosclerigos.pt/pt/horarios

To number 2 -- I have spent time in the Douro Valley and believe that hands down the most beautiful section is from Pinhao east to the end of the line at Pocinho. There is a rickety little train that makes the trip out and back with about a half hour stopped in Pocinho so the driver can have a coffe in the cafe (and I was able to buy several bottles of homemade honey, olive oil, and a few of wine in some little stands set up there). The scenery is absolutely fantastic, no cars can make that journey, so it's just you on the train, the vineyards, and the river. When I get back to my computer, I'll post a few pictures.

From Porto, it might be a pain of a day trip, but you can start on this little train either in Regua or in Pinhao. If you have a car, I'd definitely recommend the Pinhao starting point, because the best scenery is east of there.

I would personally caution against these day floats up the river, most people I know have said that the food is bad, the loudspeaker annoying, and they tend to end their trip in Pinhao, which is where all the glorious scenery BEGINS!!!

So, if money were no object and you didn't want to rent a car, I'd get a private driver for the day, get up to Mesao Frio and explore a bit, maybe through the more remote vineyards around Alijo, and then have the driver wait for you for a couple of hours while you take the trip up and back on the train from Pinhao to Pocinho. Bom caminho, Laurie

 

[mspath]

If as Laurie suggests money were no object and you go to Mesao Frio do consider staying overnight at the VERY comfortable Pousada. See http://www.portugalpousadas.com/Pousada-Mesao-Frio.htm.

 

[peregrina2000]

Margaret is absolutely right about the pousada at Mesao Frio. It has a view of the river and very nice rooms - but make sure NOT to get a room under the eaves on the highest floor. Noisy, drafty, and totally inferior rooms. The rooms on the first floor up from reception are beautiful, with lovely common rooms for sitting by the fire, it's a really nice place.

And about a 15 minute walk from the hamlet of Mesao Frio (where there is a nice little restaurant or two), is a great little Hotel Rural, the Casa de Canilhas. Cheaper than the pousada, each room has a private balcony overlooking the Douro, and IMO, the views from Canilhas are better than the views from the pousada. But the pousada is definitely lovely.

 

[DurhamParish]

Thanks for the responses. I have been as far as Pinhao since Folgosa was only 2 or 3 miles before it. I don't think we'll be wanting to actually stay overnight up the valley, since we'll only be in Porto for a couple of days and then traveling on down to Lisbon for the remainder of our available time.

I was not aware of that train beyond Pinhao. I wish I knew about it when I was there because I would have rode that for sure, being the train fanatic that I am. I looked on the CP website and looked at how long it would take to take it from Porto to Pocinho, and for me it would be heaven, but I think the ladies would find it otherwise. And driving to Pinhao and catching it might be a bit inconvenient given the available times since we would have to return to Porto so late. Although, I may look at catching it further back the line, like Regua as you suggested.

I was thinking more along the lines of some kind of a bus trip that would have a couple of stops at wineries for tourings and tastings. Not quite MY cup of tea, but I think something of that nature would be better received by the others.

Gotta get ready for a birthday party right now. If I don't respond right away to your kind assistance, that's the reason.

 

[peregrina2000]

hi, DurhamParish,
I have no first hand knowledge of these, but here are a couple of companies that seem to offer what you are looking for:

http://www.yellowbustours.com/en/cities/oporto/douro-valley-tour-and-wine-tour/

http://www.viator.com/tours/Porto-a...nd-Optional-River-Cruise/d219-5507DOUROVALLEY

http://www.cooltouroporto.com/en

I can also suggest getting on a travel forum like fodors.com and posting your question. It may get you some more knowledgeable responses. I've gotten a lot of good help from their European forum over the years and there are sub-groups on a country basis: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/portugal/

I'm sure you'll find something to your liking. Bom caminho, Laurie

 

[DurhamParish]

Thank you. I am grateful for your help and knowledge.