What to See in Porto

Portugal has two big cities: Lisbon and Porto. But how different they are... After a month in Lisbon I wanted to escape from it - the city feels oppressive. Porto is the complete opposite. It is atmospheric, cosy, romantic and so on.)) You want to come back to Porto again and again. And that's even though the Cais da Ribeira waterfront is a real pearl for "sightseers"! Special attention should go to watching sunsets and visiting viewpoints - often these are the very same places.

A walking route through the centre of Porto ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Start with this route to admire the main sights of the city. 

• ViaCatarina Shopping mall ⭐ (with a paid underground car park right there). An ordinary mall, even a small one). But it is a convenient place to start the walk. Since the city is hilly, it is easy to walk down from the mall to the waterfront along the pedestrian streets of the old town. The Mercado do Bolhão market is right next door too, and you can visit it if you like.
• The pedestrian street R. de Santa Catarina ⭐- an ordinary pedestrian street with shops and cafés, nothing unusual, but there are quite a lot of people here)
• The pedestrian street R. das Flores ⭐ - the continuation of Santa Catarina street, nothing unusual either))
• Cais da Ribeira / Ribeira do Porto ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - the start of the best part of the walking route! Walk along the waterfront, as shown on the map by the blue dots, and cross onto the bridge. The locations listed from here on are described below in the section on viewpoints and sunset spots.
• The Ponte de D. Luís bridge ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- cross the bridge to the opposite side and walk to the Gaia cable car - Cais de Gaia station. On the way admire the waterfront, especially the area of the viewpoint Miradouro da Serra do Pilar.
• Jardim do Morro ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - we get here by the yellow arrows on the Gaia Cable Car - Jardim do Morro station. Admire the city from here and follow the yellow arrows to the best viewpoint in Porto - Miradouro da Serra do Pilar. Then we return to the bridge (red arrows) and cross it, this time by the upper deck where the metro runs. You can finish the walking route here)

This route is designed for 2-3 hours at the very least.

It is worth repeating the part of the walking route from the Cais da Ribeira / Ribeira do Porto waterfront to Miradouro da Serra do Pilar after sunset as well. Just remember that the cable car will no longer be running and you will have to walk everywhere along the yellow arrows. Porto at night is just as picturesque as by day!

Where to watch the sunset in Porto

• The lighthouse at sunset, Farolim de Felgueiras ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is one of the convenient, beautiful places to watch the sunset. Parking is free right next to the lighthouse. Note that the weather here differs from the "city" weather - on the waterfront it is almost always windy, up to 5 degrees colder, damp, and often foggy. In windy weather there is a spectacular bonus of huge waves at the lighthouse.

An evening route in Porto after sunset along the waterfront from the Atlantic Ocean to the Douro river

A great idea is to watch the sunset at the Farolim de Felgueiras lighthouse and then drive slowly towards the Ribeira do Porto riverfront. It takes about 20 minutes, but what magical minutes they are!!! Porto at night is all aglow... an atmosphere of cosiness and relaxation everywhere! You want to make this route every day of your stay in Porto)

• Jardim do Morro or the Miradouro da Serra do Pilar viewpoint ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here the sunset happens against the backdrop of the city and the Douro river. In the summer season you should take your spot at the Miradouro da Serra do Pilar viewpoint half an hour before sunset. The video below shows how many people gather to watch the sunset in the "Jardim do Morro" park. "Jardim do Morro" is a grand name - in essence it is a patch of green lawn for watching the sunset) After sunset you can walk to the Marginal de Gaia viewpoint. The walk goes along cobbled streets and steps - you can see the lights come on after sunset. By the time you go down to Marginal de Gaia, the city is already glowing with magic against the falling darkness!

• Miradouro do Estuário do Douro ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Miradouro do Estuário do Douro viewpoint is right opposite the lighthouse, across the Douro river. It is another excellent place to watch the sunset and enjoy the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. There is also a large free car park here. You can walk in both directions - there are lovely avenues everywhere. In the direction "away from the city centre" a promenade runs along the beaches of Praia de Lavadores, Praia das Pedras Amarelas, Praia de Salgueiros and so on endlessly. Walking this way, time flies by unnoticed. There are many sweet, cosy cafés on the way. The path towards the city centre leads to the roosting place of birds (flamingos, gulls and many others). This area is called the Nature Reserve Douro Estuary Site. By the way, you can stop anywhere along it - a road with free parking runs alongside. You can get to the edge at low tide, which is also when the birds are here. Otherwise it is all under water.

Parks in Porto

• Parque da Cidade do Porto ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A perfect park for walking and dog-walking! There is a circular route of at least 1 hour (the route is on the map below), and if you walk around each lake and take the different paths, even more. There isn't much to see, but an atmosphere of genuine relaxation is guaranteed. Next to the park there is a convenient free car park, Estacionamento do Parque da Cidade (Boavista). By the first lake there are many birds, which you can feed if you like. It is convenient to visit the park about 30 minutes before sunset, because then a gorgeous view of the sun setting into the water opens up at the far end of the park (see the photo above in the "Where to watch the sunset in Porto" section). The whole way back is comfortable, even in the dark.

• Parque e Jardim da Fundação Serralves ⭐⭐⭐⭐

At first glance, the Parque e Jardim da Fundação Serralves (Serralves Foundation) park is not worth its price - 15 euros per person. But that's only for the first 10 minutes of the park) The entrance to the park is Fundação Serralves, and right next to it there is free parking along the road (approximate coordinates 41.159826, -8.660596). There are always enough spaces, since not many people want to visit a park for that kind of money. You can buy tickets on the spot at the ticket office and get a map of the park there too. Note that the park is open until 18:00, and a visit takes about 2 hours. The main thing in the park is to find every sight so as not to miss the most valuable ones) The best locations are the avenue going down from the Casa de Serralves museum, which leads to the second location - the Treetop Walk Serralves (a walk "along the treetops on a suspended walkway"), and then a field with cattle. Below is the walking route through the park: the red arrows go out, the yellow ones lead back to the entrance (which is also the exit). There is nothing to do here twice, but once is worth it. In September - October, around the rose avenue you can gather a whole bag of edible chestnuts). By the way, all the objects in the park belong to contemporary art.

• Jardins do Palácio de Cristal ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The terraced park / garden Jardins do Palácio de Cristal is one of the best viewpoints in Porto, and also a great place for a 1-1.5 hour walk along picturesque terraces / avenues dotted with flowers, with a view of the Douro riverfront! There are many peacocks in the park, walking around freely. Don't miss the panoramic spot Miradouro da Ponte da Arrábida and the excellent view at the coordinates 41° 8' 44.98" N, 8° 37' 35.30" W. Although in this park every avenue has a view. There is free parking here that you shouldn't count on, but there is also the underground car park Estacionamento Palácio de Cristal, although it is not very big either. This park is very, very popular with tourists)

What to see near Porto

1. Peneda-Gerês National Park (Parque Nacional Peneda-Gerês) ⭐⭐⭐

It takes about 2 hours to get here from Porto. As in most nature parks, the main thing here is to drive along its serpentine roads, enjoying the views. The viewpoints are chosen more as a guide to the direction than as a specific goal. In this region all the main views are concentrated around the Cávado river. There isn't much to see for travellers), but as an option:

• the panoramic spots Miradouro Voltas de São Bento and Mirante Velho Viewpoint ⭐⭐⭐- follow one after another and basically duplicate each other. The second is more picturesque) Parking nearby is free.
• the Miradouro da Pedra Bela viewpoint ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - the best location on the whole route) Parking nearby is free. Besides the view, there is a clearing in the forest equipped for mini picnics.
• the Cascata de Fecha de Barjas waterfall ⭐ - in summer it is just "dry streams". What's more, access may be closed because of fires.

Allow 2 hours for the visit, including a snack. As an option, you can go boating or relax on the Cávado river near the Posto de Turismo de Rio Caldo (as a landmark for the boat rental places and local cafés on the riverbank).

You can skip the Cascata de Fecha de Barjas waterfall and go straight to the Raposeira bridges - a village in Peneda-Gerês National Park. In August 2025 the road to the waterfall was closed because of fires. Going to look at a waterfall in fire season is "not the best decision)". There's almost no water in it anyway))

2. Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela ⭐⭐⭐⭐

It takes about 2-2.5 hours to get to Serra da Estrela National Park from Porto. Below is an approximate driving route through the park. Note that the whole route takes more than 4 hours of driving alone, and if you add snacks and enjoying the views, even more. So as an option you can book an overnight stay somewhere along the route. August is famous for its meteor showers, and this region has no bright city lights. That makes it a perfect region for making wishes) In Serra da Estrela the main thing is to drive along the local mountain roads, of course without missing the significant viewpoints, namely:

Vale da Nave Travessa + Vista Panorâmica da Lagoa Comprida + Miradouro, Vale de Loriga + Nossa Senhora da Boa Estrela + Glacial Valley Scenic spot + Miradouro do Vale Glaciário da Alforfa+ Covão d'Ametade + Glacial Valley of Zêzere + Covão dos Conchos (questionable) + Miradouro da Varanda dos Carqueijais + Poço da Broca da Barriosa + Buçaco National Forest +Cruz Alta - Viewpoint

• Vale da Nave Travessa ⭐⭐- a view of a small lake; there is parking at the start of the road by the lake (near the little house) and at the end. The view is right there, without leaving the car park. There is nothing to do here; allow 5 minutes.
• Vista Panorâmica da Lagoa Comprida ⭐⭐⭐- from the car park you walk a few metres to the edge of a drop to admire the panorama of the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela and the local lake Lagoa Comprida and so on. There is nothing to do; the visit takes up to 10 minutes.
•  Miradouro, Vale de Loriga  ⭐⭐- yet another panorama of the park and the reservoir with the Covão do Meio Dam. Parking is right by the road. The visit takes 5 minutes.
• Nossa Senhora da Boa Estrela ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- a view of a man-made statue of the Virgin Mary in the rock. Parking is right opposite. The visit takes 5 minutes. A little further on, at the coordinates, there is a gorgeous view - 40° 19' 7.82" N, 7° 35' 46.15" W.
• Glacial Valley Scenic spot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- one of the best views in the park. The visit takes 5-7 minutes)
• Miradouro do Vale Glaciário da Alforfa  ⭐⭐⭐- another panoramic spot, for 5 minutes.
• Covão d'Ametade ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- one of the best locations. The car park is at the entrance to a path of about 200 m one way  Nascente do Rio Zêzere. The forest here is very beautiful and atmospheric. This is the first location where you can have a picnic. There are even benches and tables.
• Glacial Valley of Zêzere  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- another great picnic location. It is halfway along the valley leading to the town of Manteigas. Be sure to go down to the water itself here. You can drive this valley in 20 - 30 minutes one way, and with a picnic it will take longer)
• Covão dos Conchos - a popular tourist location, but it doesn't quite fit the route. We didn't make the detour. You can walk to Covão dos Conchos for several km from the car park.
• Miradouro da Varanda dos Carqueijais ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- to reach this spot you have to go back through the Glacial Valley of Zêzere . It is a very cosy spot with a beautiful view of the local town. It's convenient to eat here, sitting on the parapet and admiring the view)
• Poço da Broca da Barriosa ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- a beautiful location with a view of a little waterfall. Parking is right there, but it is small. From the car park to the waterfall it is a 2-3 minute walk. Donkeys live here - you can bring apples to feed them. Allow 20-30 minutes. There is also a cute little restaurant with a view of the river.
• Buçaco National Forest ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - A great walk through a "civilised" forest. There is a beautiful palace, a flower garden behind the palace and the forest area around. An electric car runs here - for 15 euros per person you can ride along the very same roads for a whole hour... Don't do it. You can really see everything on your own by driving in with your own car. A fee of about 8 euros per car is charged for entry. By the palace hotel there is a fairly large car park. Standing at "Parking 1 or 2" you can look at the palace from the outside (there is nothing to do inside), the garden behind the palace, and walk along the path to the Portas de Coimbra viewpoint. Then you can drive on to "Parking 3" and from there walk to the small lake, climb the beautiful steps up, come back down to the small lake and from there walk to the big lake, which you can walk around in a circle. All this will take you 1-2 hours at an unhurried pace. There are many eucalyptus trees in this forest, so the smell is gorgeous!
• Cruz Alta ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- You can walk to this viewpoint from the Bussaco Palace Hotel (roughly 1-1.5 hours, but the route is uphill). Or you can use the free car park Estacionamento da Cruz Alta, which is right at the viewpoint.

3. Views of the Paiva river in the Arouca region ⭐⭐⭐⭐

It takes 1.5 hours to get here from Porto. The main sights of the region are the Passadiços do Paiva Trailhead (Areinho) hiking trail and the Suspension Bridge 516 Arouca (Entrance Arouca 516 bridge), and the Garganta do Paiva viewpoint. The peculiarity of the region is that parking is available only in the town, and from there you have to follow the Passadiços do Paiva Trailhead (Areinho) hiking trail to reach the 516 Arouca bridge (the name is based on the length of the bridge). The whole trail is quite long and not everyone can manage it, especially because of the large number of steps. Note that the trail is paid and it is better to book in advance, together with the crossing of the 516 Arouca bridge (for which entry is paid separately). And the main catch is that the bridge admits only groups of 40 people or private groups, all strictly by time slot. So if you plan to walk the trail, note that it is about 1.5 km from the village to the start of the bridge. As an option, you can skip the bridge (there is a passage under it along the trail route) and admire it from the side. But to be honest, that's "not an option", since the main highlight here is exactly the bridge)

So the best option is to buy a buggy tour. You need to book in advance, and be sure to specify that you want to visit the bridge, then the tour will be planned specifically for you. The organiser of buggy rides in the Paiva river region is natourway.com. They originally offer 1, 2 and 3-hour rides, but none of the options includes entry to the bridge. So the bridge visit has to be arranged in advance, with an extra 15 euros per person for it. We took the 120-minute ride. Arriving at the specified location, we switched to the buggy and drove off towards the bridge. We got as close as possible - 500 m to the bridge - and parked the buggy there. Then we walked to the bridge entrance - everything is timed, but you don't have to keep track of it. We walked onto the bridge with the guide and 2 other companions, 5 people in total. That's because it was a private tour; otherwise 40 people are admitted onto the bridge at a time. We walked across the bridge and back (there's no other way). Then we returned to the buggy and continued the ride towards the car park where our own car was. The time flew by like 5 minutes!!! Everything is well organised: enough to ride, walk, enjoy the views and not get tired)) Be sure to bring a complete! change of clothes for the buggy ride. A helmet, goggles and a mask will be provided, but dust will be everywhere - in your teeth and in your... underwear! Thin clothing lets the dust through completely while riding. Take something to snack on, because after such fun you will definitely want to eat)

4. A route along the ocean towards Vigo (Spain) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This route involves driving along the Atlantic Ocean from Porto to the border with Spain. As always, the locations here are not the goal but a guide along the way. It will take at least 6-8 hours. Keep that in mind if you want to reach the last viewpoint exactly at sunset. Below are all the points on the map - it is 3-4 hours one way (not along the waterfront, but by the motorway); the return to Porto from the Miradouro do Cervo viewpoint takes 1-1.5 hours, so after sunset you can get back quickly and comfortably. But note that this route involves driving right along the water's edge, so the driving time automatically doubles. In all, this route will take the whole daylight day.

• São Félix Hill ⭐⭐⭐- a church with a wide panorama. The map is shown below. There is organised parking "in a field" around Parking 2, but it most likely opens on holidays. At other times you need to look for parking along the road. From either parking spot you will have to walk uphill - from Parking 1 up the steps, from Parking 2 along the road. The visit, including parking, takes about 30 minutes. Basically all you can do here is take a beautiful photo with a view of the staircase.

• Mills Apulia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - a path along old windmills on the beach. The map below shows the parking places: a lay-by and along the road. Parking is free, but there are not many spaces. The path itself is a 15-minute visit. There are cute benches where you can have a snack and admire the ocean views.

• VIANAEQUESTRE - Associação Hípica de Viana do Castelo - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An equestrian club. You can go horse riding here, to and along the beach. The price of the ride: 2 hours - 75 euros per person. An unforgettable experience) Two in one here - time with animals in the lap of nature!!! You need to book the ride in advance, of course, by phone or WhatsApp.

• the Santuário do Sagrado Coração de Jesus viewpoint - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A beautiful Santa Luzia Church and an almost 360-degree panorama. The car park is right there, large and free. The visit takes about 30 minutes.

• Fortaleza de Valença ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- an old town, a fortress and textile shopping!!! The main goal is to walk along the shopping street to the Miradouro da Fortaleza viewpoint. The nearest convenient car park is paid and is at the start of the town, Parking fortaleza, but there are many paid car parks in the area. It is a tourist place - lots of people and cars) Below is a map of the walk around the Fortaleza de Valença fortress. Allow 40 minutes for the visit, not counting shopping) There are many shops here selling bed linen made in Portugal. The quality of the textiles is close to Turkey's. Prices are not high.

• Miradouro do Cervo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - a viewpoint on the Portugal - Spain border and an excellent place to watch the sunset! There is free parking here too. The viewpoint is gorgeous!!! Combined with the sunset, it is magic) You want to sit here, to be silent... admiring the views! Allow from 10 minutes (to take a photo) to ...)

Shopping centres in Porto

• El Corte Inglés Gaia Porto - a great mall and supermarket, with lots of branded goods.
• NorteShopping - a nightmare for those with no sense of direction. The mall is huge, with quite a lot of shops, but not many branded ones.
• MAR Shopping Matosinhos - convenient to combine with watching the sunset on Praia de Matosinhos beach; the centre itself has a good supermarket
• Vila do Conde Porto Fashion Outlet - the selection is not large, but prices can be reduced. There is no need to come here more than once.
• Arrábida Shopping Centre
• Alameda Shop & Spot
• Parque Nascente Shopping

Porto is a beautiful city! It has architecture, a river and ocean waterfront, parks and panoramic views. And around Porto there are many national parks and outdoor entertainment! Every self-respecting traveller should come here for 2-3 weeks)!!!