Porto travel blog
Stories, tips and inspiration for your Porto trip
ETIAS for Portugal in 2026: what it is, what it costs, how to apply
ETIAS is the new Schengen pre-travel authorisation launching in 2026. It costs 7 €, takes 10 minutes to apply, and is required before visiting Portugal.
Porto travel in 2026: what's new and what's changed
New metro stations, the ETIAS requirement, expanded WOW district, and updated prices. A 2026 update for anyone planning a Porto trip this year.
Porto metro expansion: the pink line, Bonfim, and Boavista connections
Porto's new Rosa (pink) metro line opened in phases from 2025. Here's what changed, which stations are running, and how it affects getting around the city.
New Douro cruises in 2025: what launched and what's worth booking
Several new Douro cruise formats launched in 2025. We look at the small-group premium options, the expanded lunch cruise fleet, and the rabelo boat update.
Porto airport to city centre: the cheapest option is the metro
Metro line E to Bolhão costs 2.50 € and takes 35 minutes. Here is every airport transfer option compared honestly — including when the Uber is worth it.
Christmas in Porto: markets, lights, and Jardim de Inverno
Porto at Christmas is genuinely magical — festive lights on Aliados, the Jardim de Inverno market, and port wine by the Douro. A personal account.
Digital nomad in Porto: coworking, visa D8, and what it really costs
We spent two months working remotely from Porto in 2024. Real costs (around 1800 €/month), the best coworking spaces, and the honest D8 visa situation.
Matosinhos seafood pilgrimage: what we ordered and what it cost
Matosinhos is 30 minutes from Porto by metro and has the best grilled fish in the region. We went for lunch on a Sunday. Here's the full honest account.
Best day trips from Porto, ranked honestly
Douro Valley, Braga, Guimarães, Aveiro, Gerês — we've done all of them and ranked them honestly. Spoiler: the Douro is first and it's not close.
2 vs 3 days in Porto: why we always recommend three
Two days in Porto is possible. Three days is the version where it actually works — you see more, pay less per experience, and leave wanting to return.
Porto on a rainy day: the honest guide
November in Porto means rain. We spent a drizzly day doing it properly — port wine caves, tiled churches, and the best museums in the city.
The best Douro quintas we visited: an honest shortlist
We've visited eight Douro Valley quintas over three trips. Here are the four worth the trip, the ones we'd skip, and what actually makes a quinta visit
Porto food bucket list: 12 things to eat before you leave
Francesinha, tripas à moda, caldo verde, pastel de nata — the 12 Porto dishes you should eat, where we've eaten them, and what they actually cost.
Porto on 50 euros a day: the backpacker budget that actually works
We did Porto on a genuine 50 € daily budget — accommodation, food, transport, one attraction. Here's exactly where the money went and what we skipped.
Is the Douro Valley tour worth it? Yes — but not all of them
We've taken four different Douro tours and can tell you exactly which type is worth your money and which you should skip. An honest verdict.
Douro by train: Porto to Pinhão and what the railway actually shows you
The Porto-Pinhão train is one of Europe's finest rail journeys. We've taken it four times. Here's the honest account of what it's like and what it misses.
Vindima diary: five days during the Douro harvest
We spent five days in the Douro Valley during vindima — the September grape harvest. What working quintas look like when they're actually working.
Porto sunset spots: where we actually go
Forget the generic miradouro lists. Here are the five spots in Porto where we actually watch the sunset — with timing, access, and what to bring.
How we skipped the Lello queue (Gold ticket + 18:00 entry)
Livraria Lello queues reach 3 hours in summer. We found the combination that works: the Gold ticket and a 6pm entry. Here's exactly what we did.
Best month to visit Porto: ranked honestly
June beats September beats May — but the real answer depends on what you're there for. Our honest month-by-month breakdown of Porto's travel calendar.
The great Porto francesinha debate: our subjective ranking
We ate francoesinha at eleven places in Porto over three visits. Here's our honest, subjective ranking — and the one thing everyone agrees on.
Porto during São João: what nobody tells you
We spent São João night in Porto — the plastic hammers, the sardines, the bridges at 2am. A personal account of Portugal's wildest street party.
Underrated Porto neighbourhoods: Bonfim, Cedofeita, and Bombarda
Beyond Ribeira and the historic centre, three neighbourhoods make Porto genuinely interesting for longer stays — and they're still mostly locals-only.
Hidden gems in Porto: ten things most visitors miss
Ten Porto experiences most visitors miss — Roman foundations under Sé, a port wine tasting at Poças, and more. The honest hidden gems list.
Porto or Lisbon first? An honest answer for first-timers
If you're choosing between Porto and Lisbon for a first visit to Portugal, here is the honest comparison — and our recommendation for most travellers.
A weekend in Porto in October
Two days in Porto in October: golden light, empty viewpoints, and exactly the right amount of port wine. A personal account of an autumn visit.
10 most instagrammable spots in Porto (with honest timing advice)
The azulejos, the bridge, the bookshop — we've photographed all of them and can tell you exactly when to show up for the shot without other tourists in it.
Why we went back to Porto
Our first Porto visit was 2018, before the crowds arrived. We went back twice. This is what made us return — and what we found had changed each time.