Porto attractions

With its canal-lined streets and pastel-colored buildings, Aveiro—known as the Venice of Portugal—doesn’t take long to charm visitors. From gliding around the local canals on a barco moliceiro to marveling at art nouveau villas, there’s plenty to see and do in the heart of Aveiro. Meanwhile, the coastal areas of this small city in northern Portugal boast opportunities for outdoor adventures, whether hiking dunes or catching waves.

A grandiose avenue stretching from Porto City Hall (Câmara Municipal do Porto) to Liberdade Square, Avenida dos Aliados serves as the city’s cultural and architectural center. A walk along the boulevard reveals architectural styles from neoclassical to French beaux arts and baroque, along with what’s been called the world’s most beautiful McDonald’s.

Situated in a magnificent garden just west of downtown Porto, the Serralves Museum(Fundação de Serralves) has become a top city highlight and one of the most influential modern art museums in Portugal. Its permanent collection spans from the 1960s to the present day, with large sculptural pieces scattered throughout the grounds.

On Portugal’s Atlantic coast, Matosinhos Beach (Praia de Matosinhos) is the city of Porto’s closest strand. With broad sands and a scenic promenade lined with fish restaurants, it’s a lively destination and a favorite among local families, as well as a notable surf spot.

Spanning the Douro River, Porto’s Arrábida Bridge was the largest concrete-arch bridge in the world when it was completed in 1963. Today, pedestrians can walk up the span’s archway with Porto Bridge Climb, the only bridge-climb experience in Europe. It’s a rare opportunity to enjoy a unique perspective on the city and river below.

The latest jewel in riverside Porto’s cultural crown is the WOW — Cultural District, a drinking and dining hub in the historic neighborhood of Vila de Gaia. Here, you can find seven interactive museums and 12 restaurants and bars, as well as wine-themed workshops—including classes on how to pair wine with sweet treats and chocolate.

One of Porto’s top attractions for families of all ages, the SEA LIFE® Porto aquarium is home to dazzling displays of marine life. Visitors can enjoy up-close encounters with some of the sea’s most colorful inhabitants, including octopus, rays, sea turtles, and sharks.

Learn why Portugal is famous for the popular dessert wine of port. Espaço Porto Cruz offers pours, tastings, and a variety of workshops—from pairing with food to mixing into cocktails—along with views overlooking the Douro River and a restaurant, cocktail lounge, shop, and meeting and event space.

Floor-to-ceiling azulejo tiles decorate the main foyer of Porto’s Sao Bento Railway Station (Porto São Bento), depicting an array of scenes from Portuguese history. Various shades of blue fill much of the walls inside the entrance to this busy station, fringed by multi-coloured tiles up to the ceiling. The station is a worthwhile stop on your Porto itinerary, even if you’re not taking a train.

The Museum of Our Lady of Mercy of Porto (Museu da Misericórdia do Porto, or MMIPO) is dedicated to the long history and charity work of the Holy House of Our Lady of Mercy (Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Porto), which was founded in 1498. Connected to the 16th-century church of Igreja da Misericórdia, the museum displays artifacts and sacred art.

Overlooking the Douro River and with views out to the Porto cityscape, the Jardim do Morro offers visitors a series of viewpoints and benches to sit for a moment and take in Porto’s scenery. This green park isn’t particularly large, but thanks to its prime location in Vila Nova de Gaia, it remains one of Porto’s most popular sunset spots.

The story of how photography and the processes behind it have evolved is told through the exhibits at the Portuguese Centre of Photography (Centro Português de Fotografia). This free museum in central Porto holds the National Photography Collection and a vast treasure trove of over 2,000 cameras from across history to illustrate the art form’s development over the years.

A wall-to-wall golden interior awaits inside the Church of Santa Clara in Porto. The sumptuous decor of this 15th-century church features delicate carved woodwork decorated in generous amounts of gold leaf under an equally elaborate and luxurious vaulted ceiling. All of this is hidden behind a deceptively reserved exterior, embodying the life lesson of not judging a book by its cover.

Walk down Rua das Flores, a pedestrianized street in the center of Porto, and you’ll find an array of cafés, restaurants, souvenir shops, and boutiques to browse. Street performers can often be seen putting on a show, while the sloping lane is lined with buildings adorned with panels of the city's famous azulejo tiles.

Describing itself as Porto’s “biggest and greenest zoo,” Santo Inácio Zoo is home to around 600 animals representing some 200 species, including lions, snow leopards, cheetahs, camels, Humboldt penguins, and more. Close to Porto’s city center, it makes an easy and entertaining day out for the whole family.