Things to do as a solo traveler in Porto

Here are some suggestions from João (John), your private guide, to do in Porto as a solo traveler.

get an overview of the entire city
explore the historical center
eat a Francesinha
enjoy a sunset
have tradicional Portuguese food for dinner
go to Galerias de Paris for a drink
Go to the beach in the morning

First thing to do as a solo traveler in Porto

Get an overview of the city to learn what to explore deeper during your stay!

And the best way? Our Morning Tour or our All Day Tour.

After your private driver&guide picks you up at your hotel, explore Porto from the river and the oldest neighborhood, Ribeira all the way to the ocean and back again to the historical center.

Spend 3 hours exploring the narrow streets and most iconic landmarks in the old neighborhoods of the historical center. After 15 miles at a slow pace with lots of stops, you will get to know Porto as a local!

If you chose the All Day Tour, your morning exploring will be followed by a lovely lunch at a small fishermen’s village.

And in the afternoon, a private visit & tasting to one of the oldest Port wine cellars.

Now you got your bearings, its easier to know what to explore deeper on the rest of your stay.

Explore on foot the historical center

Most of the historical center is pedestrian and despite the steep hills of Porto, the sidecar and on foot are the best way to explore.

Actually some of those small narrow streets, stairs better said, on foot is the only way to explore them.

But those are the best places to find the most interesting details in the facades of the old buildings and in the small balconies.

If you love those interesting, but difficult to get, details for photos, exploring the narrow streets is the only way!

Eat a Francesinha sandwich

Try a Francesinha sandwich for lunch. Lunch! Because it’s a bit heavy and you will need to walk afterwards to burn it! But it is so good!

If you are a fan of hot, rich with spices, sauces and pork meat, you have to try it!

Invented in Porto some 70 years ago, Francesinha is a hot sandwich with a few different types of meats inside, covered in a hot sauce that makes you scream “beer”! In this case, Super Bock. The best beer in the world that, by chance, is made in Porto… coincidences!

There are lots of places to try it and everyone you ask in Porto will tell they know the best one :)

My personal favorite and the birthplace of the famous sandwich, Regaleira restaurant.

insider tip: ask for the tradicional one in bijou bread ;)

Watch the sunset in Porto

Porto has a beautiful light and when it changes, it changes the city with it.

It’s interesting to see that as the light changes in Porto new opportunities to discover new details or new perspectives of the city, appear.

Apart from the beach on the mouth of the river Douro, there are 2 places inside the city, usually preferred to watch the sunset.

Miradouro das Virtudes at Virtudes neighborhood with a small garden and easier to have a larger crowd.

Jardim do Morro, with a beautiful amphitheater built into the grassy hill, just on the other side of D.luis bridge when you cross from Porto to Gaia.

My favorite to be honest, specially during the summer, with a wider view and bigger open space.

Have tradicional portuguese food for dinner

I have 2 restaurants that I love to eat tradicional portuguese food. Whenever I want to remember my grandmothers cooking, its where I go!

Zé Bota – a restaurant in the city center, right next to Carmo church and only a few 100 meters away from all the night life in Porto. Needs reservations in advance.

Taberna Cais das Pedras – a beautiful place right next to the water on the river Douro with beautiful views and amazing food that you can try in Petisco style ( small portions to try many different things). Needs reservations in advance.

insider tip: if you are in the city on a Wednesday, book your dinner there ;)

Go for a drink at Galerias de Paris

Galerias de Paris is a street name that became synonymous of the Movida place in Porto. There you’ll find a small city block, 3 parallel streets, with many different bars, restaurants and clubs to dance all night.

There is almost all types of music and vibe you could think of and its easy to get in and choose the rhythm that what you want dance tonight.

Go to the beach in the morning

If you are staying the the city center and want to do the “touristic thing”, head down to the river and catch the old tram. It follows the road along the river, all the way down to its mouth.

The last stop before the tram turns around and takes you back to the historical center, is a beautiful garden.

Just cross it and on the other side, between two big peers, protected from the wind and with an ocean that looks like a pool, you will find the smallest beach in Porto! And one of the best.

Little lady shepherds beach – I know, sounds funny. Praia das Pastorinhas in portuguese :)

You can also catch the 500 bus and when you first see the ocean, hop off.