A Long Weekend in Porto: A 72-Hour Itinerary You Will Actually Enjoy

TLDR: A long weekend in Porto runs four days and three nights. Arrival evening covers Aliados, São Bento station and a sunset walk to Ribeira. Day 1 is the city centre — Clérigos, Lello, Bolhão Market, the Majestic Café, and a Fado dinner. Day 2 is Gaia and the river — Sé Cathedral, Funicular dos Guindais, the Dom Luís bridge, a Port lodge tour and a Six Bridges Cruise. Day 3 morning for the airport. From Villa Almada everything on this list is within 25 minutes on foot.

Three nights in Porto is the right amount. It is enough to relax into the rhythm of the city — long lunches, late dinners, an unhurried morning walk along the river — without rushing through the museums or skipping the Port cellars. Two nights leaves you wanting more, four nights starts to need a day trip to Braga or the Douro Valley to fill comfortably.

I have planned hundreds of long weekends for guests at Villa Almada and this is the schedule I share most often. It assumes you arrive Friday afternoon, fly out Monday morning, and want a relaxed pace rather than a checklist run. Substitute as you like — the city is small, nothing is wasted by skipping.

Friday afternoon and evening — settling in and a slow first walk

Most flights from London, Paris and the rest of northern Europe land at OPO between 1pm and 5pm. Take Line E (purple) metro from the airport direct to Trindade, around 30 minutes for €2.45. From Trindade it is an 8 minute walk down to Villa Almada, where you will be checked in by Susan or one of the team. Drop your bags, grab a glass of Vinho Verde from the welcome fridge, and head out.

Walk down through Avenida dos Aliados with the Câmara Municipal at the top of the hill behind you. Praça da Liberdade sits at the bottom, with the equestrian statue of King Pedro IV. Cross into São Bento railway station through its small unassuming front door — the entrance hall is one of the most amazing public spaces in Europe.

From São Bento it is 12 minutes downhill to Ribeira. Watch the sunset from a bench on Cais da Ribeira, then walk back up along Rua das Flores for a slow first dinner. Almada 331 (close to the villa) and Cantinho do Avillez are both fabulous for a soft first night.

Day 1 (Saturday) — the historic centre

Start at Clérigos Tower at 9am for the 225 steps and the 360 degree view (€5). Walk 2 minutes to Livraria Lello for the 10am opening (€8 redeemable against a book). Wander through Carmo Church with its azulejo facade, then pick up Tram 22 from Carmo down to Praça da Batalha.

Lunch at the Majestic Café on Rua Santa Catarina — Belle Époque chandeliers, marble tables, and the most photogenic francesinha in the city. Walk 5 minutes to the Mercado do Bolhão for fruit and pastéis de nata, then loop back via Santo Ildefonso church with its tiled facade.

Afternoon at the Palácio da Bolsa (€12, guided tour only — book ahead) and the Igreja de São Francisco next door, with its gold-leaf interior and underground catacombs. Evening: a Fado dinner at one of the Vila Nova de Gaia houses — Calém runs one of the best, around €40 per person including the meal.

Day 2 (Sunday) — Gaia, the bridge and the cellars

Start at Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto) at 9.30am, free entry, €3 for the cloister. From the cathedral terrace walk down to the Funicular dos Guindais (€3.50, runs every 10 minutes) for the 60 second drop into Ribeira.

Cross the Dom Luís I bridge on the lower deck, around 10 minutes on foot. Pick a Port lodge for an 11am tour — Cálem for the Fado, Sandeman for the easy first time, or Taylor’s for the views and the deepest history.

Lunch at one of the riverside restaurants on the Gaia quay (Lupita and Vila Foz are both reliable). Afternoon: a Six Bridges Cruise from Cais de Gaia (€15, 50 minutes, hourly) and an optional second cellar visit. Walk back across the upper deck of the bridge at sunset for the postcard photograph. Dinner at Almada 331 or Tapabento near São Bento — book ahead, both fill on Sundays.

Monday morning and a soft departure

A relaxed last morning. Daily breakfast at Villa Almada served either at the villa or at the Orangerie in the Maison from 8.30am — homemade, daily-changing, and one of the consistent highlights of every guest review. Pack between 9.30 and 10am.

If you have a midday flight, walk down to São Bento for a coffee at one of the cafés on Rua das Flores, then take Line E from Trindade direct to the airport (30 min, €2.45). For a flight before noon, leave the villa by 9am at the latest.

If your flight is afternoon and you want one more thing, a 90 minute slot fits a quick visit to the Tram Museum on Alameda Basílio Teles or a final wander up Rua das Flores for an espresso and a pastel de nata. Then back to Trindade and onwards.

• Total budget for two adults: €350 to €600 in attraction fees, food, transport and tastings, depending on whether you eat at tourist or local restaurants.
• Pre-book: Livraria Lello, Palácio da Bolsa guided tour, the Port lodge of your choice, Fado dinner.
• Walk distances from Villa Almada: Aliados 10 min, São Bento 10 min, Clérigos 12 min, Lello 13 min, Bolhão 12 min, Cathedral 14 min, Ribeira 15 min, Gaia cellars 25 min via the bridge.
• Best meal of the weekend: Almada 331 on the corner of Rua do Almada — 4 minutes from the villa, modest looking, exceptional Portuguese cooking.
• What to skip: the McDonald’s Imperial branch unless you specifically want the photograph. The eagle is great, the food is McDonald’s.
• Andante Tour 72-hour card: €15. Pays for itself by the second metro ride.

Frequently asked questions

If you are planning your stay around this, take a look at the rest of our Porto travel blog for restaurants, walking routes and seasonal tips.