Porto, Portugal

By Ashley Rudolph

Confession: I think I'm obsessed with Portugal. My post on Porto and Douro Valley was one of my first travel guides on this site, so it should be no surprise that Portugal holds a special place in my heart. The itinerary for last year's trip was so good that we just made a few tweaks, spending more time in each location (Porto, Douro Valley, and Lisbon) and squeezing more Michelin star restaurants into the mix. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that the second time around was just as good. So good that I'll be devoting a post to each stop on my trip, starting with Porto!

Where to eat in porto

I'll start with the best part of my trip: the food! There aren't any breakfast spots mentioned below since I either didn't make it to breakfast because I was nursing a Port hangover or I chose to eat at my hotel - Porto River. It was my second time staying there and I still highly recommend it for its central location and apartment-like feel.

Warning: Food will be the most common theme throughout this entire Portugal series of posts. You'll thank me later :) Here are my favorite spots:

Lunch

Taberna dos Mercadores: Simplicity is king here. For lunch and dinner, there's a strict reservation only policy - so make sure you snag one ahead of time. Get ready for the theatrics - unless you hate fish, everyone orders the flambeed sea bass here and it's incredible. It arrives at your table in flames and covered in salt (see my photo below) and you'll wonder whether you made the right choice. After you take one bite, you'll have zero regrets.
The Yeatman - The Orangerie: The lunch tasting menu was amazing. I had done a full dinner tasting menu at O Paparico the night before and wasn't sure if I could stomach (no pun intended) another tasting menu so soon. I'm so happy I powered through! Each course delicious, my meal included whipped oysters, caviar mousse, lobster in sea foam, duck confit, and more amuse-bouches than I count. I could've stayed at The Yeatman all afternoon recovering from that meal.

Dinner

O Paparico: This year makes my second visit to O Paparico and it's still one of my favorite restaurants in Porto. It's a hidden gem, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the touristy waterfront area. They updated their tasting menu since my last visit, but it's still every bit as good. We opted for the lobster add-on and the wine pairing and embarked on a four-hour tasting journey that was perfect from start to finish. My favorites were the chocolate and gold leaf dessert (pictured below - which was 1 of 3 desserts!), the lobster rice, and the beef. Whatever your preferences are, when you're at O Paparico, you're in good hands. The team will pull out all stops to make sure you have an amazing meal.
Pedro Limão: This restaurant is another hidden gem. Their only offering is their 10-course tasting menu and it's quite a treat. 10-courses sounds ambitious but each course is just a beautiful mini "moment". My favorite moments were the steak tartare and the sea bass with cuttlefish guacamole. At the end of our meal, we were lucky enough to meet the chef!

Top 5 things to do in porto

Book a walking tour with The Worst Tours: To me, there's almost nothing more embarrassing and annoying than being carted around the most touristy destinations in a city by a guide with a group. The Worst Tours website piqued my interest because it promised to be anything but that. We were greeted by Pedro (an architect by trade) and his literal binder full of information about Porto and embarked on a 5-hour journey around the city. You'll get to take a metaphorical peek behind the curtain and learn about the *real* Porto: it's complicated history, architecture, and politics.
Visit Livraria Lello: Yes, it's a tourist attraction and it will *probably* be crowded. If there's a line outside, don't worry - it moves fast! When you enter the store and take one look at the beautiful staircase in the middle of the shop, you'll know the wait was worth it. For those of you that don't know, Livraria Lello is the rumored birthplace of Harry Potter. JK Rowling, frequented the shop when she lived in Porto. I didn't buy anything at Lello, I mostly just browsed, took a peek at the view of the city from the second floor, and tried to snap uninterrupted photos. If you're looking for something to read or a souvenir, you'll definitely find it here.
Walk the Ribiera: As a tourist, a walk down the Ribiera is a must. There's a slew of bars and cafes along the waterfront and plenty of photo ops (which might be the biggest draw).
Visit Vila Nova de Gaia: This is where all the Port cellars are, as well as The Yeatman hotel. A visit to Taylor's is a must - when you're there have drinks in the garden. You'll get a port tasting when you purchase a tour, but you also stay for more!
Go shopping: We shopped mostly in the Baixa neighborhood. You shouldn't miss A Vida, Casa Oriental, the Craft Market right outside A Vida, and Take Away Porto. There were a handful of other shops that we stopped into and wanted to go back to, but just didn't have the time! Generally, it wasn't hard to stumble upon cute shops in Porto.

Street art

You'll find street art at every turn in Porto, from really small displays (think mini Pikachus) to full length murals. It's all impressive. You won't see much of it near the Ribiera, venture downtown for a glimpse of the good stuff.

Planning a trip? Start here.

I like to travel during shoulder seasons. You'll notice that most of my "big" trips happen in May-June or September-October. I prefer shoulder seasons because there's typically fewer tourists and consequently, more hotel availability, better flight deals, and you'll still get to enjoy good weather! Here's what to expect budget wise for Porto.

Flight: $$ - You can score a flight to Porto from NYC for under $700 roundtrip on average.
Hotel: $$ - A stay at the Porto River Hotel will cost you about $200/night or less. In the off season, prices dip to $125-150/night!
Food and drinks: $-$$$ - This varies based on where you're dining. You can expect to spend under $30 per person for a meal at a casual spot to about $150-200 per person for a dinner tasting menu with a wine pairing (think O Paparico and The Yeatman). Whatever you choose, vet your restaurants on Foursquare or Tripadvisor, the reviews were spot on.
Shopping: $ - I was shocked by how affordable the shopping was in Porto. You'll definitely find cute things for yourself and for the people on your souvenir list.