Porto is all granite, tiles and river light, a city that rewards wandering but really rewards knowing where to go. Here is our curated hit list: the spots that make Porto feel cool rather than crowded, from centuries-old bookshops to sunset over the Douro.
The icons (worth the hype)
Livraria Lello
The 1906 neo-Gothic bookshop with the carved crimson staircase everyone is chasing. Go right at the end of the day to dodge the crowds.
Clérigos Tower
225 steps of Baroque bell tower for the best 360 view in the city. Do it early, before the heat kicks in.
Ribeira
Lose yourself in the riverside maze of colourful houses and steep lanes. Free, and pretty much the whole point of Porto.
Eat like you mean it
Café Santiago, the francesinha
Porto's legendary sandwich: sausage, steak and ham drowned in a beer and tomato sauce. Café Santiago's is the benchmark.
Casa Guedes, pernil
The roast pork leg sandwich locals queue for by the thousand. Simple, messy, perfect, and about four euros.
Time Out Market Porto, São Bento
Eleven of the city's kitchens under one roof inside the station. Ideal for a group that cannot agree on anything.
Drink it in
Port in Vila Nova de Gaia
Cross the bridge to the cellars. Sandeman's cellar-museum, home of the caped Don logo, is a classic first tasting.
Catraio, Cedofeita
Porto's original craft-beer bar: two terraces, Portuguese taps, half a pint for a few euros.
Royal Cocktail Club, Baixa
Serious cocktails in a century-old building, board games downstairs. Book ahead.
Cool and quirky
Claus Porto, Rua das Flores
130 years of soap and fragrance across three floors, complete with a barbershop and a history that outlasted monarchies and revolutions.
Fundação de Serralves
A contemporary art museum with a sprawling sculpture park you can happily lose an afternoon in.
Free and at golden hour
Jardim do Morro
The sunset spot. Grab a drink, find a patch of grass by the Dom Luís bridge and watch the city turn gold.
Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
Eight hectares of gardens, Douro views and, yes, actual peacocks. Free and gorgeous.
Take Porto with you
Our Porto (OPO) cap is a love letter to this city's blue tiles and iron bridges, hand-embroidered and made to travel. See it in the shop, or explore the whole First Drop.