Budget · 3-hour walk · Porto
The Ribeira and the Gaia cellars in three hours
Sao Bento's tiles down through the cathedral terrace to the river, over the bridge to the port lodges.
Porto is built on a gorge, so the only real decision is which direction you take the hill. This route goes down: station, cathedral terrace, riverfront, then across the upper deck of the Eiffel-school bridge to Gaia, where the port cellars are. Coming back up is what the funicular and the taxis are for.
The route, stop by stop
-
Sao Bento railway station
Twenty thousand azulejo tiles in the entrance hall, depicting Portuguese history. A working station and free to walk into.
20 min here Walk here → -
Porto Cathedral
The terrace outside is the orientation point for the whole city and costs nothing. The cloister is the ticketed part.
-
Ribeira
The riverfront arcade under the tower houses. Touristy, photogenic, and the place to be at the golden hour rather than at lunch.
30 min here Walk here → -
Dom Luis I Bridge
Cross on the upper deck beside the metro for the view. The lower deck is for cars and is not the one you want.
20 min here Walk here → -
Port Wine Cellars of Gaia
Twenty lodges within a few hundred metres, most offering a tour and two tastings. Book one rather than joining the first queue.
More in Porto
Every walking route in Porto, or the full Porto guide for where to stay and what a day costs.