Porto tours and tickets
Porto sells a few things by slot. Livraria Lello needs a timed ticket, the Palácio da Bolsa runs guided visits at set times, and Douro valley tours should be booked a few days ahead. Port cellars in Gaia take walk-ins but fill in summer. The Ribeira, São Bento station and the bridges need no ticket. Guimarães and Aveiro are easy by train.
Book these first
- Livraria Lello
- 1 to 3 days ahead. Timed tickets keep you out of the queue.
- Port cellar tour
- 1 day ahead in summer. Smaller cellars fill up, and the English tours are limited.
- Douro valley tour or train
- 2 to 5 days ahead. A full day out, with limited places in summer.
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Monuments and landmarks
Livraria Lello
A neo-Gothic bookshop with a red staircase and stained glass ceiling. Entry needs a timed ticket, which is bought online or at the door, and some ticket types can be used against a book. Queues form outside.
Which to pick. Buy a timed ticket online for the first slot of the day. Go early, since the shop is small and crowded.
1 to 3 days aheadVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorPalácio da Bolsa
The nineteenth-century stock exchange, with the Arab Room covered in gold stucco. Visits are guided and run at set times in several languages. Tours last about 30 minutes.
Which to pick. Book a tour in the morning in summer, and check language times. Allow time for the courtyard and staircase.
A day ahead in summerVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorClérigos Tower
A baroque tower with a spiral stair and a view of the rooftops. Tickets are sold at the church and include the museum. The stair is narrow, so it can be busy.
Which to pick. Go at opening or late in the day. Buy at the door, or online in summer.
On the day is fineVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Museums and galleries
Serralves Foundation
A contemporary art museum and an art deco villa in a large park, with changing exhibitions. A visit takes half a day. Tickets are sold online and at the door, and Sundays are often free in the morning.
Which to pick. Buy online and spend the morning in the park and the villa. Check the exhibitions before you go.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorSoares dos Reis National Museum
The oldest public art museum in Portugal, in a palace in the center, with Portuguese sculpture and painting. Entry is cheap and rarely crowded.
Which to pick. Choose it for a wet afternoon, since it is quiet and cheap. Buy at the door, and allow ninety minutes.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Guided walks and tours
Old town walking tour
A guided walk through Ribeira, São Bento station, the cathedral and the tile-covered churches, explaining the history of the port and the trade. Tours last two to three hours.
Which to pick. Take one on the first morning. Wear good shoes, since the streets are steep and cobbled.
A day or two aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorSix Bridges cruise
A 50-minute boat trip on the Douro under the six bridges, passing Ribeira and the Gaia riverbank. Boats leave from the Cais da Ribeira and run all day.
Which to pick. Take the boat in the late afternoon for the light. Buy at the quay, and sit on the upper deck.
On the day is fineTours and tickets on Viator
Food tours and classes
Port cellar tour and tasting
A visit to a port lodge in Gaia, with a tour of the barrels and a tasting of two or three styles, from white to tawny and ruby. Tours last about an hour.
Which to pick. Book a time for popular cellars a day ahead in summer, and walk across the Dom Luís I bridge.
A day ahead in summerOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorPorto food tour
A guided walk of the market, bakeries and tascas, with stops for francesinha, pastéis de nata and local cheese. Tours last about three hours.
Which to pick. Join at your first lunch. It is a good plan if you want a guide to the menus.
2 to 4 days aheadTours and tickets on Viator
Day trips
Douro valley
Terraced vineyards along the river, reached by train, by boat or by road in about two hours. Tours include quinta visits, tastings, lunch and a river cruise.
Which to pick. Take a guided day with a driver if you want to taste wine. The train to Pinhão is a scenic alternative.
2 to 5 days aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorGuimarães
A UNESCO-listed medieval town with a castle and a ducal palace, about an hour by train. It is known as the birthplace of Portugal.
Which to pick. Go alone by train and take the cable car up the hill. A tour adds the history.
On the day is fineTours and tickets on ViatorAveiro
A canal city with striped houses and moliceiro boats, about an hour by train, with a nearby beach at Costa Nova.
Which to pick. Go alone by train. Take a canal boat on arrival, and try the sweet egg-yolk pastries called ovos moles.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
City and museum passes in Porto
- Porto CardA card for public transport and free or discounted entry to many museums and sights over a set number of days. It pays off with several paid visits and a lot of transport. Official page
Booking tours and tickets in Porto
Do I need to book Livraria Lello?
Yes. Entry needs a timed ticket, and queues are long without one. Book the first slot online and go early.
Can I buy tickets for the Palácio da Bolsa at the door?
Yes, but tours are guided and run at set times, and groups can fill. Book online in summer, and check the language of the tour.
Do I need to book port cellars?
Not always, but popular ones fill in summer. Book a day ahead, and choose a tour with a tasting of different styles.
Is the Porto Card worth it?
It is worth it if you plan many paid sights and public transport trips in a short time. For a relaxed visit, single tickets cost less.
Can I do the Douro valley without a tour?
Yes, by train to Pinhão in about two and a half hours. A tour gives transport and tastings, which makes the day easier.
What can wait until I arrive?
The Ribeira, São Bento station, Clérigos Tower, a river cruise and Aveiro can be done on the day. Book Lello, the Bolsa and Douro tours a few days ahead.