Due to its proximity to Spain, Porto is one of the cities that many of us have in mind when organizing a getaway. A getaway and a summer vacation, since the most important city in Portugal after Lisbon has everything to make you fall in love for a good handful of days.
If you intend to travel there soon, I recommend you take into account a series of tips like the ones you will be able to read below. They are not excessively specific, but they are the typical general tips that it is always good to know so as not to go with doubts.
How do I go from the airport to the center?
The fact that Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is 12 kilometers from the city center forces you to take public transport or a taxi unless you have rented a car. These are the options that you have at your fingertips:
– Taxi : It costs about 25 euros, so it is not a highly recommended option if you want to save.
– Bus : For 5 euros you can get to the center of Porto in half an hour, since it stops at Boavista and Avenida de los Aliados. Buses leave coinciding with the arrival of flights, so you won’t have to wait long.
– Metro : From six in the morning to one in the morning you can take line E of the metro, which in less than half an hour leaves you in the center of the city. It is the cheapest option, since it only costs 2 euros.
Is it worth taking the tourist bus?
It is something very guiri, it is true, but the truth is that the tourist bus can be very useful to see the most beautiful of the city in a very short time. I personally like to walk the streets the most, and in the case of Porto I think it is the most sensible thing to do because most of the points of interest are concentrated in the old town. Another thing is that you want to take the Do Guidais Funicular , with which you free yourself from climbing the slope between Praça da Batalha and Ribeira, or one of the trams that move through the center, highly recommended for the simple fact that be historical.
What you can’t miss
As I have said before, Porto is a city that goes a long way, for more than one can imagine. Of course, depending on your tastes you will want to do some things and others, but the most normal thing is that it is worth visiting what I mention below:
– Avenida de los Aliados (it is the heart of downtown Porto).
– Porto São Bento Station (you will be impressed by its hall of 20,000 hand-painted tiles).
– Lello Bookstore (one of the most beautiful in the world).
– The Clérigos Tower (it is a bell tower that has become the symbol of the city).
– La Ribeira (It is a colorful and picturesque area declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco).
– Casa de Música (it is an architectural marvel).
– Wine cellars (Port wine is one of the most popular on the planet).
Gastronomic delights
Porto also stands out for its gastronomy, which, accompanied by a good Port wine, earns even more. Among the most typical dishes I would like to highlight the following:
– Bifanas : delicious rolls stuffed with pork.
– Tripas a moda do Porto : it is tripe stuffed with pieces of chorizo and white beans.
– Bacalhau a Brás : cod very well accompanied in a casserole with egg, fried potatoes and onion.
– Francesinha : it is a kind of sandwich that is made with toasted sliced bread stuffed with sausages such as mortadella, cooked ham or chipolata (it is a type of fresh sausage).
– Creams : they are sweets similar to the Bélem cakes.
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