Tours and excursions in Porto

Porto's size makes it the perfect city for a long weekend. Porto is not very big, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have things to offer to the traveler. There is plenty to choose from; here is a selection of the best tours so you can plan your visit to make the most of your time.

For value for money, this is one of the most complete tours you can do in the city of Porto. For about 4 hours and for a price of $32 a local guide will show you the most emblematic corners of the city.

This walking tour of Porto in Spanish will depart from a central point that will be confirmed by email when you make the reservation. You can choose the day and time that best suits your plans and you can also extend the experience with a cruise on the bridges of the Douro River or a visit to the Cathedral and the Stock Exchange for an additional cost. The standard tour also includes a tasting of Port wine, the most famous wine of the region.

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Recommended if...

You are looking for an overview of Porto's history at an affordable price. Wear comfortable shoes because you will be walking for a long time and don't rule out extending the tour for an additional cost (you can try the standard tour and then talk to your guide if you are convinced by the cruise or the visit to the cathedral or the stock exchange).

Once you have finished seeing the city of Porto, its geographical location invites you to visit surrounding cities. One of the most popular is the so-called Venice of Portugal: Aveiro, located 45 minutes away from Porto by road. With this tour to Aveiro from Porto you will get to know its beautiful colorful streets and the key points of the city in half a day.

In the price of $45 this tour includes: the services of a professional guide, transportation to Aveiro and back, pick up and drop off from the hotel in Porto and a cruise along the canals of Aveiro in addition to the guided tour of the historic center. You can do this tour in Spanish, English, French or Portuguese on the day and time of your choice.

Recommended if

You want to know something more about Portugal other than the city of Porto without having to waste a lot of time on your trip. Do not rule out taking an organized excursion during your trip; a couple of days will be enough to see Porto and there are some extraordinary places in the surrounding area.

The city of Porto has behind it an important Jewish heritage as it was home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. This part of history has often been forgotten or, at least, has gone unnoticed.

This is the reason for this tour of the most important monuments and buildings of Jewish history. The tour is led by a specialized guide and is away from the busiest areas of the city.

You can do this tour of the Jewish heritage of Porto in Portuguese, English or Spanish choosing the day and time that suits you best (it will be difficult to find crowds of tourists during the tour).

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Recommended if

You are interested in Jewish history and want to know a different part of the history of this city.

This is another option of guided tour of the city of Porto that is focused on the most emblematic places of the historic center. It lasts three hours, is priced at 32, is available in Spanish, Portuguese, English and French and has a specialized guide during the tour.

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Recommended if

If you don't want to miss the main points of the city during your visit. If you are not only interested in history but also in culture, you will also enjoy this tour, as it covers emblematic places such as the bookstore that inspired the author of Harry Potter or the ostentatious Majestic cafe that was a symbol of the Belle Époque.

Another option to complete your trip to Porto is to take an excursion to the Minho region, with visits to Guimaraes and Braga in one day. With the help of an expert, you will enjoy lunch at a local Minho restaurant and visit both this coastal city and its surroundings.

The price is $58, you can choose between morning or afternoon and the tour is available in English. A comfortable air-conditioned vehicle will pick you up at your hotel to take you and your guide on a tour located less than an hour from Porto.

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Recommended if

You are interested in the landscapes of rural Portugal and want to know more about its wine and gastronomic tradition.

In Porto, just as important as its monuments, are its traditions, and this includes gastronomy and, of course, wine. Visiting the city without tasting its wine or its food is a tourist sin and that is why there are tours focused only on tasting and tasting. Besides tasting the delicacies of Porto, in this gastronomic tour of Porto you will also learn about the history of Portuguese cuisine and wine tradition.

This gastronomic tour of Porto lasts 3 hours and is available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Some of the foods you will taste (besides the wine tasting) are: cod fritters, pork sandwich, custard tarts, traditional coffee, Portuguese liqueur or the most typical tapas of the city.

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Recommended if

You are curious to taste the quality Portuguese gastronomy and to know more about the wine tradition so important and rooted in this city.

Wine lovers will have the time of their lives on this small group tour of the Douro Valley. The aim of this one-day tour is for the traveler to enjoy and learn about the wine tradition present in this area away from the hustle and bustle of the city of Porto. It is a different way to know and feel Portugal and to enjoy its cultural and gastronomic richness.

This $90 tour (available in English, Spanish, French or Portuguese) includes the services of a specialized guide, the transfer to and from the hotel, lunch in a local restaurant, a wine tasting and, optionally, a river cruise.

Recommended if

You like to enjoy wine and the landscapes of the regions where it is made. If you also like intimate excursions, the experience will be a success because you will be sharing it with at most seven other people.

Beyond a guided tour, the concept of this experience is that of a Porto city tour. This implies that in addition to the walking tour accompanied by a local guide, this tour includes a cruise, dinner and wine tasting with pick-up from your hotel included. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most complete tours of Porto.

The approximate duration is 8 hours and the tour is available in English, French, English and Portuguese. It is undoubtedly the most complete and comfortable option to see the city of Porto.

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Recommended if

You have little time for sightseeing in the city and want to dedicate a day to see the must-see places and then focus on walking the streets and tasting its wine and gastronomy.

Ana's Traveller Tip

In addition to sightseeing, gastronomy and wine are key elements in Porto. If tasting and tasting are not included in the tour, reserve time during your trip for them.

Two and a half hours from Porto is the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela, presided over by its impressive cathedral, known the world over for being the pilgrimage site of the famous Camino de Santiago. Although the journey is not as short as the one to other points around Porto, there are excursions that go and return in the day and the way is worth it.

If you want to visit the Spanish cathedral of Santiago de Compostela from Porto, I recommend this excursion to Santiago with stop in Valença do Minho, which includes round trip transfer from the hotel, the services of a specialized guide and lunch in the historic center of the city of Santiago de Compostela. The price is $77

Recommended if

If you do not know the Cathedral of Santiago and want to take advantage of your trip to Porto to see it with an expert guide along the way.

Most guided tours of Porto are walking tours, but this one introduces the concept of the Segway (a two-wheeled electric vehicle to move around effortlessly with just the rocking). It is ideal for those who want to avoid the effort of walking around the city and also to cover a longer distance in less time. This Segway tour of Porto lasts about three hours and is led by an expert guide.

This tour costs $75 and you can do it in Spanish, English, French or Portuguese. If you have never ridden a Segway before, don't worry because your guide will give you a short tutorial before starting the tour.

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Recommended if

You want to visit Porto in a different, fun and comfortable way without giving up the explanations of a professional guide and also covering a large area of land.

A walking tour through the center is not the only way to get to know the city. This kind of tours are oriented to learn about the history and culture of the place and its surroundings while putting into context the points of interest of the city. However, if you already know Porto and what you want is to quietly enjoy the sights and save walking, I recommend the option of a river cruise.

There are many available adapted to all budgets and most of them with audio commentary; in this article on Douro River Cruises and Boat Rides in Porto you can consult all the necessary information.