This Porto city guide is one for the Lovers. Travel lovers, wine lovers, actual lovers. Today I'm taking you with me on a whirlwind tour of the beautiful city of Porto, in northern Portugal. Famous for its stunning architecture, colourful tile-adorned facades, delicious food scene – and of course, its incredible Port wine. 

For this trip, I took advantage of one of Jet 2’s super quick 2-hour 20 minute flights from Manchester Airport. Having worked with Jet2 a couple of times before (you might remember the trip I took to my mum on to Crete and the recent Leeds City Food Tour) they had reached out again, this time kindly inviting me to review a little citybreak to Porto. 

Now Porto is a glorious European city that I had heard much about, but had never had the privilege of visiting before, despite having long been on my bucket list. For those of you who don’t already know, Jet 2 offer great deals on flights to Porto, making it a super affordable city break and I think you’ll find that – once there – this city is also kind on the purse, so when it comes to those little holiday indulgences and meals out we all enjoy, you feel far less guilty - more to come on that…

All summer I had been craving a holiday – preferably one with a little romance. But being single and all – after a few false starts on the dating intentionally front that I’d been trying to embark on this year - both on dating apps and IRL (that means “in real life”, Nan & Grand), I decided to throw all caution to the wind with this trip and ask a guy I had been seeing casually for a just a few weeks if he would like to be my +1. My Porto Lover. I guess if I have learnt anything (and nothing) these past 10 years  from my on and off dating and periods of singledom, it is this: there is nothing like finding a balm (read as: a delightfully packaged distraction) to mend a broken heart. Amen.

A friend of mine had shared a funny meme with me on Instagram, which posed the question: “would you go on holiday with someone you had just met?” So of course, as soon as my +1 agreed to my ridiculous invitation, I had to tell this friend that: “Yes actually, I would… I am going to Porto with a man I hardly know…” 

Ok, so… in the interest of safety and so as not to encourage the singles amongst you to do anything too risky, I would suggest that you only go away with someone IF you feel truly safe and comfortable in their company. As I did. There is no way I would recommend going on a trip with someone who you haven’t at least spent a good while in their company, getting to know them - and them you. I knew enough about this individual to no longer class them as a stranger danger, and we also had mutual friends in common. So that was good enough for me. “Now what are your passport details, please?”

Solo travel vs “couple” travel

You see, as much as I enjoy solo travel. To me, life is all about finding someone to share moments with. Even if we never saw one another again after this trip, I could see a lot of value in having a travel companion to share a little romance in a new city with. Plus, if they just so happen to be cute, delightful company, an unfussy eater, a fan of wine and an excellent navigator too, it’s a yes from me. Life is too short to be serious all of the time - and life is definitely too short to wait for the right moment or right someone to do things that bring you joy.

O-Porto! Where art thou?

So… back to Porto. Affectionately known in medieval English as ‘Oporto’ by the old traders and non-Portuguese speakers, Porto is actually Portugal’s second largest city – after Lisbon that is. And O-Porto! Is what you’ll be saying when you see this charming little jewel of a city bathed in light at golden hour, stretching out along the Douro river estuary – I actually lost count of the number of times I swooned at the views.

Did you know… Porto is one of the oldest European centres? And yes, I’ll admit on first impressions it is a little care-worn and crumbly around the edges but it is incredibly charming - in a way that the all the things we love too much often are – but it is a place that has infinite charm, as a city break destination and that charm plays directly into the hands and hearts of old romantic souls like mine. Note: if you’re a fan of ticking off various UNESCO World Heritage Sites, don’t forget to visit the Porto’s historic centre, the Luiz I Bridge (which was right by our hotel) and Monastery of Serra do Pilar (do check website for opening times before visiting). Also, many a city guide and seasoned Porto tourist will wax lyrical about you making sure to take a stroll down to visit the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia – a must see for any wine or history lovers among you.

Where to Stay in Porto:

We stayed at the Vincci Ponte de Ferro hotel, located right in the heart of the city on the Gaia side (a short 15-25 min walk to the various Port wine lodges and WOW Porto bars, museums and restaurants). Vincci Ponte de Ferro is a Porto hotel which offers breathtaking views out over the Luís I Bridge and Douro river. From each of its floor to ceiling windows and many levels, you can enjoy views of the colourful Ribeira neighbourhood. I loved peeking out of our bedroom window and seeing the people who are scurrying over the bridge, stopping to take photos of the glorious sunset. The Ribeira neighbourhood, just over the river from where we were staying has those classic Porto picture postcard views. Yep, you know those multi-coloured pretty buildings that you see stood shoulder to shoulder, punctuated by narrow cobbled streets and restaurants that tumble out onto the pavement over on the other side? Yep! Those. I’d done a lot of research into the various Jet 2 4-star and 5-star luxury hotels that Porto has to offer and found that this particular hotel was perfectly located for exploring. You can find it, and other great options, on Jet2holidays and on City breaks to Porto.

Planning a little vacation? Put the feelers out…

Prior to the trip, I’d put the call out to a couple of my drinks blogger industry friends and asked if they had any contacts working in Port. And almost instantly, the lovely Dawn Davies - of Speciality Drinks and Whisky Exchange fame – got back to me to say she’d make a few intros. A few emails later, after explaining that I was coming to Porto in order to write about the city, I shared that I really wanted to make the most of my time in Porto – and hoped to inspire others do the same. The longlist of Porto’s must-see gems and recommendations that followed was pretty incredible! 3-nights was not enough to try and see everything, but I did my best.

Once the logistics were in place, and I had a feel for what sort of things I was interested in covering, I’d managed to arrange for a few private Porto tours, a little bit of museum sightseeing and some fantastic tasting experiences – thanks to the wonderful team at Mentzendorff who look after Taylors, Fonseca and WOW Porto and the lovely team at Niepoort. I couldn’t wait to meet them all!

TL;DR - My 3-nights in Porto city break itinerary (Thursday to Sunday):

Day 1 - Early flight from Manchester Airport / Arrive in Porto / Check into Vincci Ponte de Ferro Hotel / Quick outfit change / Stroll around the city / Order Porto’s famous Francesinha sandwich / Port tasting & tour of Niepoort wine cellar* / Early night, room service, Netflix + chill

Day 2 - Breakfast at hotel / Taxi to Taylor’s Port Lodge for Tour & Tasting with Ana* / Walk through WOW Porto / Tour & Tasting of Fonseca Port Lodge* / The Pink Palace Rose Wine Museum Experience* / Lunch at Golden Catch Restaurant* @ WOW Porto / The Chocolate Story tour + tasting experience* @ WOW Porto / Croft Pink + Tonic and Taylor’s Chip Dry + Tonic sunset drinks @ rooftop / Dinner @ Puro 4050 / Drinks @ Curioso Cocktail Bar

Day 3 - Breakfast at Hotel / Walk from Vila Nova de Gaia through Ribeira to Jardim do Infante Dom Henrique statue / Tour of Palacio da Bolsa / Buy a box of Pastel de Natas / Walk through the city / Rooftop drinks @ Bosco Porto / Back to hotel to freshen up / Tasting menu + wine pairing dinner @ Mira Mira by Ricardo Costa @ WOW Porto

Day 4 - Breakfast at Hotel / Taxi to airport / Flight from Porto to Manchester with Jet 2

Ok, so that was your taster… keep on reading to see what we got up to.

• Day 1 (Thursday) 07:15 - 09:35 Flight from Manchester Airport to Porto - It was one of those early-morning- we’re-going-on-holiday-today-starts that leaves you minus -6 hours sleep but feeling giddy enough to propel yourselves out of bed at an ungodly hour to get to the airport, suitcases in hand and 3-nights to explore  a whole new city ahead of you. Yes, Porto! A Thursday to Sunday trip feels like the ideal end of week treat, just enough time to relax into your new surroundings, enjoy a few lie ins, devour a tasty hotel breakfast and bask in the sunshine – sangria or glass of Port in hand. I was determined to make the most of this short but sweet city break. 

I’d done a lot of research beforehand, and read that Bolt is said to be a much cheaper option than Uber in Porto. Our taxi from the airport to Vincci Ponte de Ferro Hotel cost around 14 EUR one-way. Note: It should’ve been a swift <30 minute drive from airport to city, but we had a slight delay when our Bolt driver got stopped by the local police who were doing checks on licences etc, which left us sitting there for about 45 minutes longer than anticipated. Tbf, we knew that we wouldn’t be able to check into our hotel until a bit later anyway, so weren’t too stressed about it. But it is definitely worth keeping in mind if you’re wanting to get somewhere fast and need to be on time. After all, no-one likes missing flights… 

12:00 Arrival at Vincci Ponte de Ferro Hotel - When we arrived at Vincci Ponte de Ferro Hotel, we were greeted incredibly warmly by the very friendly team at reception and informed that they would try to get our room ready as soon as possible, so that we could check in earlier than planned. They pointed us in the direction to the rooftop bar and bathrooms, and said we could leave our luggage if we wanted to go out and explore in the meantime. The lovely barman, Pedro, gave us both a glass of tawny port to welcome us, and then asked if we had tried Vinho Verde - Porto’s famous green wine… I said we hadn’t, so he kindly poured us a glass of that too. In my opinion, Vinho Verde really reminded me of Riesling - fresh and grassy, almost fizzy on the tongue and bursting with green fruit notes. De-lish!

We then took a little wander around Porto, heading over the bridge into the Ribeira district. I’d been bingeing old food tourism and cookery shows and found a coupe of episodes of Anthony Bourdin and Jamie Oliver, when they came to visit Porto. Having starred the places on my Google Maps that made my mouth water, I knew I just had to try a Francesinha sandwich. You’re probably wondering: What on earth is a Francesinha!? Well, according to Wiki the definition goes like this: “Francesinha (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɾɐ̃sɨˈziɲɐ] meaning little French woman[1][2]) is a Portuguese sandwich, originally from Porto, made with layers of toasted bread and assorted hot meats such as roast, steak, wet-cured ham, linguiça, or chipolata over which sliced cheese is melted by the ladling of a near-boiling tomato-and-beer sauce called molho de francesinha [pt].[1] It is typically served with french fries." A real belly buster of a sandwich, but I’ve gotta say - it was delicious! We went to Galeria do Largo restaurant and ordered a Francesinha for me, and a burger and fries.

16:00 Port tasting experience and cellar tour, Vinhos Velhos do Porto Niepoort*, Vila Nova de Gaia (note: private tours and tastings must be booked in advance) 

We arrived at the Niepoort wine cellar – Vinhos Velhos do Porto, which quite literally translates to Old Port Wines – in late afternoon, after a sunny stroll from our hotel, on the same side of the river, and were greeted by the very friendly Ana, from Niepoort. She was saying hello to a lovely group of Danish couples, life-long friends, all visiting Porto for the first time. Like us, they also have an array of port tastings and experiences lined up and were eager to get started. We tagged along on their private tour of Niepoort’s fabulous home, and as our eyes adjusted to the dark, we explored the cellar, taking in row after row of authentic cobweb-wrapped demijohns and vast barrels of port so big that you could probably swim in them. We learned all about the history and production of this iconic drink and the evolution of the Niepoort brand from its origins in XX to its present day distillation under Dirk Niepoort. Who – by all accounts – is a man of exquisite taste and imagination, and one I would very much like to be dinner party guest of!

My favourite part of the Niepoort cellar tour was what was hiding at the back. IYKYK. Think: soaringly high ceilings, industrial style bar stools beckoning you to perch on them, and blood red pendant lights casting shadows and creating moodily lit corners waiting to explored. Here, stands a bar set up that is the kind of thing that wouldn’t go amiss is some millionaire’s New York loft conversion. WOW! It really is an exciting space. Floor to ceiling displays of port from all Niepoort vintages, evocatively backlit, sit prettily, side by side with the array of Port-related art work that adorns the cellar walls. We were ushered over to a large dining table - the shape and size of one that, again, should you be lucky enough to own a home with a kitchen big enough, you would definitely insist on buying too. It could easily sit 10-12 people - an flight of empty glasses tantalisingly poised before us, crying out to be filled, savoured and then emptied - in quick succession. Ana expertly guided us through a wide variety of port from the Niepoort collection. From Ruby, to Tawny to White and then onto Niepoort’s latest endeavour - its fabulous still wines - with grapes harvested from the Douro valley. 

Feeling warm, fuzzy, and more than little sleep deprived from such an early start - with bellies full of port, we headed back to the hotel to binge some more of the tv series Kaos on Netflix and ordered room service (a burger and fries and a plate of national cheeses for moi.) A much needed early night after a pretty full on but lovely day exploring a taste of Porto.

Day 2 (Friday): Tucked on the edge of the Iberian Peninsula, Porto is home to a wealth of history, including the aforementioned centuries old Port wine industry that goes back to 1678 - according to Taylor’s, this is the earliest recording of Port being shipped from Porto. Visiting these Port wine lodges were definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Porto with Jet 2. Note: many of the Port wine lodges offer tours and tastings, but it is advisable to check opening times and booking information with each of them in advance, if you would like to make these part of your trip. Some lodges and cellars are public and have museums with audio guided tours (Think: Taylors/Fonseca) whilst others require you to book onto a private tour (Such as: Niepoort). But it is fair to say, that all will delight!

That being said, our second day in Porto was all about indulging in its namesake - and what many people typically travel to the city for: its world renowned heritage in Port. And so, in not-so -typical Friday morning fashion, we took a taxi from our hotel and made our way for our 10am appointment to meet with the lovely Ana Margarida Morgado, PR Manager at Taylor's Port.

She generously took us on a private tour of both Taylor's and Fonseca cellars, treating us to delicious tastings at each location. In the afternoon, we were met by Ana Maria Lorenço, PR Manager at World of Wine Porto (WOW.Porto) who took us to The Pink Palace rosé wine museum experience - complete with 5 different rose wines that you can taste along the way and some pretty cool photo opportunities for grabbing the perfect instagram shot.

My favourite part of The Pink Palace experience has to be the ball pit. Because what else in your day to day life – if not ball pits – has the ability to completely transport you back to the innocence of being a kid again?! It was brilliant! 

After clambering on the adult-size seesaw, lying in bath tubs fully clothed with glass of wine in hand, and playing about in a pink Cadillac and posing in front of the hall of mirrors, it was time to head to lunch at another of WOW Porto’s gems; Golden Catch Restaurant.

What did we eat at Golden Catch*?

• To start: Olives, Humus (chick peas, sesame, shiitake and shimeji mushrooms, cheese quenelle with curry), Ceviche (croacker, “tiger milk”, avocado, mango puree, sweet potato chips)

• Main: Cod (half-cured, textures of chickpeas, meat chorizo onion stew, crunchy “ras el hangout”, pea shoots, beurre blano.) Rump steak (butter, garlic and rosemary, sautéed portobello mushroom, steak house potatoes, green leaves, cherry tomatoes and vinaigrette) 

• To drink: Aperol Spritz x 2 

We sat outside on the terrace at Golden Catch - which is perfect for people and eagle* watching (yep! There was a man who had brought along what looked to be some sort of bird of prey - *possibly more likely to have been a Kestrel, than a Eagle… bit still a sight to behold!) The food was deliciously fresh and a must-try for lovers of fish and traditional seafood dishes with a modern twist. Inside Golden Catch’s interior is an ode to Portugal’s coastline and nautical ties, offering simple yet sophisticated touches - a great shout for a date night overlooking the Douro river. 

After lunch we popped over to another of WOW Porto’s brilliant museum & shopping experiences: The Chocolate Story - for a private tour with Director and master chocolatier, Pedro Martins Araújo - also known as Dr Bean. As we journeyed through The Chocolate Story by Pedro’s side, it became clear that in doing so, we were being shown the physical manifestation of what has been Pedro's lifelong dream, his lovechild and  – what will undoubtably become - his legacy. The Chocolate Story is home to Pedro’s famous Vinte Vinte chocolate shop and factory, and also Porto’s unforgettable chocolate museum.

Meeting the man behind the chocolate, Pedro was a true honour. Being able to hear him speak so passionately about his life’s work and love of chocolate – its origins, its sentiment, its science, its taste. Hearing his story firsthand made me reflect on how rare it is to meet someone who is both brave enough or mad enough (you decide) to do what it takes, to have the courage to follow your dreams, to be willing to give up everything, to make them a reality. It made me think about how, sometimes, our passion can both our biggest driver and destroyer – and ultimately, our maker. It is only when we lose something dear to us, that our true path opens up and you become even more of the self that you were meant to me, and are be able to share your gifts with the world. 

In The Chocolate Story lab, we were guided through a unique tasting experience, which is part of the new Vinte Vinte chocolate & port wine box complete with 4 different miniature bottles of port and 4 different Vinte Vinte chocolates. It’s a fab little gift idea for loved ones who like to try something new (and I believe it will be coming to UK stockists soon!)

To end the day, we made our way to Rooftop Flores bar, sipping on a couple of Port mixer spritz-style cocktails, while soaking up the panoramic views, watching golden hour do its thing. It’s worth noting that whilst the views were great at this rooftop bar, it did close rather early so be sure to check the opening times if you want to make more of a night of it.

Afterwards we headed down to a little square we’d found the day before, and grabbed a table for two outside at Puro 4050, so that we could listen to the live music being played by the very talented busker. It’s got to be said, the calibre of the buskers and street musicians in Porto is next level good! Be sure to make time to stop and enjoy many of a cover of your favourite artists. At Puro 4050, we ordered a salami pizza, some pasta and a jug of Sangria to share. Note: it gets a little chilly in the evenings in Porto in September, some sure to bring something warm to as a coverup in the evening and be careful of your bags and belongings if dining outdoors, as you don’t want to get anything nabbed.

• Day 3 (Saturday) On Saturday, having had a pretty full schedule on day 2, we had a bit of a lie in, and then made our way down for breakfast at the hotel, before wandering over the famous Luiz I bridge, winding our way up and down the narrow lanes and into the belly of Porto, in search of Palacio da Bolsa aka The Stock Exchange Palace.

For a small fee the Palacio da Bolsa offers guided tours that depart at various timed intervals throughout the day (from 9am to 6:30pm) and last for 30 minutes – and (in my opinion) if you are a fan of history, architecture, interior design or just like a nosy in other people’s spaces – then this tour is well worth booking. During the tour you will get to hear all about the palace’s most famous residents and features; including - but not limited to - the sweeping noble staircase that was 40+ years in the making complete with two impressive chandeliers each weighing 1.5 tonnes. You’ll crane your neck marvelling at many a hand-painted fresco or “wood” panelled room, be wowed at the stunning glass roof of the conservatory over the Hall of Nations and lock eyes with Justice herself up on the Court Room’s resplendent painted ceiling. Note: Comfortable walking shoes are a MUST for this city. Don’t get any fancy ideas about wearing heels if you’re going to explore this city on foot. Yes, you can pack a pair or two… but you’ll likely want to order an uber, as opposed to breaking an ankle on one of Porto’s cobbled streets. 

After cooing over stately sights at Palacio da Bolsa, we made our way to another rooftop bar that had been recommended for its views out over the city. Now, Bosco Porto rooftop bar is pretty boujie (think: surrounded by suntanned Soho House clientele and vibes but without the need for a membership). It’s the kind of place where hot young things grab a table, or lounge on pretty sun terraces and the only thing sweating is the condensation on the glass. If you look on a map, it isn’t too far from the Crystal Palace Gardens - a sight we didn’t have time to visit on this trip, but one I would love to experience in future. Instead, we grabbed a jug of sangria and soaked up the sun.

I did a bit of sketching too, pencil and notepad in hand, taking in the pretty terracotta rooftops of Porto’s skyline. Sometimes it’s just nice to stop and do nothing in a new city, isn’t it? After all, is it even a holiday if you don’t actually make time to rest?

On the final evening of our trip, I celebrated my birthday with a delicious dinner at Mira Mira by Ricardo Costa - this was a press invite and a chance to review their Harvest Menu. If you’re interested in making your mouth water, I’ve written all about the experience here for those who are as into their fine dining and tasting menus and wine pairings as I am - it was a real treat!) Mira Mira is the sister restaurant to its Michelin-starred sibling, The Yeatman. But I am pretty certain that its own stars are not far behind! Mira Mira offers incredibly innovative and creative seasonal takes on Portuguese cuisine - and our Sommelier, Silvia Alegra Gomes was a joy to behold - her wine pairings were exquisite!

• Day 4 (Sunday) Sadly, it was time to head home on my Jet2 flight back to Manchester Airport. But not before having the fastest breakfast ever overlooking a very foggy Porto. It’s almost as if the city knew it was time for us to leave…

Final Thoughts…

Porto is a city that truly has something for everyone. Whether you're a foodie, a history buff, or simply looking for a relaxing getaway, you're sure to fall in love with this charming city. I can't wait to go back and explore more! And as for whether it actually is a good idea or not to go on a little city break with someone you’ve only just met… I’d say: hell yes! Even if you end up realising that it’s not gonna be any big love – it’s still really lovely to have the opportunity to find out what someone is like in travel-mode. Are they organised? Do they get stressy? Are they enjoyable company? Are they messy?

I’ve always loved the saying that we meet some people for a reason, some people for a season and some people for a lifetime – it’s up to you to find out which one it will be! For me, this was a season and a maybe a reason. But the memories will last a lifetime – even if the relationship wasn’t meant to.

So what are you waiting for? Book your trip to Porto today and experience the magic for yourself!

Looking for more?

If you're looking for more information on planning your own trip to Porto, here are some helpful links:

• Cheap holidays to Porto with Jet2holidays

• Flights to Porto with Jet2

• City breaks to Porto with Jet2holidays

• Vincci Ponte de Ferro hotel

Disclaimer: *complimentary, gifted experiences // press trip courtesy of Jet 2 for review purposes