Portugal Roadtrip: Porto and Coimbra
Last Easter, we were looking for cheap flights to Europe and Porto won! We ended up turning it into a 2 week road trip. Here’s how we spent the start in Porto & Coimbra.
Where we stayed //
We had just 1 night in Porto but with an early flight from the UK we landed and were ready to explore. We picked up a car from the airport - we debated getting it the day after as Porto isn’t exactly car friendly but then realised it would cost a lot in getting to/from the airport twice and would be going the wrong way so we prebooked a car and made sure we had somewhere to stay with free parking included which all worked out well in the end.
We booked this duplex apartment in a boutique hotel - this one and paid £111. The kids slept on a sofa bed and we found it a great base, really walkable to everywhere, an underground parking garage, well equipped kitchen to be able to eat in {since we arrived super early we knew we’d be tired and the kids would crash in the evening}.
Porto is a surprisingly easy city to explore with children. It’s compact, colourful, and full of little moments that feel like an adventure—boats on the river, trams rattling past, and endless viewpoints to stop for snacks and photos. It was actually forecast to rain a lot during our trip so we scaled down our itinerary but ended up still feeling like we’d see enough {we obviously only had 1 day!} without rushing through everything too fast.
Here’s how we spent our day:
Our first destination was the Chapel of Souls, the most incredible church covered in the traditional Portuguese azulejos, painted with scenes from the lives of saints. Such a spectacle! It’s set at the end of a main touristy street so there’s lots to see on the way.
From here we walked to the Mercado do Bolhao to pick up some lunch, fresh fruit smoothies and a proper Iberico jambon sandwich that Portugal is known for. And then our first - of many - Pastel de Nata from Manteigaria where you can see them being made fresh. We got obsessed with these custard tarts on past trips to Lisbon, I love mine with cinnamon. My daughter loved spotting all of the Ronaldo statues and football shops around town and we had fun looking at all of the very impressive tinned fish shops - a sentence I didn’t think I’d ever write but they’re so beautifully displayed like works of art! {Just be careful if you plan to take any home if you’re hand luggage only as they’d count as a liquid}. We ogled at the churches, popped our heads into Porto Sao Bento - the most beautiful train station in the world? and then meandered down through the streets to the river.
We loved the atmosphere down by the Ribeira river promenade and we crossed over the impressive Dom Ponte Luis to a sweet playground and to see the Half Rabbit modern art building. We should have taken the cable car back but decided to walk back - wrong decision - it was SO much steeper than the walk down! Then we picked up dinner from Honest Greens Santa Catarina - LOVED this place and picked up a few bits from a supermarket {even their mini city supermarkets have huge fresh fish counters, so impressive}
I’d bookmarked Nicolau Porto for a brunch spot that gets good reviews but we ran out of time/meals!
If you’re planning a trip here are 10 classic Porto things to add to your itinerary //
1. Ribeira District
The Ribeira is the heart of Porto. Its colourful houses, lively atmosphere, and riverside setting make it one of the most iconic areas in the city. Whether you’re walking along the waterfront or sitting at a café watching boats pass, this is classic Porto. I wish we could have taken a boat cruise from here.
2. Dom Luís I Bridge
This striking iron bridge is one of Porto’s most recognisable landmarks. Walking across the upper level offers sweeping views over the Douro River, the Ribeira, and Vila Nova de Gaia. It’s especially beautiful at sunset, I had planned for us to watch the sunset from the Miradouro da Serra do Pilar and Parque Infantil do Jardim do Morro {this spot looked beautiful but it was too rainy the evening we were there :(}
3. Livraria Lello
Often listed among the most beautiful bookshops in the world, Livraria Lello is famous for its ornate staircase and stained glass ceiling. It can be busy, but for book lovers and architecture fans, it’s a unique stop.
4. São Bento Railway Station
Even if you’re not catching a train, São Bento Station is worth visiting. The main hall is decorated with thousands of blue-and-white azulejo tiles depicting scenes from Portuguese history.
5. Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto)
Perched on a hill above the river, Porto’s cathedral is one of the city’s oldest buildings. The views from the terrace are fantastic, and the cloister tiles add to its charm.
6. Clerigos Tower and Church
Climbing the Clerigos Tower rewards you with one of the best panoramic views in Porto. The baroque church itself is also worth a look, even if you skip the climb.
7. Palácio da Bolsa
This former stock exchange building is an architectural highlight, especially the lavish Arab Room. Guided tours are the best way to appreciate its history and details.
8. Vila Nova de Gaia and the Port Wine Cellars
Just across the river, Gaia is home to the famous port wine lodges. Visiting at least one cellar helps explain Porto’s connection to port wine and offers great views back toward the old town.
9. Igreja de São Francisco
From the outside it’s fairly simple, but inside the church is richly decorated with intricate gold-covered woodwork. It’s one of Porto’s most striking interiors.
10. Jardim do Palácio de Cristal
These peaceful gardens offer some of the best viewpoints over the Douro River. It’s a quieter, greener side of Porto and a lovely break from sightseeing.
If it hadn’t been so rainy then I’d have LOVED to have visited Praia da Costa Nova and all of the colourful beach huts along with Aveiro which is dubbed the Venice of Portugal. But it looks like a place you should really only visit on a sunny day to get the right vibe.
COIMBRA //
Our Portuguese Road trip, stop 2: Coimbra.
We only intended to spend a couple of hours here as a stop in between Porto & Lisbon, it’s pretty much exactly half way between, but ended up spending most of a day because it was such an enjoyable town!
Don’t miss:
~ The Botanical gardens {free with v impressive bamboo & grounds},
~ a wander around the old city. Coimbra is a historic university city with a relaxed, lived-in feel that’s very different from Porto. Once the capital of Portugal, it’s best known for its ancient university, one of the oldest in Europe, perched high above the river.
~ @portugaldospequintos which was the highlight. Portugal’s first ever theme park, it’s got a mini town full of traditional houses built to a 5 year old’s scale that our children loved going in & out of, world passports which you collect stamps in the different buildings dedicated to different countries and lots of crafty activities going on. They had a playroom with some open ended toys. It’s really well done and I’m so glad we visited.
~ the riverside park. They had a vintage brocante/boot sale on the day we went which we all loved perusing.
You can park for free in the riverside car parks at weekends. There’s lots of places to eat, we had some amazing Turkish kebabs from a very unassuming restaurant right next to Portugal dos Pequintos & there’s a self serve impressive açai bar which was a delicious treat - Maria Pitanga.
I love it when kind of unplanned days turn out to be a real highlight! Next stop, Cascais and Lisbon in part 2…
