Porto is a granite-and-tile city that tumbles down steep hills to the Douro, and it rewards travellers who slow down and climb its staircases. Base yourself in the old centre and you can walk almost everything, though the gradients are relentless, so plan routes downhill towards the river and take the funicular or a taxi back up. Start high at the Clerigos tower and the tiled facades, drift down through the Ribeira to the double-deck Ponte Luis I, then cross to Vila Nova de Gaia where the port lodges line the far bank. Eat like a local: a francesinha drowned in beer sauce, a pork-and-cheese pernil sandwich standing at Casa Guedes, grilled fish in a tiled tavern, and a warm pastel de nata from Manteigaria. Book the Livraria Lello and the best port-lodge tours ahead, remember many churches shut for a long lunch, and end each evening with a glass of tawny watching the rabelo boats and the sunset gild the river. Porto gives most to those who wander its azulejo-lined lanes patiently.
A full, walkable day in Porto, free for everyone. Set your pace and start time.
Buy the timed ticket online the night before and take the first slot; the shop is tiny and fills fast within the hour.
240 narrow spiral steps with two-way traffic; go now while the light is soft and the stairs are quiet.
Sao Bento is free and takes ten minutes; the cathedral terrace nearby gives a big free rooftop view.
The dark Gothic shell hides a blaze of gold woodwork; photos are allowed and it rarely takes more than 45 minutes.
Walk the top level beside the metro for the best river views, then descend into Gaia on the far side.
Book a slot at a lodge such as Graham's or Taylor's; most tours run under an hour and end with two or three tastings.
This snug Ribeira taberna has only a few tables, so reserve ahead; go for the daily fish and a bottle of Douro red.
The neo-Gothic 1906 bookshop with its swooping crimson staircase and stained-glass skylight, one of the world's most beautiful; buy a timed ticket online in advance and go at opening to dodge the crush.
The benchmark for Porto's francesinha, a towering meat-and-cheese sandwich smothered in spicy beer-and-tomato sauce with a fried egg on top; no bookings, expect a lunchtime queue on Rua Passos Manuel.
A working railway station whose entrance hall is lined with around 20,000 blue-and-white azulejo tiles depicting Portuguese history and rural life; free to enter and best seen in morning light.
The soaring baroque bell tower by Nicolau Nasoni; climb its 240 spiral steps for a 360-degree panorama over the terracotta rooftops, the river and Gaia beyond.
The fortress-like Romanesque cathedral crowning the old town, with a Gothic cloister of tiled panels and a terrace giving one of the best free views over the descending rooftops.
Gustave Eiffel's protege Teofilo Seyrig built this double-deck iron bridge; walk the upper deck beside the metro for dizzying river views, or the lower deck straight into Gaia.
Legendary counter for the pernil, slow-roast pork piled into a soft roll and best ordered com queijo da Serra so the sheep's cheese melts into the meat; eat standing on Praca dos Poveiros.
Tiny, warmly run Ribeira taberna serving honest Portuguese cooking and daily fish specials in a snug tiled room; only a handful of tables, so reserve well ahead.
Chef Jose Avillez's relaxed Porto dining room delivering polished contemporary takes on Portuguese classics, from cod to slow-cooked pork; smart, buzzy and worth booking.
Two-Michelin-star tasting menus with a wall of Portuguese wine and a terrace framing the whole Porto skyline across the river; a special-occasion splurge, reserve far in advance.
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Portugal