Time Out Porto editors

Anyone who says Porto isn't a romantic city simply hasn't looked closely enough. This city is up there with the romantic greats (Paris, Lisbon and the rest), you just need to know where to look for the best spots.  But before you fill up your itinerary with Porto’s most romantic restaurants, you need somewhere to stay. And for that, you’ll need this list of the most romantic hotels in Porto. Here for an anniversary or to get down on one knee, these hotels have everything you need for this city of lurrve.  RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto 🍻 The best bars in Porto🏨 The best hotels in Porto🏠 The best Airbnbs in Porto Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Move over Lisbon, you've had your time. It's Porto's moment to shine. Like the larger capital, Porto is coastal, has its fair share of hills and awe-inspiring architecture, and must-see attractions. The city's modest size makes it easy to navigate, which, in turn, means you can easily visit more than one of our top ten attractions in one day. Take a dip in an azure ocean-front pool, get snap happy in a nineteenth-century station or simply get your fill of the gorgeous Duoro River and the megalithic Dom Luis I iron bridge crosses it, connecting Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia. And don't forget to try a tipple (or two) of port – this is the drink's hometown after all. Cheers! Recommended: 🍳See the best places to enjoy brunch in Porto🛏Stay at the best Airbnbs in Porto🏨Or book a stay at the best hotels in Porto This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Clubbing in Porto is easy. In fact, having a great time is pretty much non-negotiable round here, but it's helped greatly by the fact that all the best bars happen to be found downtown, all a short walk from one another.  Here you'll find spots for late-night drinking and clubs for dancing the whole night away, all in one place. Our editors have tried and tested every party spot in the city, so read on for the very best clubs in Porto.  RECOMMENDED:🍸 The best bars in Porto🏖️ The best beaches in Porto🍴 The best restaurants in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto 🏠 The best Airbnbs in Porto This guide was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

It's no secret that Porto really, really likes fish (and not just the tinned kind). This city specialises in seafood of all types, but the one thing all of it has in common is that it's very, very delicious.  Porto has seafood for all tastes: from grilled, roasted and served in bready açordas (bread soup) or with pasta, steamed, seared and even raw. Whatever fishiness you're into, you'll find it here. Read on for the best seafood restaurants in Porto.  RECOMMENDED:💕 The most romantic restaurants in Porto🍴 The best restaurants in Porto🥪 The best francesinhas in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto  This guide was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

The history of Porto lives in the streets of Foz, where the Douro gives way to the Atlantic and mornings blend into evenings. There is something about this seaside neighbourhood that hits home. Could it be the tranquil power of the Atlantic? That helps, certainly. But there's plenty more going for this high-class hotspot.  Foz do Douro is one of the most beautiful (and in our opinion, the coolest) areas in Porto. The promenades here are never-ending, extending into the horizon full of fantastic restaurants, bars and views for days. From shopping and markets to the best view you can get, here are the best things to do in Foz. RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto 🍻 The best bars in Porto🏨 The best hotels in Porto This article was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Everyone knows Porto's classic dishes (we're looking at you, francesinha), but only one can truly rival the famous sandwich. That's the cachorrinho, a kind of Portuguese hot dog. And if you've never tried one, you have no idea what you're missing. In porto, the humble cachorrinho is the afternoon snack for a beer with your pals. It comes in thin crusty bread, is stuffed with fresh sausage (sometimes alheira), and brushed with a spicy sauce. There are lots of them in the city, but only some places do them really, really well. Here are the best cachorrinhos in Porto RECOMMENDED:🥪 The best francesinhas in Porto💕 The most romantic restaurants in Porto🍴 The best restaurants in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto  This guide was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Let’s get one thing straight first: prices in Porto are pretty darn reasonable. You won’t find overpriced small plates and extortionate bottles of wine on every corner here, and a trip to the city most definitely doesn’t have to break the bank.  But if you’re in a pinch and looking to get a whole lunch for under €5, or looking to have the cheapest dinner out possible to save your money for booze after, there are some spots that should be on your radar. From burgers to rissoles, these spots are ‘I can’t believe it’ cheap. But the best part? They don’t scrimp on flavour. Here are the best cheap food spots in Porto.  RECOMMENDED:🥪 The best francesinhas in Porto🍝 The best Italian restaurants in Porto🍴 The best restaurants in Porto💕 The most romantic restaurants in Porto This guide was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

When it comes to food, tere's a hell of a lot of choice in Porto. But if it's your first (or second, or third?) time in the city, there are some dishes you simply have to try. It's the rules. The best place to do that? That'll be Porto's traditional restaurants. These are the kinds of places run by families for hundreds of years. The kinds of places in which recipes are passed down through generations, and each dish is perfectly refined. From seafood to francesinhas, here are the restaurants offering up an authentic taste of old Porto. Enjoy! RECOMMENDED:💕 The most romantic restaurants in Porto🍴 The best restaurants in Porto🥪 The best francesinhas in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto  This guide was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

There’s a lot on show on the streets of Porto: great architecture, vibrant culture and interesting people. But if you really want to get under the skin of this city and discover the powers that shaped it, you need to head to these museums.  Oh, and Porto has a museum for pretty much everything. You name it, it’s got it. Got kids interested in the arts? How about a museum all about theatre and puppets. Or obsessed with everything football related? There’s a museum for that too. For art, science and so much more, here are the best museums in Porto.  RECOMMENDED:🎨 The best art galleries in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto 🍴 The best restaurants in Porto🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Porto  This article was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Sure, the Portuguese love a bit of fish (especially if it’s tinned), and there are some Portuguese classic dishes you can’t leave Porto without trying. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get your hands on some seriously good Italian food if that’s what you’re craving.  Porto is actually home to some incredible spots, serving up everything from woodfired pizza to classic pasta, as well as all the delectable Italian starters you can imagine, from charcuterie to arancini. Ready for some cheesy, tomatoey goodness? Read on for the best Italian restaurants in Porto.  RECOMMENDED:💕 The most romantic restaurants in Porto🍴 The best restaurants in Porto🥪 The best francesinhas in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto  This guide was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Don’t walk around looking down at the ground, or up to the sky – look at the walls around you. In Porto, art is everywhere. But it ain't always been easy. There was a time in Porto when urban art was ruthlessly persecuted, and a fair bit of it was scrubbed right off.  Luckily, artists persevered, and now the city is alive with colour and beauty, painted onto the walls of vacant buildings on the sides of streets. We've trapsed round the city to create the ultimate guide to Porto's urban art. Just don't forget your camera (or your phone); you're going to want to remember these.  RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Porto 🍴 The best restaurants in Porto🍻 The best bars in Porto🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Porto  This article was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Forget Florence, Paris and the likes. Forget, even, Porto's romantic neighbour Lisbon. She's not the only city of love around here. Porto is the perfect spot for your couples' holiday, your anniversary, or your first date if you're that way inclined. Take it from us.  And one of its most romantic features of all? Its array of stunning, cosy restaurants, serving up seriously good food. Porto’s already a super-romantic city, full of intimate parks, swoonsome art and chic bars, but if you’re looking for somewhere to take a date (or even pop the question), these are its most romantic restaurants. Enjoy.  RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Porto📍 The best things to do in Porto 🍻 The best bars in Porto🏨 The best hotels in Porto This article was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Concerto da Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto que tem a cidade como fio condutor, com obras de Haydn, Mozart e Stravinsky.

The Casa da Música was described by The New York Times as "one of the most important concert halls built in the last 100 years". The building, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, in association with the Porto Office of Metropolitan Architecture, also houses the cultural institution Casa da Música Foundation, and three orchestras: Orquestra Nacional do Porto (Porto National Orchestra), Orquestra Barroca (Baroque Orchestra) and Remix Ensemble.

 

If you're in Porto, hungry and bereft of ideas about where to go, then the São Domingos square, at the end of the Rua das Flores, is your better option. This area has the greatest concentration of restaurants in the city, and some of them are pretty good (really good). LSD Largo São Domingos is one of those. Unlike most restaurants, they have a policy of retiring dishes when they get too popular. So enjoy your meal while you can – unless your favourites are “meat, meat, meat” or the black chocolate parfait. Those are menu fixtures.

Brasão is a success story in Porto. Why? Because it is a “son” of O Paparico, in Areosa, and that's always a good sign; and because it is one of the few restaurants to compete on quality in snacks, offering hardcore “francesinha” sandwiches (with lighter options available) and rump or sirloin steaks. The menu is simple but here's our advice: start off with fried onion in black garlic mayo, go for the hazelnut chocolate mousse for dessert. So now you know.

Simply saying that this restaurant is part of entrepreneur Vasco Mourão’s umbrella of businesses gives it a guaranteed stamp of quality in the city. Add 20 years in operation and the chef Camilo Jaña, who came from Chile and fell in love with this regional restaurant’s cuisine on his first ever meal in Porto, and you have Cafeína. The result is gastronomic classics such as beef Wellington or a duo of pork with chestnuts and vegetables, two frequent lunch menu options.

The secret of this Foz classic is simple: food portions are always family-sized, because it's (almost) always good to have company at the table. “Good, affordable, pretty, genuine, everything a man could dream”, wrote one of our critics about A Capoeira. What else is there to say? A lot. We have to mention the cod à la Brás, so good they only serve it once a week, and the octopus rice. Oh, and we'd be remiss to neglect the tongue stew and the “cabidela” blood rice. Indeed, we could just paste the entire menu here with no additional comments. The main thing is, you will leave the Esplanada do Castelo having eaten a fine meal.