9 Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting Porto for the First Time
Visiting Porto, Portugal quickly became one of my favorite trips I’ve ever taken.
Between the incredible food, Port wine, nightlife, cobblestone streets, and the Douro River running through the city, there is so much to love about Porto.
But there were definitely a few things that caught me off guard.
From eating dinner much later than I’m used to, to constantly buying water, to realizing just how hilly Porto actually is, there are a few things I wish I knew before my trip.
So, if you’re visiting Porto for the first time, here are 9 mistakes you should avoid so you can make the most out of your trip.
1. Going Out to Dinner Too Early
This was probably one of the biggest adjustments for me.
If you’re used to eating dinner around 5:30 or 6:00 PM in the United States, you might have to change your schedule a little bit in Porto.
A lot of restaurants don’t even open until around 7:00 PM or later.
We learned this after getting back from our Douro Valley tour. We had been gone basically all day and got back to Porto around 6:30 PM. We were tired, hungry, and ready to eat.
However, we quickly found out a lot of the restaurants we were looking at weren’t open for dinner yet.
My advice is to plan your meals throughout the day accordingly. Grab a later lunch or have some snacks with you so you’re not absolutely starving at 6 PM waiting for restaurants to open.
If you consider yourself a wine connoisseur, there are several incredible port wine tastings and tours that you can take throughout Porto.
Click the link here to check them out
2. Not Leaving Enough Time for Meals
Another thing I noticed pretty quickly is that meals in Porto aren’t always meant to be rushed.
When you sit down for dinner, expect to actually sit down and enjoy dinner.
We would order appetizers, wine, and then our entrees, and the wait staff wasn’t trying to rush us through everything. In our experience, they would usually wait until we were finished with one course before moving us along to the next.
It’s definitely different from grabbing a burger over the counter somewhere, eating in 30 minutes, and getting back to sightseeing.
If you have a tour or reservation coming up, I wouldn’t squeeze a full sit-down meal into a tiny window beforehand.
Instead, give yourself some time.
If you’re looking for something quicker, small plates or tapas-style restaurants can be a good option. And obviously, Porto still has fast-food options if you’re really in a hurry.
But when you have the time, embrace the slower meals.
Grab some wine, order a few different things and just enjoy it. You’re in Portugal!
Do you love trying different local foods? Consider a Porto Food Tour with the link here.
3. Not Carrying Enough Water With You
If you’re visiting Portugal in the summer, it gets hot.
During our trip, we found ourselves constantly buying bottles of water. At several restaurants we visited, when we ordered water, it wasn’t just a free glass of tap water like you might expect in the states.
It’s a glass bottle they bring over, and it costs almost $5 per bottle
After a while, we started buying larger plastic bottles from convenience stores and bringing them back to our Airbnb.
Grab a couple larger bottles when you see them, keep some water where you’re staying, and bring a bottle with you when you’re walking around the city.
4. Underestimating How Hilly Porto Is
Porto will give your legs a workout.
The city is incredibly walk-able, and I actually highly recommend walking as much as possible, especially during your first few days.
However,… it is hilly
You might look at Google Maps and see that somewhere is only a 15-minute walk away. What Google Maps doesn’t emphasize quite as much is that part of those 15 minutes could be straight uphill on cobblestone streets.
Bring good walking shoes.
I wouldn’t let the hills convince you to Uber everywhere, though. Some of my favorite moments in Porto came from simply walking around after a night out, wondering down the dimly lit streets, talking with friends, stumbling upon cool shops or restaurants.
Because I didn’t bring good walking shoes and brought worn out old ones, I actually injured my calf during this time and I am still trying to recover from it. So trust me when I say to bring good, stable walking shoes.
With that being said, taking a Porto Walking Tour is a great way to see the highlights of the city, led by a professional guide! Click the link above if you’re interested.
5. Skipping Sunset at Jardim do Morro
This is one of the main things you HAVE to do when you come to Porto. One of the best spots to see a sunset in the entire country.
We stopped at some local shops beforehand and picked up a bottle of wine, cheese, cured meats, bread and crackers.
Then we walked over to Jardim do Morro, found a spot on the hill and basically had our own little sunset picnic overlooking the Douro River and Porto.
There were people hanging out everywhere, taking pictures, having picnics, listening to music and enjoying the evening.
Unfortunately for us, it was cloudy this day and we didn’t get to see the sunset on our sunset cruise. But just goes to show, you don’t need some crazy expensive sunset experience to have an incredible night in Porto.
Sometimes all you need is a bottle of Portuguese wine, some food and a good view.
6. Going Out Too Early If You Want to Experience Porto’s Nightlife
Porto surprised me with its nightlife.
We went out twice during our trip, and both nights were a blast.
One of the main areas we went to was around Rua da Galeria de Paris, where you’ll find a bunch of bars and nightlife right next to each other. This is the main nightlife street in Porto to go to.
Here’s what surprised me:
The party starts LATE.
We went out around 11 PM and things were happening, but it wasn’t insanely crowded yet. Personally, I actually liked that.
But around 2–3 AM is where the party really started.
We were leaving around 3 AM and there were still people everywhere. The clubs were packed and the streets were still popping. This was on a Wednesday and Thursday night mind you.
It was crazy.
So here’s my advice:
If you want to have a few drinks and experience Porto nightlife without being packed into a club, go earlier.
If you’re looking to really party and want the crowded late-night experience, prepare to stay out late.
Just make sure you don’t have any early morning tours the next morning. We made sure to plan it that way.
7. Playing It Too Safe With Portuguese Food and Culture
You’re flying all the way to Portugal.
Try some new things.
One of my favorite parts about traveling internationally is getting outside of my normal routine.
Try a wine you’ve never heard of. Order the octopus. Walk into a small local food shop. Talk to the bartender. Stay out later than you normally would.
One thing you’ll notice pretty quickly is that wine is a big part of the experience.
We pretty much had wine with every meal. There was one meal where we decided not to order alcohol because we had already had plenty over the previous few nights, and our waitress seemed genuinely surprised that we didn’t want a bottle of wine for the table.
Obviously, you don’t need to drink alcohol to enjoy Porto.
But if you do drink, this is a great place to try different Portuguese wines and, of course, Port wine.
You will also notice that a lot of people like to smoke cigarette’s in Europe. There is a lot more people smoking in outdoor public spaces than you’re used to. If cigarette smoke bothers you, that’s something I’d be prepared for.
My point isn’t that you need to do everything the locals do.
It’s that you shouldn’t fly across the Atlantic just to go to order the chicken fingers and drink exactly what you would at home. Order different things, try different foods and immerse yourself in the culture
Have some fun with it.
Click the link here if you want to try a Port-Wine Tour
Click here if you want to try a Porto Food Tour!
8. Skipping a Douro Valley Tour
This might be the biggest mistake on this entire list.
If you’re spending several days in Porto, take a day trip to the Douro Valley.
This was one of the best tours I’ve ever done.
We took a full-day guided tour from Porto that lasted around 10 hours. It included a boat ride along the Douro River, incredible viewpoints, a winery visit, wine tastings and lunch.
We also visited Croft Vineyard, where we learned more about the wine-making process and sampled Port wine.
You need to try Port wine while you’re here.
The scenery in the Douro Valley was incredible. Vineyards stretch across the hillsides, and everywhere you look feels like another viewpoint.
The other thing I loved about taking a guided tour was how easy everything was.
We didn’t have to worry about driving. We could drink the wine. Lunch was handled. We met other travelers from all over the world. And we got to spend basically an entire day exploring outside Porto without planning all the logistics ourselves.
If you’re someone who likes wine, scenery or day trips, put this near the top of your Porto itinerary.
[Check out Douro Valley tours from Porto here.]
9. Leaving Portugal Without Trying Pastéis de Nata
Last but definitely not least…
Try a pastel de nata.
These little Portuguese custard tarts are incredible.
You’ll see them in bakeries and pastry shops throughout Porto. They have a flaky pastry shell filled with creamy custard and that slightly browned top.
We even found places where you could watch them being made behind a glass.
We went to my friend’s wedding in Porto, and instead of cutting a cake, they had a tower of pastel de natas instead. It was awesome.
So make note of this and make sure you try them.
Final Thoughts: Mistakes to Avoid in Porto
Walk the cobblestone streets. Eat dinner later. Spend two hours at a restaurant. Try the Port wine. Stay out late one night. Grab some food and watch the sunset at Jardim do Morro.
And absolutely make time for the Douro Valley.
Some of my favorite memories from Porto weren’t things we had meticulously planned. They were the random shops we walked into, people we talked to, food and wine we tried, and nights where we stayed out WAY later than expected.
That’s part of what made Porto so much fun.
If you’re visiting for the first time, don’t worry about doing everything perfectly.
Avoid these mistakes, leave a little room in your itinerary to explore, and enjoy being somewhere completely different.
Not sure you can afford it? Check out my article on 9 tips for budget travelers
How to Travel More While Working a Full-Time Job (Budget Tips & Time Hacks)