If you are wondering what the Best Places to Stay in Porto are, let me share some thoughts from our recent trip. We flew to Porto and stayed there for 3 days, and it might have been my favorite area on our trip! Porto is a Unesco World Heritage Site and worth the visit!
Heading south to the beaches on your Portugal vacation? I have a post about the best beaches in Algarve you should definitely read. Planning a trip to Oahu? I have the best 5-day itinerary for you!
Porto
Porto is a beautiful city with an amazing history. Our taxi driver stated that Northern Portugal is where the country's history is held, and I believe him. After traveling Portugal from top to bottom, he was right.
It is the second-largest city in Portugal and the capital of the Porto district.
The old town in Porto is beautiful and my favorite area to visit. It also has the Douro river running through it with 6 bridges, including the picturesque Dom Luis Bridge.
The city of Porto is a compact city with most main attractions within walking distance. While the city does have public transportation, we didn't even need it. We planned our days where most things we wanted to see were within 500 meters of each other. Easy. Central Porto held everything we wanted to see in our short time there.
Porto is a popular destination, so when you choose your location, make sure to book in advance.
We did not use any public transport while we were in Porto, but I have heard it is very easy, convenient, and cheap to use. All the areas I will mention below have easy access to Metro.
I want to note too, that Porto is a very family-friendly town. We visited with our 2 boys and they LOVED the city. We saw many other families wandering the town as well.
Best Areas To Stay In Porto
After A LOT of research, we decided to stay in Casas do Porto. This is just outside the famous Ribeira district and near almost everything the city has to offer. In my opinion, this is the best area. Even though is it close to everything, it was still relatively quiet. They have 8 units that are either 1 or 2 bedrooms.
It is a historical building that has been renovated with spacious rooms and a private bathroom. These are private rooms. We had a large bed in one room and the other was a double room. Perfect for our family of 4.
Another thing we loved about staying at Casas do Porto was someone meets you to hand over your keys and show you around. Rui was our guy. Not only did he get us situated in the building, but gave us all his recommendations for places to visit and great restaurants. We took his recommendations and enjoyed our stay so much!
Keep reading to find out what the best neighbourhoods and areas are in the city center. I will share the best locations if this is your first time visiting the city.
Ribeira District
We loved this area of the city! It is vibrant and has stunning, unique architecture. It is laden with brightly colored houses and narrow cobbled streets. Our apartment was right near the Rua das Flores with is a popular, bustling pedestrian street.
I feel like this is the best neighborhood to stay in, next time we visit, we will stay in this same area. There are many accommodation options in the immediate area.
There was nothing we didn't like about our stay here. It was near all the things we wanted to see and do. There was a great bakery right on the corner, and local restaurants within easy walking distance.
It is also very close to the river, its views, and the bridges.
This is a great place where you can find all you need within easy walking distance.
Vitoria
This is another really popular area, and great for being right in the middle of the action of the city. It is part of the historic centre of Porto. This area is centered around the University, which makes for a short walk to everything you might want to see.
This area has a lot of shopping, but also bustling nightlife. Galerias de Paris and Rua da Alemidas are the main bars and nightlife streets. This is a great location.
Baixa/ Se
This area is the grande centre of Porto. We spent plenty of time in this area at Livraria Lello ( a must for all us Harry Potter fans out there), Clerigos tower, and the Mercado de Bolhao. It is all part of the city centre area and is close to the other areas I mentioned above. It is a central area for so much Porto has to offer. Se is also a good location for being near to attractions and all Porto has to offer.
This is the oldest neighborhood in Porto and is an excellent location. Staying in a historic building is an easy option here.
All the above-mentioned areas are very close together, and even locals seem unable to distinguish which is which.
Other Areas to Note
Vila Nova de Gaia. This technically isn't Porto, but just across the river. This area of course also has a lovely river view. This is the area famous for maturing, blending, and bottling the famous Port wine. It is a really pretty area. We explored this area when we crossed the Dom Luis bridge and did the cable cars. It is famous for the port wine cellars.
Matosinhos is a small port town in the north of Porto. For beach lovers this is an easy location. This is a beach on the Atlantic ocean, so know that the water can be unpredictable and a bit choppy.
Some higher-end hotel options are The Yeatman Hotel, Torel Palace Porto, and the Maison Albar Hotels Le Monumental Palace.
How Long Should You Stay in Porto?
At minimum 2 full days. We were here for 3 and it was the perfect amount. You can however see a majority of the major attractions in 2 days.
If you want to have a more relaxing vacation where you take your time to explore at an easy pace, 5-7 days is more in line with what you want. Especially if you plan on making day trips to the surrounding areas.