Flight guide to Porto

Located in the middle of the Algarve, Porto is Portugal’s second largest city and home to many of the country's most important exports. It’s where port wine was first stored, where travellers can find the best pottery in Portugal, and boasts some of the best seafood markets in the country. Porto’s historic city centre is an Unesco World Heritage Site and arguably one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal. Wine cellars are lined up along the river banks and restaurants and bars are strategically placed along the riverfront.

Walk through the city centre and pay close attention to Porto’s buildings. They may look faded, but their coloured tiles and murals add to their authentic beauty. Exquisite hand-painted tiles can be found on church walls and inside many of Porto’s buildings. Flights to Porto take a few hours from the UK.

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Porto Climate

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When to Fly to Porto

Peak Season:

Summer is the most popular time to visit Porto and the beaches in the surrounding areas.

Off Season:

If you do not mind rain, pack the wet gear and come in winter. The weather is on the cool side of mild, and, when the rain eases off in March, everything is in bloom.

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Getting Around Porto

Many visitors find walking or biking the best way to explore Porto, particularly in the old part of town where most major monuments and sights are close together. The streets can be narrow and confusing, and when you get lost just ask a resident to point you in the right direction.

Porto’s public transportation system is inexpensive and convenient. Funiculars take you up the steep banks from the Ribeira to the city centre. The buses and trams let you see the city as you travel, and the metro has several lines that get you around Porto quickly. Most visitors use the local train system to get to the outlying areas, especially the beaches. During rush hour, however, public transportation is very crowded.

There are discount and multiple-trip tickets, such as the Passe Turistico, bilhete diario (day pass), and rechargeable Andante Card, that offer deals and discounts on public transportation.

Taxis are available 24 hours a day, and can be hailed, picked up at a stand, or called.

Porto has heavy traffic and a maze of one-way streets, making driving difficult for visitors. With the city’s public transportation and taxis, you probably do not need to drive in Porto.

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Porto Insider Information

• Porto is the capital of Port, the country’s most famous wine region. A visit to the Port lodges in Vila Nova da Gaia, where the wines are aged, is a must. Vila Nova da Gaialies opposite Oporto, across the river Douro. The city is also known for the "Barcos Rabelos", the flat-bottomed boats that used to ship the Port from the vineyards. The boats take part in a thrilling race (in June each year), part of the Festival de Sao Joao do Porto (feast of St. John).
• The funicular railway that runs up the hill from the riverside to the Praca da Batalha is a great way to see the city.
• Porto's historic center is a Unesco World Heritage site. The Praca da Ribeira is a popular meeting place. Ribeira's Quay is the original port. The area is charming with cobbled streets, brightly painted houses, small shops, cafes and restaurants. A walk along the Ribeira Quay leads to the Dom Luis Bridge, which links Porto with Vila Nova da Gaia. The bridge was built in the 1880s by Teophile Seyrig, a Belgian engineer who studied with Eiffel. The bridge with its iron structure owes much to the Eiffel Tower.
• Porto Cathedral was started in the 13th century, added to at the end of the 14th (Gothic cloister) and 16th centuries (Chapel of St. Vincent) and the main chapel was added in the 17th century. In 1736, Nicolau Nasoni, the baroque Italian architect added the north facade. The cathedral is located on the hill above the grand Sao Bento train station. The views from the cathedral of the old quarter are beautiful.
• The Sao Francisco Church is one of Porto’s last remaining medieval buildings, and the only Gothic church in the city.

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Porto Airports

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