Must-see attractions in Porto

  • Sealife Porto

    Some 5000 marine creatures splash in the tanks at Sealife, where kiddie highlights include a shark tunnel and a rock pool for handling crabs, starfish and…

  • Forte de São Francisco Xavier

    Otherwise known as the Castelo do Queijo (Cheese Castle) because of the wedge of rock it stands upon, Forte de São Francisco Xavier looks every inch the…

  • Igreja de São Pedro de Miragaia

    One of Porto's oldest churches, the medieval Igreja de São Pedro de Miragaia was completely rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries, and pays homage to St…

  • Praia do Cabedelo do Douro

    Nothing blows away the city cobwebs like a wander along this beach, fringed by the protected dunes of the Douro Estuary Nature Reserve. The stiff sea…

  • Sinagoga Kadoorie

    Sidling up to the Cemitério de Agramonte, the Kadoorie Synagogue is the largest in the Iberian Peninsula and a visible reminder of the importance of the…

  • Douro Marina

    Architects Barbosa & Guimarães have left their imprint on this contemporary marina complex in Afurada. With forms that mirror the shape of boat masts and…

  • Jardim Botânico do Porto

    Run by the Faculty of Sciences of Porto University, this jigsaw of botanical gardens is a cool escape on hot summer days. Dotted with lakes and…

  • Museu das Marionetas

    Porto's marionette museum turns the spotlight on the remarkable puppet creations that have taken to the stage at the Teatro Marionetas do Porto over the…

  • Ponte Maria Pia

    Ponte Dom Luís I might hog the limelight, but it is this railway bridge, slightly further east, that bears the hallmark of Gustave Eiffel. Built when the…

  • Jardim do Passeio Alegre

    A joy for the aimless ambler, this 19th-century garden is flanked by graceful old buildings and dotted with willowy palms, sculptures, fountains and a…

  • SheChanges – Anemone

    Arriving in Matosinhos, you can’t help but stop dead in your tracks as your gaze is drawn upward to this 50m-high sculpture by North American artist Janet…

  • Jardim das Virtudes

    A much-loved picnic spot of tripeiros, these tucked-away gardens stagger down the hillside in a series of lawn terraces. Find a shady spot under the trees…

  • World of Discoveries

    A guaranteed kid-pleaser – if slightly overpriced – this interactive museum catapults you back to the 14th to 16th centuries, when the Portuguese ruled…

  • Igreja de Santo Ildefonso

    This gracefully baroque, early 18th-century, twin-towered church sits on the Praça da Batalha, stopping you dead in your tracks with its resplendent…

  • Look at Porto

    This new 5D cinema whisks you on a virtual flight over Porto, revealing angles never seen at ground level, with added special effects such as motion seats…

  • Igreja de São João Novo

    Set up above a narrow maze of stone stairs, this medieval church with magnificent views was built in 1539 on land that was originally part of Porto’s old…

  • Jardim da Cordoaria

    This pleasantly leafy park is known simply as ‘Cordoaria’. Check out the four haunting sculptures by Spain's Juan Muñoz. The romantic, narrow lanes that…

  • Igreja dos Clérigos

    Nicolau Nasoni designed the Igreja dos Clérigos, with its theatrical facade and un­usual, oval-shaped nave, resembling a Fabergé egg due to its dusky pink…

  • Museu do Carro Eléctrico

    Housed in an antiquated switching-house, this museum is a tram-spotter's delight. It displays dozens of beautifully restored old trams – from early 1870s…

  • Farol de Felgueiras

    One of Foz do Douro's most visible icons, this lighthouse stands on an esplanade, bearing the full brunt of the swells and storms of the Atlantic. Take a…