PORTO
Porto is in the northern region of Portugal and the second largest after the capital, Lisbon.
The Portuguese name for the city is Oporto, and the picturesque old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Porto is often mistaken for the home of Port wine, but actually, Gaia is, and it's a leisurely stroll away, right across the Dom Luis I Bridge .
How To
Get There
The international airport you’ll land at is Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport or simply Porto Airport (OPO).
If you need a visa, a Schengen visa will grand you access to Porto.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY?
Porto has one of the most stunning train stations in the world -
São Bento Station built in 1900s.
Historical fact
100%
I roamed the entire city, and I did not feel unsafe at all.
feeling of safety
Ratio of Black People
40%
I saw a decent amount of Black folks, especially in my hostel.
UBERS?
Yup!
currency
Euros €
ENGLISH | PORTUGUESE |
Hello | Olá |
Good Morning/Night | Bom días/Boa noite |
Help | Ajuda |
Yes/No | Sim/Não |
Thank you | Obligada/obligado |
I don’t speak Portuguese | Desculpe, não falo português |
Sorry/Excuse me | Desculpe/Com licença |
Please | Por favor |
Best Experience : Just Being There
The entire 4-day stay was beautiful.
Less than 24 hours after I landed, I knew I wanted to spend months living in Porto. The vibe and pace of the city resonated with me on a deep level.
The city's look and feel reignited my passion for writing and travel. My creative side, just that jolt, that spark of whatever it is that I needed to pursue my travel website and be a travel storyteller. I got that renewed zest for life from my trip to Porto, and here I am executing that, trying to keep that flame alive by sharing my experiences and creating free travel resources with other people, hoping that they learn stuff and that all began in Porto! So Porto will always have my heart.
I found everything to be absolutely marvelous: the port wine, the cable cars, the architecture and the azulejo tiles, the food, the people, the affordability, how pedestrian-friendly it is, the language...
It was chilly so you NEED a jacket. I went in May and it was colder than I thought, I didn't get a chance to even go to the beach.
How to dress
It was chilly, so you’ll need a heavy cream-based moisturizer and have your sunscreen on deck as per usual.
Skincare
Their official language is Portuguese but they also speak English and I survived speaking some Spanish.
Language
Where To Stay
I stayed at Selina.
It was the highest-rated hostel in Porto.
Challenges
Buying a train/bus ticket was a little tricky to figure out at first but once you get a hang of it, it’s smooth sailing .
Weird Experiences
None! People were warm and sweet.
I did see 2 paintings that reminded me that the Portuguese were the first culprits of the Atlantic Slave Trade.