If you’re on your way to Portugal and want to make sure you pick out the best Porto tours to make the most of your city-break, then bear with us! Traveller and tourist tours have a Forrest Gump-Box of Chocolates kind of relationship. You can do your research and read some reviews, but in the end… “you never know what you’re gonna get”! Whether you’re an adventure freak, a professional foodie, a party animal or a snobby well-cultured type of tourist, you will SURELY find something that suits you!
HERE ARE 13 PORTO TOURS YOU MUST PLAN FOR
PORT WINE CELLAR TOUR AT CAVES CALÉM
Photo by: Sogevinus Fine Wines SA
The most obvious, the most popular and the most celebrated of all Porto tours. Coming to Porto and not taking a wine cellar tour is like – as we say here in Portugal – going to Rome and not seeing the pope. Although there is certainly no shortage of amazing port wine cellars grasping for your attention, you simply can’t go wrong with Caves Calém, one of the most renowned brands in the business. Regular tour tickets are available from 13€ and these include two tasting options.
READ ALSO: Top 3 Port Wine Tasting Experiences Of Porto
PORTO PUB CRAWL
If partying is in your genes and you’re one of those people who measure a city’s awesomeness through its nightlife, then this Porto tour will be right up your alley! Porto Walkers will show you the local pub scene by taking you through 3 different bars, capping off the night at a nightclub. This tour includes 5 drinks and VIP access to all the places, allowing you to avoid the queues in the process. The tour lasts (on average) 4.5 hours, and tickets are available for 13€.
READ ALSO: 10 Porto Bars With Terrace You Need To Go To With Friends For Your Birthday
BEER FACTORY TOUR AT FÁBRICA NORTADA
Photo courtesy of: Nortada
Although port wine is the city’s undoubtful ex-libris, shying away from the most common tourist route can be a pretty refreshing experience… almost as refreshing as a cold pint! If our (awful) subliminal message worked, then taking a tour of one of the city’s main beer factories – Fábrica Nortada – must sound like a wonderful idea right now! In this self-guided visit you can roam freely through the underground floor and witness first-hand the brewing process behind Porto’s most beloved artisanal beer.
READ ALSO: Probably The Best Craft Beer Bars In Porto
PORTO DELICIOUS FOOD WALK TOUR
If you’re not yet done with port wine by now, rest assured there is some more amazing local booze to try! This certified tour (57,50€) offers a 3-hour food experience like no other in the city, leading you through some of Porto’s most popular local taverns and food stands, where you can try the famous custard tart (Nata), multiple cheese boards, deep fried codfish “cakes” and our very own version of a pork sandwich (we call it Bifana). Amazing flavours properly accompanied by an ice-cold beer, 3 samples of port wine and a shot of Eduardino liqueur.
READ ALSO: Probably The Best Tascas in Porto For Every Budget
TASTE PORTO
Photo courtesy of: Taste Porto
If the prospect of exploring an unknown city isn’t enough to make you do a little celebration dance when you hear the words “Walking Tour”, maybe you’re in need of an extra incentive. We are talking about Taste Porto – a set of 3 different food tours for you to choose from that will keep your stomach as happy as your inner travelista. While the Downtown Food Tour includes 10 food tastings with both sweet and savory snacks, the Vintage Food Tour, on the other hand, will turn you into an expert in Port Wine and other culinary “Portugalities”. Finally, and as for the Craft Beer & Bites Tour… I guess the name says it all! With more than 13000 guests from all over the world, this is a no-brainer for all the foodies out there!
READ ALSO: Top 5 Nata In Porto You Must Try
PORTO HALF-DAY FOOD TOUR
However, if what you’re seeking is a more cultural and less clichéd food experience, this half-day food tour is probably your best shot. For 87€/tour (or 120€ for a couple), you will be guided through iconic bakeries, traditional restaurants and ancient taverns, all of this while being taught about the history behind each dish and its ingredients, amidst the city’s recent tourism boom and subsequent revival. A great way to taste (5 dishes and 5 drinks included), see and discover Porto, this is one food tour you certainly won’t forget!
READ ALSO: 10 Traditional Portuguese Food Restaurants You Really Need to Try
PORTO DARK TOUR
Photo courtesy of: Porto Dark Tours
Creeps rejoice – this tour is for you! Porto is definitely a hot destination nowadays, with plenty to see, do and taste, but that doesn’t mean the city hasn’t seen some gritty things in its past days! Don’t believe us? Then take this 3.5km path down (bad) memory lane and recall some of Porto’s most brutal crimes, haunted places and ghastly stories. Lasting about 2 hours and with tickets available from 9€, this is one budget-friendly tour that certainly won’t hold back on the jump scares!
Porto Dark Tours Facebook Page
READ ALSO: 10 Unwritten Rules Every Tourist In Porto Needs To Know
PORTO 3-HOUR OLD TOWN AND RIVERSIDE BIKE TOUR
Finally the perfect tour for our tree-huggin’, nature-lovin’, granola-munchin’ readers! After all, you don’t really need a polluting motorized vehicle to cruise through the city, do you? With Bluedragon City Tours, you can now hop on a bike and see the city centre and the riverside (all the way down to the beach promenade) from a whole different perspective. In fact, we dare saying it’s probably the only way to freely explore the city and save the environment at the same time – Al Gore would be proud! All tours last about 3h and tickets cost 29€.
READ ALSO: Rent A Bike And More To Get Around The City Of Porto
TROTIBIKE TOURS WITH EKOEASY
Photo by: Hippie and Corporate
If you’d rather explore the city on a trotibike, we recommend taking a look at Ekoeasy. There are 5 different tours at your disposal, so whether you feel like going cultural, discovering the local food scene, or just want to wander through the historic centre, this guys have got you covered! All tours last 2 hours and tickets cost 20€.
READ ALSO: Porto Markets You’ll Definitely Enjoy This Summer
THE 6 BRIDGES CRUISE
Now that we’ve covered a couple of outside-the-box options, let’s get back to some classics, shall we? Taking some inspiration from the original vessels which used to transport the precious port wine along the Douro, these theme boats are a thing of beauty! Book a tour for 15€ and allow yourself to be taken on a 50-minute trip through the city’s oldest inhabitant, taking in awe-inspiring views of the river banks and seeing Porto’s main bridges up-close from water level.
PORTO BRIDGE CLIMB
Photo by: Alexandre Cabral Campello
Certainly not for the faint of heart, the Porto Bridge Climb is an experience for our most adventurous readers! But let’s get to some facts before all the fun starts, because at 65-meters tall, the Arrábida Bridge’s concrete arch was once the greatest of its kind in the world, and in case you were wondering, this is exactly the bridge you will get to “conquer”! Just keep on climbing through all of its 262 steps and you’ll be rewarded with the view of a lifetime. Tickets are available for 16,50€ and we recommend taking the 20h30 tour for a glorious sunset! (17h30 for fall/winter sunset)
READ ALSO: Best Things to do in Porto to Enjoy Some Outdoor Activities
DOURO VALLEY TOUR
Photo courtesy of: EFun Tours
For the last two entries on our list, we’re focusing on the day-tripper kind of traveller! If you enjoy taking a day off your main destination to discover neighbouring cities when you travel (as well as some damn fine booze) then this Douro Valley Tour will surely be worth checking. Though the 99€ price tag might scare some off at first, once you read all the amenities and services it includes, things start making a lot more sense. We’re talking about private transfer (pick-up and drop-off at your hotel), a tour guide for the day, visits to two amazing wine estates, lunch, wine tastings and a 1-hour rebelo boat ride through the Douro. Doesn’t sound so expensive now, does it?
READ ALSO: Four Amazing Wineries And Vineyards To Road Trip To Around Porto
BOOK ALSO: Douro Valley Tour – Lunch, Cruise & Wine Tasting
PENEDA-GERÊS NATIONAL PARK TOUR
However, the Douro Valley isn’t the only day trip tour operators can arrange for you! In case you prefer a more active approach to your travels, then you might was well book one of their tours to the Peneda-Gerês National Park, the only of its kind in Portugal. Located 100km away from Porto, getting there independently might be a bit of a hassle. But for 85€, a private mini-van will pick you up at your hotel and take you the park’s entrance, where a guide will lead you through the area’s most impressive places while showing you some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the country aboard a 4×4 Land Rover. Lunch is included!
READ ALSO: 5 Hidden Natural Gems Near Porto You Must Road Trip To This Summer
Impressive! If you’re visiting Porto any time soon, you can rest assured these tours will go a long way into improving your city experience. What are you waiting for? Will you keep an eye in any of these? Make sure to let us know on the comments section!
