Visiting Porto should always be considered a special occasion, but if you’re doing it on February 14th, then you need to double up on the extravaganza and prepare your soulmate for a day like no other! Luckily for both of you, the city is filled with all kinds of amazing places, nice restaurants and things to do on Valentine’s Day.
THINGS TO ON VALENTINE’S DAY IN PORTO
WHERE TO EAT: O PAPARICO
Photo courtesy of: O Paparico
Regarded as one of the top-rated restaurants in the city, O Paparico is a place where you can’t go wrong if your goal is to impress your better half. The dim lights and rustic decoration give it a cozy and intimate atmosphere, perfect for a Valentine’s date. And the food, as you might expect, is absolutely delicious, putting the focus on traditional Portuguese ingredients, albeit with an inventive twist.
Opening Times: Tuesday to Saturday – 7h30pm-11pm
READ ALSO: Best Of Porto Food & Drinks Places Voted By Our Readers
WHERE TO EAT: FRIDA
Photo courtesy of: Frida
If you want to go down a less traditional path, then Frida might be a great option for your Valentine’s dinner. This Mexican restaurant takes all the images and stereotypes people usually conjure in their heads about Mexican joints and shoves them in the trash, showing customers that an ethnic restaurant doesn’t need to be cartoonish (thanks Kim Possible and Taco Bell) to feel authentic. The space is modern, the decoration classy and the food down-right amazing, which is why Frida should be a serious dark horse contender for your Valentine’s pick.
Opening Times: Everyday – 8pm-00pm
Rua Adolfo Casais Monteiro, 135
READ ALSO: 7 International Food Restaurants in Porto You Must Try Before You Die
WHERE TO HAVE DESSERT: MISS PAVLOVA
Photo courtesy of: Miss Pavlova
Located in the backroom of a concept store, Miss Pavlova is a dessert house whose customers hold dearly in their hearts. And speaking of hearts, you’ll definitely want to bring your valentine here for a much-welcomed sugar rush! There is plenty to choose from, but when a place is named after a dessert, then you know exactly what you should be asking for. Have the original Pavlova to get acquainted with the flavour, and follow it up with its Black Forest counterpart for the ultimate deliciousness overload!
Opening Times: Tuesday to Sunday – 10am-7pm
READ ALSO: Secret Café And Restaurants In Porto You’ve Got To Check Out
WHERE TO DRINK: THE ROYAL COCKTAIL CLUB
Photo courtesy of: The Royal Cocktail Club
Inspired by the American speakeasy bars of the prohibition era, The Royal Cocktail Club has an almost clandestine feeling to it, and will make you two feel like you’re being part of something illicit (isn’t risk a major turn-on for most couples?). Although most people stick to the upper floor, where you can choose your favourite cocktail from over 20 combinations, it’s in the floor below that all the fun takes place, as a Monopoly style drinking game is played and fortune decides which drink you’ll be having next.
Opening Times: Everyday – 7pm-2am
READ ALSO: 9 Cocktail Bars Where You Can Get Crazy Drinks In Porto
WHERE TO SLEEP: ROSA ET AL TOWNHOUSE
Photo by: ROSA ET AL Townhouse
Located in the city’s art district, nested between antiques shops and independent art galleries, Rosa et Al offers a quite distinct accommodation experience. The rooms are a clever mix of modern comfort and traditional elements, sprinkled with unusual hotel features such as soaking clawfoot tubs or the fact that tvs are absolutely forbidden inside the rooms. Take your valentine’s experience up a notch by booking a couple’s spa session inside your very own suite!
READ ALSO: 5 Spas In Porto You Should Go To For A Massage
READ ALSO: Best Of Porto Accommodations Voted By Our Readers
ACTIVITIES: TRAM RIDE
Despite being an obsolete transportation method among locals, taking one of these adorable vehicles is still the loveliest way of touring the city centre, and one of the best things to do on Valentine’s Day. A single ride costs 3€ and you can choose from 3 different lines that go through some of the city’s most enigmatic areas.
READ ALSO: Get Around Porto By Metro And More
ACTIVITIES: TERREIRO DA SÉ VIEWPOINT
The city might be filled with some amazing viewpoints, but few are as endearing as the one in Terreiro da Sé. Located right next to the imposing Porto Cathedral, this stone terrace will have you enjoying great panoramic views over the city centre. Have fun trying to spot Porto’s most famous landmarks from afar, such as the Clérigos Tower, the Stock Exchange Palace or the Douro River.
READ ALSO: 6 Different Ways To Tour Porto
GETTING OUT OF TOWN: MATOSINHOS AND FOZ DO DOURO PROMENADES
Lastly, we recommend leaving the city centre for the day and spending some alone time by the sea. Both Matosinhos and Foz do Douro offer extensive sandy beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, and are the perfect areas in the city for a long and romantic walk. Hear the sound of crashing waves at the Molhe Lighthouse (Google maps), get lost in the backstreets of Foz Velha- you can start at the intersection of R. do Padre Luis Cabral and Diogo Botelho and go down exploring the little streets around until you reach the water (Google maps), take scenic photos at Pérgola da Foz (Google maps) and cap your day off by watching the sunset from the fortress Castelo do Queijo (Google maps).
READ ALSO: 10 Must Go To Restaurants in Foz (Porto)
And that’s our plan for you guys! What do you think of it? Are there other romantic activities worth of notice in Porto? Let us know!
