Board the old wooden trams via a tram tour or as part of Porto's public transport network. You can ride around the city centre or take Line 1 and follow the Douro to the ocean and stop of at the beach at Foz.

Photo Essay: How to get around Porto as a tourist

December 16, 2012 · by · in , , ,
The hilly city of Porto

The hilly city of Porto. Wear comfortable shoes if you plan to do any walking around it.

I’m a big fan of walking around cities; it gives me the chance to take little detours to investigate things that catch my eye and the freedom to take photos whenever I like. But there are of course other options and in some cities, like Porto, they are well worth considering.

One thing you need to know about Porto is that it’s hilly.

Very hilly.

The maps don’t show where they are so unless you’re very familiar with the city, your sightseeing route could easily involve unplanned inclines.

If you’re not everso fit, or just don’t fancy slogging and sweating your way uphill after you’ve been down to the Riberia district or across the river to the port wine lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, there are several transport options beyond the obvious taxis and tourist buses.

Boat cruises set off on an hourly basis to do a 50-minute cruise that takes you under six of Porto’s bridges.
A short cable car journey takes you over the port wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia, giving you fantastic views over Porto.
Porto’s metro system covers most of the city very well and goes as far as the airport and the beach resort of Povoa de Varzim. You need to buy a blue Andante card, which you load with trips and validate before you start your journey.
A segway tour stops near the cathedral in Porto to take photos.
For about €7 you can take a tourist train around the city’s highlights.
Board the old wooden trams via a tram tour or as part of Porto’s public transport network. You can ride around the city centre or take Line 1 and follow the Douro to the ocean and stop of at the beach at Foz.
Save your legs by taking the funicular uphill from the river front in Porto to the city centre. It leaves from the base of the Dom Luis bridge and takes you to Batalha.

Useful links for getting around Porto:

Funicular prices and timetable

Porto Metro system

Buses in Porto, both normal and open-topped tourist ones.

Porto Tours - a company that offers the full range of alternative transport tours in Porto.

Blue Dragon Tours - another company that offer Segway and other types of tours in Porto.

Cable cars 

I really wouldn’t recommend driving in Porto unless you’ve got GPS and don’t get phased by driving in strange cities. Luckily, there are so many more entertaining options that you’re unlikely to need a car.

This post was inspired by Ailsa’s weekly Travel Theme photo challenge: Transportation and may well lead to similar posts for other Portuguese cities so watch this space.

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