How to Taste Delightful Porto with a City Walking Tour

Porto is a quaint old city built on the hillsides, overlooking the Douro river in northern Portugal. Its charming historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site worth visiting.

One of the best ways to explore Porto is to walk the narrow, streets and discover the hidden staircases. Full of cultural insights, Porto has much to offer when it comes to historical sites.

When you pair a Porto walking tour with local specialties, including an olive oil you’ll get a delicious introduction to Portugal’s second city.

See it is like to discover Porto on a walking tour. Join us!

Porto Walking Tours 

The historic center of Porto is relatively compact and you can see the main sights in a single day. One of the best ways to explore the city is on foot with a local guide. As such, we recommend taking a Porto walking tour to explore the narrow and winding streets and discover the secrets of the Invictus City.

The city of Porto is quite hilly, plan ahead and wear comfortable walking shoes.

There are several different types of walking tours of Porto available. Depending on your preference you may consider the following.

Porto Food Tour – A Bespoke Experience 

Walking around Porto and exploring the city by foot was what we wanted to do once we realized how compact and accessible everything was.

To get the most from the experience and learn about the history and food, we knew our experience would be enhanced with a local guide.

Christiane from Eco Trilha Tours, a tour company that specializes in eco tours and customized group tours offered to be our guide.

She created a customized Porto walking tour for us with an additional olive oil tasting.

Meeting Point – São Bento Train Station

To navigate us through Porto, Christiane, with  Eco Trilha Tours, met us at the main train station to start our Porto walking tour.

The São Bento Train station is one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. This station is famous for its floor-to-ceiling azulejo tile work that tell the story of Portugal’s history and royalty, and progress of transportation.

These intricately designed blue and white tiles were placed over an 11-year period (1905-1916) by the artist, Jorge Colaço. One of the benefits of being with a local guide was getting a deeper understanding of the scenes in the tile work and the historical context.

Stunning Azulejos Everywhere 

As you walk around Porto, you’ll notice other buildings and most notably churches with exquisite azulejo tiles.

On Santa Catarina street, one of the busiest streets in Porto, is the must-visit, Capela das Almas (which translates into Chapel of Souls) and is also called Saint Catherine’s Chapel. 

The exterior walls are almost completely covered with blue and white ceramic tiles depicting scenes from the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Catherine, the patrons of the chapel.

On your walking tour of Porto, let yourself be amazed by all the beautiful tiles and art.

Stop to Taste Portugal at Casa Portuguesa for Traditional Codfish Cakes

As we made our way through the narrow roads while admiring the historic architecture, we made a quick stop at Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau.

The Portuguese are obsessed with bacalhau or codfish and this particular new restaurant concept has put a new twist on the traditional Pasteis de Bacalhau or salted codfish cakes.

We learned from Christiane, our guide, that the chef has combined the traditional codfish cakes with the oldest and most recognized Portuguese cheese, Serra da Estrela Cheese to create one delicious Pastel de Bacalhau.

We went back later after the Porto walking tour and enjoyed the delightful treat served with a glass of white Port wine.

Read more 5 authentic ways to eat bacalhau in Portugal

Architectural Highlights on the Porto Walking Tour

Impressive Torre dos Clérigos

One of the main symbols of Porto we visited was the famous Igreja dos Clérigos or Church of Clérigos. This baroque masterpiece dating from the mid-18th century was designed by Italian architect, Nicolau Nasoni.

As Christiane shared, the original plans called for 2 towers, but due to lack of funds, only one tower was constructed. While we didn’t go up the 76 meter high tower, there is an inner staircase that takes you to the top where you have some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city.

The Bookstore that Inspired Harry Potter

Just about a five minute walk from the center of Porto is Livraria Lello, which has been described as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

Rumor has it that J.K. Rowling’s inspiration to write Harry Potter has began in Porto and at this bookstore. Apparently, at the time, J.K. Rowling lived in Porto working as an English teacher and used to write and drink coffee on the second floor of Lello’s bookstore.

There are great similarities to the Lello’s bookstore staircase and the one described in Hogwarts. It is also believed that the Hogwarts costumes were inspired traditional black suit and black coat costumes worn by Portuguese students.

The bookstore draws long lines of tourists and charges a small entrance fee. We enjoyed walking around the bookstore and admiring this beautiful and historic piece of Porto.

Porto Olive Oil Tasting at  Mercearia das Flores

A Ceremonial Olive Oil Tasting

One of our favorite stops on the Porto walking tour was at Mercearia das Flores, a local grocery store specializing on Portuguese products from small producers.

The highlight was the olive oil tasting from three different regions of Portugal. Portuguese olive oil is among the best in the world, with the vast majority coming from the Alentejo region in the south.

This olive oil tasting was quite fascinating. You place the cup of olive oil in your hands to warm it to body temperature. You take a deep breath in and smell the aromas before taking a small sip. It was a very ceremonial experience.

The taste of each Portuguese olive oil was unique. The oils were from the north of Portugal, the Douro and Trás-os-Montes regions and well as the award winning Galache olive oil.

Each had distinct flavors ranging from spicy, bitter to smooth.

Related article: Read 10 reasons you want to indulge in Alentejo food

Delicious Portuguese Regional Specialties

Along with the Portuguese olive oils, we sampled three different types of Portuguese cheese. There was a goat cheese, sheep cheese and a mix of both. This was accompanied by different cuts of presunto (ham) including chorizo.

To complete the experience, a refreshing Portuguese Vinho Verde white wine made was served.

All the products were exceptional. You can really taste the quality and rich flavors in every bite.

The knowledgeable staff from the store took time out to share a bit about the local producers of the olive oils, cheese, wine, and ham. There was a sense of pride and desire to help us make the most of the experience and flavors.

The cheese, presunto, and wine were excellent and we could have spent all day happily sampling all the local delicacies. 

Related article: Top 10 authentic foods you want to delight in Porto

Breathtaking Panoramic Views of Porto

One of the most beautiful views of the city is from the Dom Luís I Bridge above the Douro River. This double deck metal arch bridge links Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia where the famous Port wines are aged.

The upper deck is open only to pedestrians and the metro. From above, you can leisurely walk around and admire the Douro River, Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto.

Underneath, you can see the Ribeira, Porto’s River Bank, filled with charming cafes and restaurants.

Read more How to taste amazing Port wines in Porto

Majestic Porto Cathedral

On our way to the Ribeira, we stopped by the impressive Cathedral,  Sé do Porto, to admire the magnificent silver altarpieces. Originally built in the 12th century, this remains one of Porto’s most important religious buildings.

With the insights from our local guide, we learned that the church was preserved by the locals who covered up the silver to protect it from the French invasion of Portugal.

The Cathedral sits on a square which offers impressive views over the city, Douro River and the wine cellars on the waterfront. You don’t want to miss this stop on your Porto walking tour.

From there you can leisurely walk down to the Ribeira through the narrow streets and stairways.

Unusual Historical Site

Before heading to our final tasting, we made a detour to visit the first McDonald’s in Porto.

You might wonder why in the world we would you stop at such an iconic American fast food joint?

Well, the location of this McDonald’s is unlike any other. This McDonald’s opened in a space that once belonged to an iconic Portuguese coffee shop in the 1930s. Known as McDonald’s Imperial, it was allowed to take on this historical location only if it agreed to maintain the unique Art deco design and architecture.

As a result, it makes for a unique McDonalds with the Art Deco facade and a majestic interior.

Although, very impressive, we were disappointed that a fast food restaurant had inherited this iconic and historic space.

Sweet Treats on the Porto Walking Tour at Confeitaria do Bolhão

As we finished our Porto walking tour, Christiane recommended visiting Confeitaria do Bolhão, one of the oldest and most popular pastry shops in Porto. Unfortunately, on the day of the tour, it was closed.  We went back a couple days later to sample some of the local sweet specialties.

Confeitaria do Bolhão is a traditional bakery and pastry shop opened since 1896. Located across the Bolhão Market in downtown Porto, it’s always been a popular breakfast stop for locals on their way to the market.

The pastry shop was closed for 10 years at the end of the 20th century before being revived by Portuguese immigrants. Since then, it has become even more popular with locals and tourist alike.

You will find many delicious sweets and savory bites. One of their specialties is the Tigelinhas do Bolhão. This pastry is a custard tart made with eggs and almonds. It is quite sweet, with a soft filling and crunchy crust. This stop should not be missed on your walking tour of Porto.

Related article: For trips outside of Porto, read the article the best day trips from Porto for food and wine lovers

In Summary

It is no surprise that Porto was selected European best destination to visit in 2017.

Porto is not only a picturesque city, it is also a medieval center with a wealth of cultural sites. 

The city is best explored by foot, allowing you to easily walk up and down the narrow streets and quaint stairways. Along the river, you’ll find many charming cafes and restaurants to relax and delight on local wines and foods.

Even though Porto is easy to navigate on your own, on a walking tour of Porto, you will learn more about the history and gain insights from a local guide.  In addition, you’ll make stops along the way to taste delightful Portuguese specialties including olive oil, cheese and wine and more.

Additional Information for your Porto Walking Tour and Olive Oil Tasting

Tour: Book your Porto Walking Tour directly on Eco Trilha Tours website

Duration: Approximately 4 hours. Bring comfortable walking shoes.

Customized food tour led by a knowledgeable Portuguese resident.

Have you been on a walking tour before? In the comments below, please tell us what you liked best about the experience?

Savor The Adventure!

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