5 Easy Day Trips from Porto, Portugal (without renting a car!)

Public Transportation Options

Even though it is super walkable and compact, Porto has some pretty fantastic public transportation options for getting around. Depending on your plans and where you decide to stay, you may want to consider getting a Porto Card.

This visitor’s card not only includes unlimited Metro and bus trips, but also offers discounts to many popular sites and museums. Examples of discounted tickets include the popular Clerigos Tower and Museum, Palacio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Museum), FC Porto Stadium tour, and the Sao Francisco Church.

Metro

Bus

The bus is another affordable option, especially when visiting areas a little outside of the more touristic zones. My favorite route is to catch the number 500 bus across the street from São Bento station. Grab a seat on the left side (driver’s side), and enjoy the route along the Douro River until it meets the Atlantic Ocean. You can stop at the beach at Praia da Luz, check out the beautiful city park (Castelo do Queijo stop) or ride all the way to the end to Matosinhos Mercado.

You can treat this route as your very own “hop on/hop off” means of transportation, paying €1.80 for each segment if purchased directly from the driver. For more info and routes, visit www.stcp.pt.

Train

For trips outside of Porto, the train is a fantastic option! São Bento station (pictured at the top of this post) is right in the heart of the city and is very well-connected. Purchase tickets online or via the official app. However, some Urban train tickets must be purchased at the station, either from a kiosk or ticket booth. Just make sure to give yourself a few extra minutes in case of lines at the station. For the most part, it is a very easy process! I created a 2-part video tutorial to help explain in more detail.

Guided Day Trips from Porto

Douro Valley Wine Tours

The Douro River flows into northern Portugal from Spain, right through the heart of Porto where it spills out into the Atlantic Ocean. This terraced wine region of Portugal has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The Douro Valley has a unique microclimate, which provides ideal growing conditions for olives, almonds and of course, grapes. No visit to Porto is complete without taking a day trip to the beautiful Douro River Valley!

Option 1:

The absolute BEST tour guide in all of Portugal happens to also be one of the kindest people I’ve met so far (and I promise he’s not paying me to say this). 😆 I met Igor with Porto Tours and Transfers almost a year before I ever booked a tour with him. A few months after meeting him (once), he came to my rescue when my phone was pickpocketed and I was feeling completely helpless. Then there was that one time I accidentally dropped my camera OFF THE SIDE OF A HUGE STONE WALL and he descended down the side of a cliff to retrieve it! The man is a legend. But I digress…

Igor offers transfer services and custom tours all over Portugal, and has a well-deserved 5 star rating on TripAdvisor. When I had a few friends come to visit last year, we booked his Douro Valley day trip from Porto. He picked us up at our doorstep in his spotless luxury car and took care of every detail.

We visited the quaint town of Amarante, where we browsed through the local market. Our second stop was to a small, family-run quinta (estate), where we sampled local bread and the olives, jams and wines of the estate. After a stop for lunch at a favorite local spot, we then headed to the last winery of the day. Before this tour, I was convinced I did not enjoy port wine. But after tasting their 40-year old tawny, I discovered I was wrong!

I highly recommend contacting Igor when you are visiting Portugal. He is easygoing, knowledgeable about the area, and you will see and experience so much more of the local culture. Plus, you’ll leave Portugal having made a great new friend.

Option 2:

If Igor is not available (because I’m telling you, he is very popular!), here is another fabulous Douro Valley tour option. I took this full day trip from Porto in 2022 and it still has a 4.9 star rating with almost 1500 reviews.

This tour requires at least 2 people, but can include up to 8 (so not a guarantee it will be private). I personally love this mixed group option. Joining a small group tour as a solo traveler not only makes tours more affordable but is also a great way to meet new friends! I posted all about it on my Instagram.

Paiva River Walkways and Arouca 516 Suspension Bridge

If you are looking to get out of the city and into nature, this full day trip from Porto is a must. This tour lets you experience a different side of Portugal than what you typically see in the guide books. My 75 year old dad and I both loved it…proof that is fun for all ages!

Located about an hour outside of Porto is the town of Arouca, home to one of the longest suspension bridges in the world! It is 516 m (1693 ft) long, and 175 m (574 ft) above the Paiva River (the equivalent to a 50 story building!!). The 8 km (roughly 5 mile) hike along the river is moderately challenging (lots of stairs), but absolutely gorgeous.

The first stop on the tour is in Arouca for local pastries & coffee. Next, you will be dropped off at the start of the walkways. Most people spend about 3 hours on the hike. From there, you are driven to a nearby town for the most delicious, family-style lunch. The tour ends at the bridge, where you will have about 45 minutes to cross over and back. 

I’m typically not afraid of heights, but this was equal parts scary AND exhilarating! If you want to see more pics of my experience, check out this post on Instagram.

DIY Day Trips from Porto

Don’t feel intimidated by a DIY trip! With just a bit of planning, it is not as difficult as it may seem. A self-guided option is a great choice, especially if you are on a budget or just enjoy going at your own pace. Here are a few of my favorite DIY day trips from Porto.

Self-Guided Day Trip to Pinhao

UPDATE: Due to works on the Douro train line, effective November 3, 2025, train services will be suspended between Marco de Canaveses and Régua. This service disruption will require transferring from the train to a bus then back to the train, which would make a day trip to Pinhao a lot more difficult and time-consuming. Work is estimated to be completed in April 2026, but please check https://cp.pt for the latest updates before making this trip from Porto.

Start the day with a quick breakfast in Porto. Then catch the 2.5 hour InterRegional (IR) train from Porto Campanha (or Sao Bento) to Pinhao. These tickets can be purchased on the Comboios de Portugal app, online at www.cp.pt or in person at the station. Expect to pay around €22 for roundtrip fare.

⭐️ Tip: The train goes right along the Douro River for most of the journey, so choose your seat wisely! My advice is to sit on the right side (passenger side for most) to get the best views along the way. Also, try to sit close to the front of the train, near the conductor. These older, slower trains can often run behind schedule, and they rarely (if ever) have any sort of electronic signs alerting you of your location. If you are in one of the last carriages, it is sometimes difficult to see the platform signs at each stop. I resorted to following myself on Google maps, because I almost got off a few stops too soon!

Only a 5 minute walk from Pinhao station, Quinta do Bomfim is the perfect place to start your day. They offer a timed tour and wine tasting. Alternatively, you can order wine and port by the glass to enjoy on their terrace without a reservation. The view of the Douro River is spectacular!

Stop for lunch at Writer’s Place, a hidden gem with gorgeous views of the river from their backyard garden. I had a delicious lunch of grilled octopus with spinach, potatoes and onions. They are cash-only and lunch hours vary, so plan accordingly.

Across the bridge is Quinta das Carvalhas. Stop in for another tasting, or you could opt for a leisurely boat ride down the Douro River instead. This environmentally-friendly 1 hour boat tour offers a wine tasting of its own as you cruise quietly down the river. This is the perfect option to experience the scenery in a more private and relaxed atmosphere. I also love this type of tour as a solo traveler! There is a max of 10 passengers on this tour, so it’s a great way to meet new people.

As you head back, be sure to leave time to admire the amazing blue tiles (azulejos) at the train station. Catch the 6:15 train back to Porto and you’ll arrive just in time for dinner.

📌 Check out my guide to the best restaurants in Porto if you need a recommendation!

An Afternoon in Aveiro

Another easy day trip from Porto is the vibrant but quaint town of Aveiro. Often referred to as the “Venice of Portugal”, Aveiro is known for its brightly colored art nouveau buildings, canals and traditional boats (barcos moliceiros). The gorgeous blue-tiled train station is an easy, flat 15 minute walk to the center.

Traveling from Porto is easy and inexpensive (1 hour/€3.90, each way). Keep in mind that these tickets are on the Urban (U) trains, so therefore must be purchased at the station.

Aveiro can easily be explored in an afternoon. Enjoy a boat ride on the canal, try the local pastry (ovos moles de Aveiro), tour the salt flats or enjoy the outdoors in one of its many parks. Tie a ribbon on the Ponte dos Lagos da Amizade (“Bridge of Friendship Ties”). This is just one of many colorful pedestrian bridges that can be found crossing the canals of Aveiro.

About 20 minutes from Aveiro is the charming fishing village of Costa Nova, known for its Instagram-worthy striped painted beach houses.

The best way to experience Aveiro is to just wander through the town center. There are tons of restaurants, cute shops, cafes and gelato shops. I spent about 5 hours exploring and made it back to Porto before sunset. It was a great day!

Day Trip to Braga and Bom Jesus

Braga has quickly made its way to the top of my list of favorite cities in Portugal. My first visit was as a day trip from Porto. My second visit was a month-long stay. I love that it is energetic without feeling chaotic; big but still quaint. It is colorful, clean and almost no hills (iykyk!). Activities and food options seem endless.

And it’s a really easy day trip from Porto. Catch the direct, 1 hour Urban train (from Sao Bento) for €7.10 roundtrip.

Walk the short distance from the train station to the city center, entering through the Arco da Porta Nova. Stroll up the pedestrian street to Sé de Braga, the first Portuguese cathedral. Other must-see sites include the Gardens of Santa Barbara, Praça da Repùblica, the fountain and the surrounding park. Enjoy shopping and a bite to eat along the flower-lined Avenida da Liberdade.

One of the most notable things to see in Braga is Bom Jesus do Monte, an important pilgrimage site. This UNESCO World Heritage site sits high atop the mountain overlooking the city of Braga. Developed over a period of 600 years, Bom Jesus is an essential reference of Baroque art in Portugal. This is especially seen in the zigzag stairway that climbs 381 feet (577 stairs) to the top.

Here’s how to get there. In town, look for the Number 2 bus to Bom Jesus. One easy place to catch it is in front of Pingo Doce on Avenida da Liberdade. You can pay the €1.55 one-way fare directly to the driver, but exact change is appreciated. This bus will take you right to the bottom of Bom Jesus. From here you can choose to take the stairs or the water powered funicular (€2-3) to the top for sweeping views of the city below. The funicular will be to your left and the stairs will be to your right as you exit the bus.

I’ve tried both routes, but the funicular is definitely much more fun than climbing 577 steps! My favorite way is riding up and walking down. The bus runs every 30 minutes and will drop you back in the city center near the fountain.

Final Thoughts

That’s a wrap on 5 easy day trips and tours from Porto without a car! Planning a trip to Portugal can be a little overwhelming because there are so many cool places to see. But choosing a city like Porto offers the best of both worlds: a home base where you can feel settled AND a laundry list of places you can go explore as a day trip.

I hope this guide helps you get started planning your trip to Porto. Make sure to subscribe to my email list for updates from Adventures of Cricket!

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