Porto in 2.75 Days
- Rachael Popplewell
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Day 1 – Arrival & First Impressions
The Late-Night Hunt for Food
After a long day of travel and a late arrival, most people might have given in to room service — but I was determined to start strong. I’d already checked the Time Out Market’s opening hours (10 a.m.–midnight!) and it was just a ten-minute walk from my hotel.
On the way, I stopped at a tiny corner shop to grab shampoo and conditioner — or so I thought. Back in my room, I realised I’d actually bought two different brands of shampoo. At least I’d also grabbed a mini bottle of whiskey, which made up for the mix-up.
Market Discoveries
I thought I’d be in and out quickly — my plan was to head straight to the pizza stall I’d spotted on Instagram, the one with that perfect leopard-spotted crust. But they had no takeaway boxes, and I wasn’t about to sit among smartly dressed diners after a full day of travel.
Instead, I wandered over to Tokkotai, a sushi bar that was almost empty. My stomach made the decision for me — I ordered one of the combos at random and watched the chef quietly at work while the rest of the market buzzed around me.
On the way back, I stopped at Padaria Ribeiro for a sweet brioche croissant (my favourite kind — I’ve never been a fan of the flaky french original). The server seemed a little surprised that was all I wanted, but I left perfectly content. Back at my hotel, I laid out my late-night feast — sushi, croissant, and whiskey — and thought, what better way to start a holiday than with those three simple things?
Day 2 – Markets, Beaches, and Tiles
My first itinerary didn’t quite go to plan — I thought it would keep me busy until lunchtime, but somehow I’d smashed through it all by 10 a.m. I’d meant to climb the Escadas do Monte dos Judeus, but instead I found myself at the viewpoint first, looking down over the city. When I started descending the steps, I stopped, confused, and checked my phone — only to realise I’d already seen the view I’d planned to climb for. Still, I carried on down, admiring the views of the Douro River and the city from below, It was the kind of scene that just can’t be captured on camera — the glittering surface of the water and the electric glow of the sun never quite translate through a lens.
After the climb back up, I rewarded myself with my only proper sit-down breakfast of the trip at Mercador Café — avocado, poached egg, salmon on sourdough, a fruit salad, and a coffee. It was lovely, though at 22 euros it felt a bit much for something that lasted less than 20 minutes, and truthfully I prefer breakfast a little more low-key and simple.
Next, I visited the Photography Museum — after first queuing at the wrong museum and almost paying 10 euros for something completely different. This one was free, small, and unexpectedly charming, filled with old cameras and one of the best panoramic views of the city from its upper rooms.
After a quick reset at the hotel, I headed to the Time Out Market for lunch and tried the seafood soup from Rafa Louzada. It was delicious but far too light for how much walking I’d done, so I followed it with what turned out to be the most incredible gelato I’ve ever had — Niva, chocolate, naturally.
I stopped to admire the famous azulejo tiles at São Bento Station before catching the bus to the beach. The sand there was rough and stony, which, in fairness, was exactly what I expected — and I loved it. Even though it was hard on the soles of my feet, the cold Atlantic waves washed away any pain.
Despite being warned that Porto’s beaches “weren’t real beaches,” I loved them — wild, windy, and beautifully rugged.
Dinner was a double takeaway situation: a prawn bun from Bao Bao (tiny and mostly salad), some spicy tuna maki from Tokkotai, and another croissant to fill the gap. Exactly what I needed after another long day of walking and taking in this endlessly photogenic city.
Day 3 – Seafood & Sealife
(Markets, gelato, beach, double dinner)
I’d already had a quick look around Bolhão Market the day before, so I knew breakfast was going to be special. I started with freshly cooked octopus in a little pot, a fruit salad cup, and what the friendly man at the stall called “breakfast bread” — a funny little dark brown square covered in seeds from Padaria Alzira do Bolhão. He was one of the friendliest people I met in Porto, and that bread was one of the greatest culinary discoveries of the whole trip!
I walked back to the hotel past the bookshop made famous by J.K. Rowling, and felt quietly smug skipping the enormous queue. I had other bookshops on my list — ones that didn’t require a ticket or a two-hour wait.
The plan for the day was all about the sea. I started with the aquarium, which was unfortunately a bit of a letdown — apart from the tunnel with the stingrays. That feeling of being underwater among the sea life is always exciting, even if the rest was underwhelming (mostly fish I’d either have as a pet or on a plate).From there, I headed toward the coast in search of lunch. Most of the seafood restaurants I’d bookmarked the night before were closed, so I ended up at Vagas, ordering a takeaway seafood risotto. It was lovely — Shell on shiny prawns, perfectly cooked, and substantial enough to make up for the morning’s walking.
After lunch, I took the long way back along the beach, wandering in the sun until I accidentally hopped on the wrong bus. My phone battery was low, I got lost, and somehow ended up paying entry to what I thought was the Transport Museum — only to discover it was an exhibit of Portuguese presidential cars from the last hundred years. Everything was in Portuguese, and I had no idea what I was looking at, but somehow that made it even more absurdly funny.
Eventually, I found my way back to the centre. I’d planned to finally try pizza at the Time Out Market, but on the walk home I impulsively stopped at a little poke bowl outlet instead.It was exactly what I needed — without being able to cook, it was just nice to choose what went in, from the rice and sauce to the veggies and fish. Three nights in Porto, and I’d somehow managed to make a pattern of it: raw fish and croissants for dinner.
Day 4 – Farewell Porto
(Markets, prawns, and one last view)
My last morning in Porto was brief, but I was up as usual before the sun — dead set on one final trip to the market, where that delicious breakfast bread was waiting. I added a tray of lovely big prawns and a simple apple to my haul, then asked Google Maps for a view and ended up at Alameda das Fontaínhas.
It turned out to be the most spectacular view of my whole trip. Standing there taking it all in, I kept thinking how some of the best parts of this trip were things I’d just stumbled across — unplanned, unexpected. This breakfast bread I’ll definitely be trying to make at home, though in that moment it didn’t matter that I couldn’t take it with me. Everything was perfect as it was, and it belonged completely to my time in Porto.
Reflection on Porto
I hadn’t known what to expect from Porto, but it surprised me in all the best ways. I’d been looking forward to plates of seafood rice — a favourite from a family holiday to Madeira — but instead I found myself drawn to fresh sushi, sweet croissants, and beautiful local produce. There was no shortage of seafood, but I only wished I’d had a kitchen on this stop so I could have indulged the chef in me and cooked with what I found at the market.
The beach had been my biggest worry, since I’d heard they weren’t what Porto was known for, but they were everything I love — wild waves, coarse sand, dramatic rocky shoreline. They made the perfect, refreshing end to each day, and I could almost imagine settling into a routine there. But saying that, 2.75 days was exactly enough. Porto was an experience you could almost fit in your pocket and carry away with you — small, vivid, and complete — and now it was time to take on Lisbon.
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