Most visitors to Porto stick to the greatest hits — the Ribeira waterfront, the Dom Luís I Bridge, a port wine cellar, sunset from a miradouro. All worth doing.
But after living here, some of our favorite memories have come from the more hands-on experiences: painting our own azulejo tile, climbing one of Porto’s iconic bridges at sunset, and touring a traditional sardine cannery. More than anything, these experiences gave us a deeper appreciation for the city’s history, traditions, and the people who keep them alive. Here are our favorites.
🎨 Paint Your Own Portuguese Tile
Portugal’s azulejos (tiles) are everywhere, but painting your own is a far more memorable way to experience them. At Boiler Studio — on Rua Chã, right in front of the Porto Cathedral — you’ll sip a port wine cocktail while hand-painting your own tile, and pick up some history on where the tradition came from along the way.
The best part is what sets them apart from every other tile workshop in the city: they’ve developed their own method that lets you walk out with your finished tile the same day. No waiting days for a kiln, no paying to have it shipped home. It’s such a fun way to create your own unique keepsake from Portugal.
🖌️ You don’t have to freehand it. You can choose from one of their beautiful designs, or even have them print one of your own if you want to make it extra personal.
Allow: 2 hours
🐟 Tour a Traditional Sardine Factory
If you’ve ever wondered why Portugal is so famous for canned fish, don’t skip Conservas Pinhais in Matosinhos.
One of Portugal’s last traditional sardine canneries, Pinhais still prepares much of its fish by hand using techniques passed down for generations. You’ll walk the production floor, see the old factory workshop, and learn how to wrap a tin yourself. Watching the craftsmanship behind a single can gave us a whole new appreciation for something we’d honestly taken for granted. The tour ends with a tasting and a glass of wine at the Can-Tin Café…the perfect finish to one of our FAVORITE tours.
🗓️ Go on a weekday. The factory floor only runs Monday to Friday — on weekends the workers are off, so you’ll miss seeing the real thing. Book ahead either way, since English tours fill up.
Allow: 1.5 hours
🌉 Climb One of Europe’s Only Bridge Climbs
Most visitors admire the Arrábida Bridge from below. You can actually climb it.
The Porto Bridge Climb is one of the only bridge climbs in Europe. You’ll go up 262 steps and walk the concrete arch harnessed in, high above the Douro, for a perspective of the city almost no one else gets. There’s a small exhibit on the history of Porto’s bridges at the end.
🎟️ Book it together with Porto 360 for a discount on both — and aim for a golden hour slot if the schedule allows.
Allow: 30–40 minutes
🌇 Watch Sunset from Porto 360
If we had to pick between Porto 360 and the bridge climb, Porto 360 would get our vote.
It starts with the history of the Crystal Palace Gardens, the original Crystal Palace that once stood here, and today’s Super Bock Arena, before taking you up 150 steps to the dome for sweeping 360-degree views over the city and the Douro. Watching Porto slowly light up as the sun went down was one of our favorite evenings here.
Book the 45-minute guided tour – book here. There’s also a 20-minute dome-only ticket, but the guided version is definitely worth it and a special surprise at the top.
Allow: 45 minutes
🍽️ Take Porto’s Original Food Tour
Taste Porto is Porto’s longest-running food tour company, and they’ve spent more than 13 years introducing visitors to Northern Portuguese food through family-run businesses, Bolhão Market, and historic restaurants around downtown. You’ll get pastries, cheeses, traditional dishes, and generous pours of Portuguese wine, plus the stories behind all of it.
It’s a fun few hours and you will definitely not leave hungry. And even after living here we walked away with a greater appreciation of Porto’s food scene and got to try bites we hadn’t discovered yet.
🥖 Come hungry. It’s a full meal’s worth of food. Don’t plan lunch or dinner around it.
Allow: 3.5 hours
🥐 Learn to Make Pastéis de Nata
You can eat a pastel de nata almost anywhere in Porto. Learning to make one is a completely different experience.
Boiler Studio runs a pastel de nata workshop alongside their tile classes, where you’ll roll and fill your own from scratch — three each, one of which you eat hot out of the oven. The rest come home with you, if they make it that far…hehe.
Allow: 2 hours
🛴 Rent an Electric Scooter & Explore the Coast
One of our favorite day trips from Porto didn’t involve a car. It involved electric scooters.
We rented from Porto Scooter Co. and spent the day riding through Maceda’s quiet pine forest before following the coastline through beach towns like Cortegaça and Furadouro. It’s a genuinely fun way to see a slower, quieter side of northern Portugal.
Allow: Totally customizable…you could do a half day, full day…multi-day rental.
🚲 Bike Along Porto’s Coastline
If scooters aren’t your thing, a bicycle or e-bike is just as good.
Porto’s riverside path follows the Douro all the way to the Atlantic, then continues north through Matosinhos and beyond. It’s mostly flat, very scenic, and one of our favorite ways to spend a sunny afternoon.
🍤 Make Matosinhos your turnaround. Time it so you arrive around lunch and eat grilled fish before riding back.
Allow: Half a day
🎬 Watch an Outdoor Movie at WOW
During the warmer months, Cine Society turns WOW’s rooftop into an open-air cinema — wireless headphones, blankets, and the Douro laid out in front of you.
We watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s as the sun set over Porto, then watched the city lights flicker on as the movie played. A pretty magical setting for a classic.
🌙 Doors at 8pm, film closer to dusk ~8:30pm. The season runs May through October and the lineup changes constantly, so check the calendar and book once you know your dates.
Allow: 1.5-3 hours
⚽ Experience an FC Porto Match
Even if you’re not a football fan, an FC Porto match is one of the best ways to feel the city’s energy and local pride.
The atmosphere inside Estádio do Dragão is electric, especially for Primeira Liga and European nights. If your trip lines up with a home game, go.
🎟️ Check the fixtures early. Look at the official calendar before you finalize your dates — the big matches sell out and prices climb fast.
Allow: 3 hours
Final Thoughts
Porto’s big attractions are famous for a reason and they belong on every itinerary. But if you have an extra day or two, a few of these will give you a much deeper appreciation for the city and the people who make it what it is.
Our favorite memories here haven’t come from checking off landmarks — they’ve come from the tile still hanging in our apartment, learning how a century-old cannery still does things by hand, a rooftop sunset we’d never heard of, and stretches of coastline we’d never have found on our own.
Have questions about any of these, or a hands-on experience in Porto we should try? Drop it in the comments — we’re always looking!
Planning a trip to Porto?
Be sure to check out our full collection of Porto guides for hidden gems, restaurant favorites, neighborhoods to explore, and more. 🇵🇹✨
- Porto Travel Guide – Our complete guide to Porto, including where to stay, what to see, where to eat, and practical tips for first-time visitors.
- Where to Eat & Drink in Porto – Our full food guide, from casual bites to the spots worth the splurge.
- Porto Hidden Gems – Lesser-known viewpoints, tucked-away streets, unique cafés, and local favorites.
- Porto Neighborhood Guide – Explore areas like Cedofeita, Ribeira, and Foz to experience different sides of the city.
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