Gracie’s Guide to Porto, Portugal (on a Budget)
Hello everyone! Gracie here. As a first time Porto, Portugal visitor (on a student’s budget), I scavenged Pinterest blogs and asked seasoned Porto natives for the best cheap, fun recommendations in Porto. I was not disappointed! My friends and I spent three days in the beautiful Porto and did a mix of adventurous and relaxing activities. Keep reading for inside tips and advice on how to have as amazing a trip as we did.
Travel Tips:
Take Bus 500. We were pleasantly surprised when we got on and saw it was a double decker bus! We climbed to the top and got front row seats of the beautiful Porto coastline as we rode to surfing lessons. I couldn’t believe this was the public transportation, it felt like a guided tour. The fare for a bus ticket is €2.
Activity Tips:
Here’s the bottom line: if you can surf in Porto, do it! Surfing on the gigantic waves of the Atlantic was a bucket list moment that I will NEVER forget. And it doesn’t break the bank either. We found Pedro’s surfing experience on Airbnb for only €20 per person. Don’t worry, I had never surfed before and the hilarious instructors provided wetsuits and taught us the basics before we headed in the water. I felt like a rockstar when I stood up and rode waves all the way to the shore. My friends and I could not stop smiling the entire two hour lesson. We went in mid September and the water was chilly but refreshing with the wetsuits on. Bring bottled water with you, we were parched after the lesson.
This next tip is for book lovers (aka me). Go visit the famous bookstore where J.K. Rowling worked called Livraria Lello. There is a €5 entrance voucher that you should buy online ahead of time here so you don’t have to wait as long outside. We almost didn’t get in because it was closing time (hours are 10 am – 8 pm) but because we had bought the voucher ahead of time they allowed us to go in. If you buy something inside the €5 will be counted towards your purchase. They have a mix of books translated in English and Portuguese.
If you have a day to spare like we did, book a wine tour in the Douro valley! The breathtaking landscape views of the wineries blew me away. We did the Douro Valley Tour: Wine Tasting, River Cruise and Lunch for €80. That price may seem a little steep, but keep in mind this was a 9 hour wine tour of two wineries, a huge Portuguese lunch, river cruise, and transportation included. It was ~1.5 hours from Porto to the Douro Valley and they picked us up at our airbnb. My eyes could not believe the beauty of the Douro valley wine country. We had a blast sampling port wines and taking in the stunning scenery. We were treated like royalty during the Portuguese lunch, with a waiter refilling our wineglass every time we took a sip! The traditional food was also quite delicious. 10/10 HIGHLY recommend.
Porto nightlife is INCREDIBLE. Walk around R. Das Oliveiras Street and a million cool bars will pop up. It was so much fun meeting new people and dancing at the bars! Plus, the drinks are soooo cheap.
Food tips:
Porto shocked me with the delicious cuisine. Everywhere we went was incredible. Here are my top three restaurant picks:
Looking for a breakfast spot? Try Lazy Breakfast Club. This place was only a 10 minute walk from our airbnb and is surrounded by cool vintage shops. The charming interior design plus delicious iced coffee and salty waffle made me want to come back. My huge meal (called the Lazy Waffle) was only €10.
If you want to maximize on traditional Portuguese meals, try Casa Guerde. I had a mouthwatering pork, arugula, and cheese sandwich called the Chef Guerde and shared a pitcher of sangria for €13. We sat on the beautiful roof enjoying the crisp breeze and chill atmosphere.
Last but not least is a restaurant called Panda. The aesthetic of this restaurant was the most beautiful I had ever seen in my entire life. I got the soba noodle bowl with piri piri paste and let me tell you: I could eat this dish every day for the rest of my life. It was made with scallions, ginger, cashews, and other amazing ingredients which when in combination was mouthwatering to my palate. My meal was €9,5.
There it is, folks. My guide to Porto on a Budget. I could have spent another three days here … there was so much to do! This was truly one of the best weekends of my life and I encourage you to visit if you can. Porto is stunning and not too costly. So get out there and do it, you will not regret it. Visit my website for more awesome travel recommendations on a budget!
Gracie