Granite, azulejos and a river of wine: the city that gave Portugal its name.
Porto grew up squeezed between the cathedral hill and the Douro, and every steep street holds a story: bishops who were lords of the city, merchants who built palaces, a bridge of boats that collapsed in 1809 and a bookshop turned into a myth. Three free walking routes to explore it at your own pace, with map and audio guide.
Choose your free tour
All routes are free and can be combined. If it’s your first visit, start with the essentials.
Eight centuries of power in Porto: bishops, kings, merchants and the modern city.
Tragedies, catacombs, famous prisoners and modern myths, always separating record from legend.
Porto's must-sees in one continuous walk downhill from Santa Catarina to the river.
The map
The routes cross in the old town. Tap a point to see which story awaits you there.
Filled points already have a published article; the rest are in the works.
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A day in the city
Link the three routes and you will see the best of the city on foot, for free: the essentials in the morning, history in the afternoon and legends as the sun goes down.
Morning
Afternoon
Early evening
Where to eat. Try Francesinha at A Regaleira.
What to eat
The dishes you can’t leave without trying, and the classic spots that have been serving them for years.
A hefty sandwich of sliced bread layered with meats and sausage, covered in melted cheese and drenched in a spicy tomato-and-beer sauce. The most often told story credits Daniel David Silva with creating it at A Regaleira in the early 1950s, inspired by the French croque-monsieur.
Where to try it
A tripe stew with white beans, chouriço and other meats, the dish that earns Porto's people the nickname «tripeiros». Tradition links it to 1415, when the city supposedly gave its meat to the fleet bound for Ceuta and kept only the tripe.
Where to try it
Porto's little hot dog: thin, crisp bread pressed with sausage, cheese and a spicy sauce. Gazela has been serving it near Praça da Batalha since 1962.
Where to try it
Oval salt-cod fritters made with potato, egg and parsley, fried until golden. Eaten as a snack or starter, and found freshly made at the Bolhão stalls.
Where to try it
Portugal's traditional sponge cake, light and sometimes soft and moist in the middle, alongside other egg-based sweets. Confeitaria do Bolhão, founded in 1896, counts it as the house speciality.
Where to try it
