How to Spend 3 Days in Porto
From strolling coastal towns and Douro Valley vineyards, to exploring museums and hilltop castles, here’s how to make the most of 72 hours in Portugal’s 2nd-largest city.
Rua Santa Catarina
Rua Santa Catarina, Porto, 4000-447
The basics
As well as designer and high-street stores, Rua Santa Catarina plays host to three of Porto’s top attractions, which secures its place on multiple sightseeing tours. Spend as much time as you like on the street by visiting as part of a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour by bus, or opt for a more in-depth intro to Porto’s history and culture during a walking or tuk-tuk tour. Some packages also include a Douro River cruise, which covers Porto’s famous six bridges
Things to know before you go
- Rua Santa Catarina is a must for travelers looking to shop and admire the historic architecture.
- Appreciate one of Europe’s prettiest cafes during a coffee and cake at Cafe Majestic, halfway down Rua Santa Catalina.
- Rua Catalina is wheelchair- and stroller-accessible for the most part but can be steep in parts.
How to get there
The easiest way to reach the square is by tram; Rua Santa Catarina is serviced by tram line 22, which stops a couple of minutes from Batalha Square. From the Ribeira, you can take the funicular train up the hill, which is a non-stop service that takes 5 minutes.
Trip ideas
When to get there
Being a public space, Rua Santa Catarina is open 24 hours a day; however, most stores are open Monday to Saturday and are closed on Sundays. Cafe Majestic stays open late.
Highlights of the Rua Santa Catarina
Rua Santa Catarina begins in Praça da Batalha, which itself is home to the imposing Igreja dos Congregados, embellished with traditional Portuguese tiles, or azulejos. Keep walking downhill and you’ll come across Mercado do Bolhão (Bolhão Market), famous for its fruit and flowers; the Chapel of Souls, where vivid blue tiles are best demonstrated; and end at the ornate Praca Marques de Pombal.
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- Avenida dos Aliados
- Liberdade Square (Praça da Liberdade)
- Clérigos Church and Tower (Torre & Igreja dos Clérigos)
- Porto Cathedral (Sé Catedral do Porto)
- Museum of Our Lady of Mercy of Porto (Museu da Misericórdia do Porto)
- Ribeira
- Dom Luis Bridge (Ponte de Dom Luis I)
- Palace of the Stock Exchange (Palácio da Bolsa)
- Church of São Francisco (Igreja de São Francisco)
- Porto Calem Wine Cellars
- Casa da Música
- Porto Bridge Climb
- Serralves Museum (Fundação de Serralves)
- SEA LIFE® Porto
- Matosinhos Beach