Porto Travel Guide

Porto is Portugal's second largest city and the capital of the Northern region, and a busy industrial and commercial centre. The city isn't very populous (about 238,000 inhabitants in 2024), but the Porto metropolitan area has some 1.8 million inhabitants in a 50-km radius, with cities like Vila Nova de Gaia, Vila do Conde, Póvoa de Varzim and Espinho. The city is built at the high ground overlooking the Douro River estuary's northern side, and its historical centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It has been continuously inhabited since at least the 4th century BC.

The business is due to Porto's particular economic importance and growing tourist interest, coupled with northern passenger logistical demand to fly out of Porto directly, instead of going by rail to Lisbon to get on a flight. As a result, Porto Airport is now Portugal's secondary hub for intercontinental flights to Brazil, North America and many European destinations by the Portuguese flag carrier TAP Portugal. Other European airlines are increasingly offering flights to Porto from their main h

There may bepickpocketsin heavily crowded areas and on public buses and trains; however, pickpocketing is not common in Porto. Travelling by bus or metro is generally safe and one of the best ways to go from a place to another.

There are residential homes all around the city. There are also lots of 3-star hotels with very affordable prices. In the city there's only one camping site (Prelada), but it's a bit far from the centre. There aren't many family houses to rent in Porto, so they'll be difficult to find.