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Solo traveling has become one of the best things I’ve done for myself. It used to be scary for me, leading up to a trip, not knowing if I will be able to communicate in the local language, be safe, or if I will feel lonely. But solo traveling has led me to making the most amazing memories with new friends from around the world. In this end, it isn’t really solo.
In this guide, I’m going to share my experience while solo traveling as a female to Porto, Portugal, and give you a full four day and night itinerary so you can have the best time!
Some of the places I recommend are also vetted by one of my really good friends, Lucy, as she was the one who gave me tips for where to go and what to see while in Porto!
Guide to Porto at a Glance
Day 1:
Arriving at the OPO Airport in Porto
First Meal in Porto at an Amazing Portuguese Sandwich Shop
Exploring the Lower Side of Porto by the Douro River
Sunset at Passeio das Virtudes
Day 2:
A Delicious Breakfast at a Portuguese Café
Walking Tour of Porto
Must See Garden: Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
An Authentic Portuguese Lunch
Sunset at Jardim de Morro + Going Out in Porto
Day 3:
Empanadas for Breakfast
Day Trip to the Beach Near Porto
Beachside Lunch
Dinner: Traditional Portuguese Sandwich
Second Sunset at Jardim de Morro
Day 4:
Second Time at A Sandeiro do Porto!
Must Do Activity: Port Wine Tasting
Picnic on the Douro River from Mercado Beira Rio
Sunset on the Ocean Near Porto
Dinner at an Authentic Italian Resto
Day 5:
Heading Back to Paris
Tips for Solo Traveling
- Create your itinerary ahead of time.
This will help you stay busy so you don’t waste time deciding what to do, and also so you don’t feel as lonely! - Be social!
Meet up with people at your hostel and make plans to explore together. This will make your travels that much more memorable and enjoyable. - Don’t tell random people you are traveling solo.
If you are chatting with someone at a restaurant or on the street, don’t mention you are traveling solo! Say you are staying with a friend or you have family that lives there, just in case someone happens to be listening nearby.
When you meet others in the hostel, they’re likely solo traveling as well so it’s fine to share that with them! - If you’re out pass the sunset, stick with your new friends from the hostel.
Being in a new city at night, you may not know the areas to steer clear from. It’s best to be in a group or cozy up back at the hostel, especially as a female solo traveler.
All that being said, I felt completely safe during my trip Porto. Even at night, the streets weren’t crowded with groups of guys, and all of the locals were super friendly. I also felt that it was super easy to meet other travelers here! Porto is a great destination for a female solo traveler.
A Little Backstory
I decided at the very last minute to book a four night trip to Porto, Portugal, during my spring break while living in Paris as an au pair. When I say last minute, I literally booked it the week before. Originally, I had planned on staying in Paris for my two weeks off, but during the first week I realized I would be bored if I stayed since all of my friends were either traveling or working all day as an au pair.
I was lucky because my host family gave me both weeks off for break – normally, I would have one week for vacation out of the two. However, my host kids were traveling with their parents the first week, and then went to a sleep away Harry Potter camp the second, so I had the time to explore and do as I please.
Porto had been on my mind ever since visiting Lisbon last year, because everyone I knew raved about Porto and said how much they loved it more than Lisbon! I wanted to see for myself what all the hype was about.
I found a semi-decent cheap flight the week before, and booked a hostel that was not even a minute walk from the Douro River for 23€ per night and decided to just go for it because that’s part of the reason why I became an au pair: to travel and explore Europe!
Day 1: First Impressions of Porto
Arriving in Porto, Portugal
I arrived to the OPO airport in Porto around 2pm on a Wednesday and was immediately welcomed by the warm sun. It had been so rainy and cold in Paris so the change of weather felt amazing.
Right after getting off the plane, I headed straight for lunch since by the time I got into the city it was already 3pm.
Good to know: The public transportation here is pretty simple to use. All you need to do is get a ticket from their machines and then validate it at one of the machines before you step on the tram, and you’re good to go. You’ll also need to validate it when you step off!
A transportation ticket to get from the Porto airport to the center of the city is about 2.85€ (2.25€ + .60€ for the card itself), and you can refill the card throughout your trip. For transportation within the city, tickets are between 1.40€ and 1.80€ depending on the zone you are in.
Travel tip: If you want to visit Lisbon or any other city throughout Portugal or Spain while you’re in Porto, check out the Flix Bus and BlaBlaCar options through Omio! I ended up not visiting another city during this trip, but it’s super affordable to do so. I mean like under 10 euros for a ticket. Definitely consider this option!
Lunch at an Amazing Portuguese Sandwich Shop
I decided to have my first meal at A Sandeira do Porto, because it was a spot my friend Lucy not only recommended, but raved about, so I knew I needed to try it for myself.
This spot is super cozy and located on a street tucked away from the main road through Porto down to the Ribeira, so it’s in a very central location. Inside, they have about five or six tables and bar seating, but it is quite tight so I wouldn’t bring any big travel bags with you because there won’t be space!
For my lunch, I ordered their first sandwich on the menu, the Clérigos, that had a black olive tapenade, fresh mozzarella and basil, along with their homemade tomato sauce and vinaigrette.
This sandwich was so flavorful and I could really taste how fresh the ingredients were. Plus, the bread was perfectly toasted, yet still soft on the inside, as it was most likely that day in-house. The owner was super sweet as well! I 100% recommend trying out this family owned sandwich shop, you will not be disappointed.
Lucy definitely did not miss with her first recommendation in Porto!
Total cost: 7.50€, cash only
Exploring the Ribeira
Ribeira directly translates from Portuguese into English as riverside, so naturally, the Ribeira in Porto is the area of the city right along the Douro River. Since my hostel was located here, I spent my first afternoon, after settling into my hostel, exploring the Ribeira.
PS: I stayed at the The Central House Porto Ribeira and really enjoyed it! The hostel felt very clean and modern, plus it was in a great location.
I really loved this part of the city because it has a warm and inviting ambiance, and you can most likely catch live music throughout the street, a little market with Portuguese crafts and artists, and also some boat cruises along the river.
I strolled around here for a while and eventually stumbled upon Igreja e Museu de São Francisco do Porto, or the Church of Saint Françis. Tickets were 8€ to enter the church and have access to the museum and catacombs, so I decided to check it out.
This church is absolutely stunning and filled with eccentric gilded features which highlight the antiquity of the church. I also thought the catacombs were super unique to walk through because it wasn’t something I was expecting to be able to see here in Porto!
One tomb I noticed in the catacombs was that of São Rosa de Lima, which I thought was so coincidental because my elementary school was called Saint Rose of Lima, so I figured this had to be the same saint! It was a very spiritual and eye opening, full circle moment for me.
After exploring the Ribeira and the São Francisco do Porto, I found myself craving Portugal’s most popular dessert, the Pastéis de Nata (also known as Pastel de Nata). This traditional dessert is made with egg yolks, filo dough, and sugar, closely resembling a custard and flan, and it originates from the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon, nearly two hundred years ago in 1837. I visited this Pastelaria went I went to Lisbon last year, and it was amazing – I definitely recommend it!
This day, I stopped at Castro – Atelier de Pastéis de Nata, which is very close to the São Francisco do Porto. Since this shop was right next to the Ribeira, I took my little treat to the river to enjoy it. This was the perfect little pick me up in the afternoon!
Total cost: 1.50€, accepts credit card
I believe you can find pastel de natas for around 1 €, so this ended up being on the pricier side for this traditional Portuguese pastry.
Sunset at Passeio das Virtudes
Watching the sunset in Porto is arguably the most popular thing to do there. Every night it seems as if everyone in town gravitates towards the highest points in the city in order to watch the sun set over the Douro River.
This first night, I made plans to meet up with a group of solo travelers from the Hostel World group chat at Passeio das Virtudes to watch the sunset. As a solo traveler, I always look forward to meeting new people in each city because I feel like that’s what makes solo traveling so exciting for me!
The sunset here was beautiful, however the view was a bit obstructed due to the fence guarding the drop off. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was great and it was packed with people!
When meeting up with the other travelers, a few of us brought a bottle of wine to share between us, and I was surprised with how cheap they were! I had found a bottle for 1.59€ and it was actually pretty good.
This first night, I met about 7 other travelers. It was a nice group of people, and at one point about half of us switched into speaking French which was completely unexpected! It ended up being a good first night in Porto.
Day 2: Exploring Porto Solo
A Delicious Breakfast at a Portuguese Café
For my first breakfast in Porto, I decided to try out this super cute café called O Caseirinho that I had passed on my way to the hostel the day before. I originally wanted to have a sweet breakfast and try a traditional Portuguese pastry, but recently my stomach had been very sensitive so I decided to play it safe with an egg breakfast with veggies on the side, along with a cappuccino.
Total cost: 9.80€, cash only
A breakfast like this in Paris would have been around 15€, and then another 4-5€ for the cappuccino. I was definitely enjoying the quality and prices of the food!
Walking Tour of Porto
After my breakfast, I decided to explore the streets of Porto on a little self walking tour. You can also join one of the many free walking tours in the city, the hostels are always offering them! For me, I wanted to take the time to explore myself and do anything that comes up along the way, but I think next time I’d join one of the tours so I can learn more history about the city.
My first stop was at the top on Ponte Luís I. The day before I had walked the lower half, but I didn’t know it was possible to get to the top where the tram was until meeting the other travelers the night before at the sunset!
To reach the top of the bridge from the Ribeira, there is a staircase leading up through the old cobblestone streets that will lead you directly here. You can also reach it by passing the São Bento station.
The views up here were incredible, you have a full 360 degree view of all of Porto!
After taking in the Ponte Luís I bridge, I explored more of the streets and stopped for a little sweet treat at a Pastelaria called Manteigaria. Little did I know, this is actually one of the best places for eating a pastel de nata according to Taste of Lisboa!
Total cost: 1.30€, accepts credit card
Compared to where I had the pastel de nata at Castro the day before, I prefer the one from Manteigaria just because it is cheaper, but both were great spots.
Must See Garden: Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
After my stop at Manteigaria, I made my way to Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, which had been highly recommended to me by the travelers I had met the night before. I really enjoyed wandering through this garden because it was so peaceful and quiet. I saw lots of chickens, peacocks, and didn’t run into large groups of people. This garden is completely free to visit, so definitely add it to your itinerary when visiting Porto.
An Authentic Portuguese Lunch
After all of the walking and exploring I did, I was very ready for a late lunch. I really wanted to try more Portuguese food, so I found this restaurant called Canto Doce and decided to try it out.
Here, I ordered their Bife na Caçarola, which translates to “steak in a casserole”. It is basically a steak topped with a fried egg on a bed of quartered potatoes, with a steak sauce drizzled over the top. I thought the steak was slightly dry, but other than that the flavors were really good!
The server had also given me this appetizer for free, which was some sort of breaded and fried appetizer filled with a creamy tuna like filling. It was actually pretty good!
Overall the service and food was pretty good here and I definitely recommend coming for a traditional Portuguese meal. They even serve the francesinha, which is probably the most popular Portuguese meal you can have here in Porto. Unfortunately I didn’t get to try it, but I’ll just have to go back!
Total cost: 12.5€, accepts credit card
Sunset at Jardim de Morro + Going out in Porto
For the sunset on my second night, I met up with a new group of people from the hostel group chat at Jardim de Morro on the other side of the Douro River. I would definitely say this is the best spot in Porto to catch the sunset!
The ambiance here is amazing with hundreds of people relaxing on the hill waiting for the moment where the sun crosses the horizon. If you’re lucky, there might also be live music!
I originally thought I was going into this trip knowing nobody in Porto, but turns out, one of my friends that I studied abroad with in Lyon two years ago was also traveling in Porto! So her and her friend met up with me and a big group from Hostel World to watch the sunset. This ended up being a super fun night and a great group of people, because afterwards, we all went to Rue da Galeria de Paris to get drinks and go dancing.
Day 3: Beach Day Trip
Empanadas for Breakfast
For my third day in Porto, I was looking forward to a nice relaxing day at the beach! I didn’t have anything specifically in mind for breakfast, but wanted to have something quick so I didn’t spend too much time in a café as opposed to being at the beach.
My friend had recommended this empanada shop called Empanadas Malvón that was a short walk from my hostel, so I decided to give it a try.
I went with their caprese and the spicy chorizo (chouriço picante) empanadas. Both were so tasty, the caprese was my overall favorite! This was the perfect spot for a quick breakfast on the go, and it was quite filling.
Total cost: 5-6€, accepts credit card
Day trip to the Beach near Porto
Under 45 minutes from the Ribeira in central Porto is public access to miles of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean! You can easily hop on the double decker 500 bus which will make stops all along the coast, so you can pick the spot you prefer.
Originally, I was planning on stopping at Praia de Matosinhos because I had read online it was a super popular spot to enjoy the beach near Porto, however I decided to hop off the bus near Praia dos Ingleses since I was already seeing some great spots to sun bathe and jump in the water. This beach happens to be 25 minutes from the Ribeira, so it was even more convenient to reach!
I really enjoyed this beach because it was super calm and seemed to be populated by locals. When walking along the side walk next to the beach, you’ll also see travelers hiking the Camino de Santiago! I have been hearing so much about this famous hike between Spain and Portugal, so it was cool to actually see people in the midst of their journey.
Beachside Lunch Near Porto
After sunbathing and reading at the beach, I decided to have lunch at a restaurant I’d seen when I first got off the bus at a cute café called Amélia Foz.
Here, I decided to go with their açai bowl since it felt like the perfect location being in Portugal, and I had a matcha latte as well.
The açai bowl was probably one of the best I’ve had! It was topped with almost every fruit you can imagine: bananas, strawberries, kiwi, mango, raspberries, blueberries, passionfruit, papaya, and probably a few more. It was super refreshing and perfect after relaxing at the beach.
The matcha latte wasn’t great to be honest, so I would only recommend the açai bowl from this café.
Total cost: 12.50€, accepts credit card
Quick Dinner Before Going Out
In between my day trip to the beach and going out for the sunset, I relaxed at my hostel for a bit and jumped in the shower to freshen up. Before heading out, I decided to try Pregar for dinner, which is a traditional Portuguese sandwich shop in the Ribeira right near my hostel that had amazing reviews.
I tried their vegetarian sandwich, which had leaks, portobello mushrooms, goat cheese, carrots, and walnuts. It was just as flavorful if not more than the sandwich I had at A Sandeiro do Porto!
The service here was also super friendly, and the sandwich came out very fast. Definitely come to this restaurant for more authentic flavors of Portugal.
Total cost: 9€, accepts credit card
Second Sunset at Jardim de Morro
After meeting some amazing people the night before during the sunset at Jardim de Morro, some of us decided to meet here again along with new travelers from the Hostel World group chat.
Throughout the night, we met so many different people and bar hopped a bit throughout Rue da Galeria de Paris and Vitória. Vitória has a few university bars with super cheap drinks; I had a sangria here for about 2-3 € and it was quite big! The atmosphere was very lively too, with the three story bar being filled and people standing with their drinks outside enjoying their friends’ company.
Day 4: Port Wine Tasting
Brunch at A Sandeira do Porto
For my last full day in Porto, I spent the day with the new friends I’d made the past two nights. We planned on meeting up around noon to go Port Wine Tasting, so I planned to have breakfast before heading out.
I was going to try a new café, but when I reached the location, it didn’t exist, so I decided to head back to A Sandeira do Porto for a quick sandwich since I was running out of time before meeting my friends.
This time around, I tried their Vitória, which had smoked ham, brie, and fresh mango, along with their homemade tomato sauce and vinaigrette. This sandwich was delicious, and I really loved the fresh mango!
Of the two sandwiches I tried here, the Clérigos was my favorite, but you really can’t go wrong with either one.
Total cost: 11.50€, cash only (sandwich + green tea)
Must Do Activity: Port Wine Tasting
When in Porto, one of the must-do activities is going wine tasting as the Douro Valley produces some of the best wine. If you don’t have time for a day trip to the Douro Valley, your next best option is to do a Port Wine tasting right in the heart of Porto!
Port wine is wine produced in the Douro Valley just eastward of Porto, which is certified as the oldest defined and protected wine region in the world! This wine is fortified, meaning it’s stronger and more concentrated than regular wine. It is also normally served with dessert as it has a sweeter finish.
On the southern side of the Douro River, they have endless options for Port Wine tasting. My friends and I settled on Bar Soares, as they had a great deal to taste 5 Port wines for 5 €.
The small samples were the perfect size. I really enjoyed this wine tasting because I’ve never tried Port Wine before, so it was exciting to have a new experience. It was also very interesting because we all had different preferences for which one we liked the best! Personally, some of them were too strong or sweet for me, but I still loved trying all of them.
Total cost: 5€, cash only
Picnic on the Douro River from Mercado Beira Rio
After our Port Wine tasting, we walked right night door to the Mercado Beira Rio to pick up some items for a picnic! I wasn’t too hungry since I had a big breakfast earlier, so I got an assortment of fresh fruit. Some others got a baguette, cheeses, and charcuterie to make a sandwich, along with some pastries.
There are a bunch of different stands inside the market, so you’ll be able to find a Portuguese specialty that speaks to you. We also picked up a bottle of wine to enjoy between the 6 of us!
Total cost: 3.50€ for the fruit cup, accepts credit card
My friends and I enjoyed our picnic sitting on the river for a while before saying our goodbyes as some of them were heading off to their next city. This is always a hard part about solo traveling, because you can meet amazing people and feel so close to them in such a short time, but will have to part ways within a few hours or days.
Sunset on the Ocean near Porto
After the picnic, we there was just two of us left, so we decided to watch our last sunset in Porto from the beach near where I had been the day before
It was a good thing with left with plenty of time, because the 500 bus ended up coming about 20 minutes late! But we still arrived in time.
My friend had been recommended to watch the sunset here by a local, saying it’s the best spot along the coast, and I didn’t realize it at the time but it was exactly where I’d been the day before to go to the beach!
Besides Jardim de Morro in the heart of Porto, I definitely recommend making the little excursion to the coast to see the sunset here because we had an unobstructed view of the sun crossing the horizon, and it was much more calm! I also loved that we were sitting right next to a little beach club, so we enjoyed the music and the energy radiating from their evening.
Dinner at an Authentic Italian Resto
Once back in Porto, we were going to try a Portuguese restaurant for dinner, but since it was a far walk and we both had to get up early the next day to head out, we settled on an Italian restaurant we passed once getting off the bus.
We sat down at Mille Pinsa Romana Trattoria and was immediately greeted by super friendly servers. Come to find out, the owner of the restaurant is from Rome, Italy, so we knew we’d be having authentic Italian food.
We both ordered their classic margherita pizza with tomato, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. The pizza was pretty good, it wasn’t mind blowing but it definitely was enjoyable.
I think my favorite part of the whole restaurant was the ambiance and how friendly everyone was. They even gave my friend and I a free shot of limoncello because they loved us!
Total cost: 11€, credit card machine wasn’t working
Day 5: Heading Back to Paris
On my last day on Sunday, my flight back to Paris was at 8:30am, but since I needed to get there early, I woke up at 5:15am to make sure all my bags were packed and I could get ready and leave. I pre-packed the night before so that I wouldn’t wake everyone up in my room since I was staying in a 10 person dorm.
I was originally planning on taking the bus to the airport, but since the bus was super delayed going to the beach for the sunset the day before, I decided to play it safe and order an Uber.
Uber in Porto was very easy to use, I was able to get a driver right away, and it was only a 20 minute ride! It was also a reasonable price at 15 €. Normally, I prefer taking the public transportation because it’s so much cheaper, but at that hour in the morning I didn’t want to bother.
This also gave my time to enjoy a quick breakfast before catching my flight. I decided to try this the almond croissant, which was the typical Portuguese croissant topped with almonds, and filled with the same custard used for the pastel de natas! Portuguese croissants are also different from French croissants, as I come to find out, because they are made with a brioche dough, which uses more sugar and less butter! It was so filling and a perfect last taste of Porto.
Final Thoughts
I am so happy I decided to spontaneously book a four night solo trip to Porto! Leading up to my flight there, I was super excited to experience another city in Portugal, and I was anxious to meet other travelers in my hostel.
If you’re wondering whether solo travel is for you, I say do it! It will be scary at first, but trust me when I say you’ll become addicted to it. I’m anxiously waiting for the next time I’m able to solo travel!
I hope you found my detailed blog to solo traveling in Porto, Portugal helpful! Leave me a comment with your favorite thing you did your saw :)
Be sure to follow my blog so you don’t miss out on my future posts!
Xx
– Carmela
Under The Sun 
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