A few days in Porto, Portugal

Thank you for coming to read our blog about a few days in Porto, Portugal.

Why we chose Porto

We are big lovers of City breaks and are really pleased that having children hasn’t put a stop to them. Obviously we’ve had to adapt, evenings out are rare now but by having the children with us we’ve just found we explore different things to what we did when it was just the two of us.

We visited Lisbon a few years ago and really liked it. So based on this we decided to visit Porto and see what it has to offer. Porto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon and its historical centre was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996.

Our Accommodation

This was the first time we’d booked an Airbnb and we got off to a flying start, staying in a gorgeous 2 floor apartment not far from the city centre. We paid £415 for 3 nights.

The Old Town

Porto’s Old Town, Rebeira, is built on the hills overlooking the Douro River. It’s a really lovely place to spend some time exploring.

What to do in Porto with Children

We took a river cruise which our little girl loved and gave us a great view of the city. There were lots of different ones going from the water front in the old town.

There’s a cable car which goes over the city and gives a great view of the old town, river and beyond. Our daughter was free (Children cost from 5 years old) and Adults were 9 euros each for a return.

We decided to venture out to matosinhos beach (Porto’s main beach) on one day, just for a paddle and to visit the Aquarium. The beach was pretty underwhelming. But our daughter enjoyed the metro ride out there and the ice cream whilst we strolled down the promenade. We took a picnic and ate in the park just behind the beach.

The water was shallow enough for a paddle, and to be honest, that’s all we could ask for. We aren’t beach people anyway so didn’t plan to spend long there.

Summary

We had a lovely mini break in Porto and would definitely recommend it to people, especially if you’re a fan of Lisbon. I think July was a perfect time to visit as the weather was hot but not unbearable and we could enjoy pavement cafes and bars.

For more on Porto and all the things to do in this great city, why not watch our City Guide:

Want to read more about traveling in southern Europe with children? Then check out our posts on Valencia and Seville.