Destinations > Portugal > Northern Portugal

Northern Portugal

Portugal's oldest region is home to Porto, the country's second-largest city, and the surrounding Douro region as well as the seldom visited Minho and Trás-os-Montes regions that still retain many rural traditions.

Porto

Portugal's second-largest city is often regarded as an industrial city not worth visiting. However Porto is the home of port (the fortified wine named after the city) and it also boasts an historic centre that has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Practical Information

Porto Tourist Information Centre

Rua Clube dos Fenianos 25, Porto

Tel (22) 205 27 40

Website www.portoturismo.pt

Open Jan-Jun Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun 9.30am-4.30pm; Jul-Sep 9am-7pm daily; Oct-Dec Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun 9.30am-4.30pm

Coming & Going

Porto's main train station is Estação Campanhã, which handles trains to destinations throughout Portugal as well as international trains. The more centrally located Estação São Bento handles suburban and regional trains. Frequent trains run between the two stations.

Porto has several bus terminals. Rede Expressos (website www.rede-expressos.pt) buses go to most destinations in Portugal and depart from the Paragem Atlântico terminal on Rua Alexandre Herculano 370. Renex have frequent buses to Lisbon and Braga and some buses to the Algarve and depart from Rua das Carmelitas 32. International buses depart from Praça da Galiza 96.

Not many budget travellers fly into Porto's Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (tel (22) 948 25 52; website www.ana-aeroportos.pt), 20km north-west of the city centre. The Aerobus, which costs €4, runs between the airport and the city centre every 30 minutes stopping at some hotels. A cheaper option is local bus 56 and 87.

Local Transport

STCP (tel 0808 20 01 66; website www.stcp.pt) operates Porto's bus network and one tram route. Single bus and tram tickets cost €1.20.

The buses are supplemented by suburban trains, which are a handy way to get between the two main train stations.

Porto's metro (website www.metro-porto.pt/uk/) is an easy way to get around the city. Although there are several underground stations in the city centre, most of the metro runs along the street like a tram.

The Euro 1 ticket give you one day unlimited travel on buses, trams, funicular and the metro. This pass costs €4. The Euro 3 is a three-day version of this pass and costs €9.

Accommodation

Andarilho Oporto Hostel

Rua da Firmeza nº 364, 4000 Porto

Metro Bolhão

Tel 222 012 073

Pousada de Juventude do Porto

Rua Paulo da Gama 551, 4169-006 Porto

Tel 226 177 257

Sights

Igreja de São Francisco

This church features one of Portugal's most elaborately decorated interiors.

Rua do Infante Dom Henrique, Porto

Bus 1, 57, 88

Tel (22) 206 21 00

Admission €2.50

Open 9am-6pm daily

Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis

Porto's most important museum contains mostly Portuguese art, with an emphasis on the 19th century sculptor, Soares dos Reis.

Palácio das Carrancas, Rua Dom Manuel II, Porto

Bus 3, 6, 20, 35, 37, 41

Tel (22) 339 37 70

Admission €3

Open Tue-Sun 10am-noon & 2pm-6pm

Palácio da Bolsa

Porto's stock exchange was built in the 19th century and is worth visiting for the impressive Sala Árabe (Arabian Hall) which tool 18 years to complete.

Rua Ferreira Borges, Porto

Bus 1

Tel (22) 339 90 00

Tours cost €5

Open Jan-Mar 9am-1pm & 2pm-6pm; Apr-Oct 9am-7pm; Nov-Dec 9am-1pm & 2pm-6pm

Sé

Porto's Romanesque cathedral was built in the 12th and 13th centuries. The cathedral's exterior resembles a fortress, inside there is a 17th century silver altar and azulejos (Portuguese tiles) and a fine view from the cloisters.

Terreiro da Sé, Porto

Bus 15

Tel (22) 205 9028

Admission free; cloisters €1.25

Open 9am-12.30pm & 2.30pm-6pm

Torre dos Clérigos

This ornate 18th century tower rises 75 metres above the city. There are nices views from the top.

Rua São Filipe Nery, Porto

Bus 15

Tel (22) 200 1729

Admission €1

Open Jan-Mar 10am-noon & 2pm-5pm daily; Apr-Oct 9.30am-1pm & 2pm-7pm daily; Nov-Dec 10am-noon & 2pm-5pm daily

PORT TASTING

Walk across the upper level of Ponte Dom Luís I to get to Vila Nova de Gaia where Porto's 60-odd port wine lodges are situated. Many of the lodges offer free tastings and some of the larger ones run tours.

Some of the better lodges include:

Ferreira

Rua da Carvalhosa 19, Vila Nova de Gaia

Tel 22 374 61 00

Open Jan-Mar Mon-Fri 9.15am-12.30pm & 2pm-5pm; Apr-Oct Mon-Fri 10.15am-12.30pm & 2pm-5.45pm, Sat 10.30am-12.30pm; Nov-Dec Mon-Fri 9.15am-12.30pm & 2pm-5pm

Graham's

Quinta do Agro, Rua Rei Ramiro, Vila Nova de Gaia

Tel 22 377 63 30

Website www.grahams-port.com

Open Jan-Apr Mon-Fri 9.30am-1pm & 2pm-5.30pm; May-Sep 9.30am-6pm daily; Oct-Dec Mon-Fri 9.30am-1pm & 2pm-5.30pm

Sandeman

Largo Miguel Bombarda 3, Vila Nova de Gaia

Tel (22) 374 05 33

Website www.sandeman.com

Open Jan-Mar Mon-Fri 9.30am-12.30pm & 2pm-5pm; Apr-Oct 10am-12.30pm & 2pm-6pm daily; Nov-Dec Mon-Fri 9.30am-12.30pm & 2pm-5pm

Taylors

Rua do Choupelo 250, Vila Nova de Gaia

Tel (22) 37 19999

Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm

Braga

The capital of the Minho region was founded by the Celts in 300 BC, became an important administrative centre during the Roman occupation and has been Portugal's religious capital since medieval times.

It is a city of churches and figures pretty low on most backpackers' itineraries, but Braga's university means that it is not quite as boring as its religious heritage would lead you to believe.

Practical Information

Regional Tourist Office of Verde Minho

Praceta Dr. José Ferreira Salgado 90-6º, Braga

Tel (253) 202 770

Tourist Office of Braga

Avenida da Liberdade 1, Braga

Tel (253) 262 550

Coming & Going

Although buses go to Braga from various destinations throughout Portugal, Braga is most easily accesible via Porto. Both buses and trains run very frequently between Braga and Porto.

Accommodation

Pousada de Juventude de Braga

Rua de Santa Margarida 6, 4710-306 Braga

Tel 253 616 163

Sights

Bom Jesus do Monte

Located 5km from the centre of Braga, this church is the city's most famous attraction. It is best reached via the huge staircase although you can take the funicular (€0.60) if you're feeling lazy.

Open 7.30am-8pm daily

Sé

Braga's cathedral is the oldest in Portugal and it features an assortment of architectural styles, a richly decorated interior and an impressive treasury.

Rua Dom Paio Mendez, Braga

Admission free; treasury €2

Open 8.30am-6pm daily

Viana do Castelo

This seaside city in the northwest of the country near the Spanish border is one of Portugal's nicest coastal resorts with infinitely more charm than the party resorts on the Algarve.

Practical Information

Regional Tourist Office of Alto Minho

Castelo de Santiago da Barra, 4900 Viana do Castelo

Tel (258) 820 270

Website www.rtam.pt

Tourist Office of Viana do Castelo

Praça da Erva, 4900 Viana do Castelo

Tel (258) 822 620

Coming & Going

There are frequent trains to Porto, two hours away, from the station at the northern end of Avenida Combatents da Grande Guerra. There are also trains that go north towards Spain. Buses run to Braga, Lisbon and Porto with the most frequent services to Porto.

Accommodation

Navio Gil Eannes (Gil Eannes Ship)

Doca Comercial, 4900-405Viana do Castelo

Tel 258 821 582

Pousada de Juventude de Viana do Castelo

Rua de Limia, 4900-405 Viana do Castelo

Tel 258 800 260

Sights

Municipal Museum

Housed in an 18th century palace, this museum has exhibits that cover three centuries of ceramics.

Largo de São Domingos, Viana do Castelo

Tel (258) 82 03 77

Open Tue-Sun 9.30am-noon & 2pm-5pm

Praça da República

Viana do Castelo's main square is one of Portugal's nicest. Its centrepiece is a foundtain and it is surrounded by beautiful buildings that include the ornate Igreja da Misericórdia and the former town hall.

Praça da República, Viana do Castelo