Tag: porto

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Planning a Trip Portugal Transportation travel guide

Getting from Lisbon to Porto (and return)

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and has recently started to gain more and more popularity among travelers. It is one of the rare Western European cities which faces the water and knows how to use this for its own advantage. The intimate alleys, the superb views and the contemporary culture make it a travel destination year round.

Porto is the second largest city in the country. It is a busy industrial and commercial central. Its historical city has been awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1996. The historical sites, along with the lovely scenery enchant any traveler.

Those planning a vacation in Portugal most often plan to visit both cities. So knowing how to get between them cheap and easy is a must.

Quick summary

Flying takes less than one hour, but for whatever reason, it’s cheaper to book a return flight between the two cities, rather than a one way flight. Still, for €132 per person you can travel between the Lisbon and Porto. A much better option is the train, which takes 3 hours and is also cheap (from €24 per person, one way).

Flights from Lisbon (airport code: LIS) to Porto

Aeroporto da Portela (airport code: LIS) serves Lisbon and is the largest international airport in Portugal. It is the main hub for TAP Portugal. Sá Carneiro Airport (airport code: OPO) serves Porto and is the 3rd largest airport in the country. The only airline running flights between Lisbon and Porto is TAP Portugal. The flight time is 55 min and the one way adult fare is €148. Return fares start at €132 per person.

>>read more about Cheap Flights to Lisbon

Trains from Lisbon to Porto

The national rail company (CP) offers direct trains from Lisbon to Porto. There are 18 departures daily and the travel time is 3 hours. The trains depart either from Lisboa – Entrecampos or Oriente. The 2nd class (turistica) fares start at €24 for an adult, one way. There are two types of trains to choose from: InterCity and Alfa-Pendular. Tickets can be bought here

>>read more about Train Travel in Portugal

Buses from Lisbon to Porto

Rede Expressos runs buses between Lisbon and Porto. Unfortunately, at the time this article was written neither versions (English or Portuguese) of the website allow us to check the timetable or the prices.
Other website which lists buses from various companies gave the price for the Rede bus: €16.50 for an adult, one way. The trail time is 3 h 30 min.

>>read more about Bus Travel in Portugal

Driving from Lisbon to Porto

Driving from Lisbon to Porto is a real pleasure and you’ll be rewarded with superb views. So, rent a car , get a map and plan your trip. The shortest route is 317 km and you should be able to cover it in 3 hours. Please note that you’ll have to pay tolls.

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Portugal Things to Do

Things to Do in Porto

Porto is best known as the center of Portugal’s port wine production, and that’s probably what most visitors come for. Yet this charming city on the Douro river, with its colorful houses stacked seemingly on top of one another as the climb the city’s steep hills, is worth a visit even if you aren’t a wine-lover. For a quick taste, plan on 2-3 days, plus another if you plan to take a day trip to the nearby Douro Valley.

Museums and sightseeing

Start in the Ribeira, the riverfront of Porto, with its sidewalk cafes and plenty of tourists. Head up into the city center to see the Centro Português de Fotografia (Portuguese Photography Museum), the Fundação de Serralves modern art museum, and the Casa da Música (House of Music) concert hall. Take a stroll through the Mercado do Bolhão, a traditional market and stop for a photo op (or to shop) at Livraria Lello, one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

For art and history buffs, there’s even more to explore. Check out the Casa do Infante, where Prince Henry the Navigator was supposedly born (now a museum), the beautiful Palacio da Bolsa (19th century stock exchange) and the Museu do Carro Eléctrico (transit museum). For one of the best views in the city, climb the 200 stairs of the tower of the Torre dos Clérigos church. Finally, see more of the river on a short cruise of the Douro. These cost only 10 euros and last about an hour.

Port tasting

Even if you aren’t a wine connoisseur, don’t miss a visit to at least one of Porto’s port wine cellars. Some offer tours and tastings, others just offer tastings or wine flights. Some charge a fee while others are free. At at some you’ll be the only person in the room while others will be packed with tourists. Sample from a few different places, or head to the Port Wine Institute to take your pick from hundreds of options in all styles and price ranges.

>> Read more on port tasting in Porto

Day trips

From Porto, you can take a cruise upriver to the Douro Valley. Full day cruises range from 50-100 euros per person and may include lunch or a tour and tasting at one of the valley’s wineries.  Visit the town of Guimarães (about 30 minutes away by train) which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was chosen as a 2012 Capital of Culture for its many art galleries and museum and lively art and music scenes. Closer to the city, you can visit Foz, a sophisticated seaside village  with lots of cafés and restaurants a short bus ride away from Porto.

Dining

As in Lisbon and the rest of Portugal, cuisine in Porto relies heavily on fresh fish. Try bacalhau (cod) grilled, broiled, poached, or in a soup, or opt for other popular fish like grilled sardines, horse mackerel, cuttlefish, grouper, turbot, or mullet. Portuguese food also uses a lot of pork and sausage. Try the suckling pig or sausages like “chouriço” or “linguiça.” Alheira, a smoked sausage made of pork, poultry meat, wheat bread and olive oil, seasoned with salt, garlic and paprika, can also be found on menus all over Porto.  For a splurge meal and a modern take on traditional local food, make reservations for the dining room at the beautiful Yeatman Hotel. And if you tire of Portuguese food, check out Sitar (one of a handful of restaurants offering international food) for excellent Indian food.

If you try no other Portuguese food though, make sure you sample a Francesinha (or Little Frenchie). The slightly monstrous-looking Francesinha is the artery-clogging Portuguese version of the croque monsieur. A sandwich of  wet-cured ham, linguiça, and steak or roast meat, covered with melted cheese and topped with a thick tomato and beer sauce, it’s served with french fries for 7-11 euros each and can be found all over Porto.

As elsewhere in the country, breakfast is a very light meal – coffee and bread or pastry – usually had in a cafe. Lunch may be served between noon and 3pm and dinner is generally between 8 and 11pm. When you sit to eat, a plate of sausage, cheese or bread may be brought; just be aware that this is not free and you will be charged for what you eat.

Photos by: b00nj, iNolsonRocha

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Portugal Things to Do

Port Tasting in Porto

Porto (or Oporto) is the home of port wine. In the early 1700′s England was at war with France and so the people of England (longing for the delicious wine of France) searched for an alternative. They discovered the wines of Portugal, but quickly realized that the wine was spoiling before it made the long trip from Portugal to England. So the clever Brits devised a method of fortifying the wine to increase its longevity.

They added a neutral grape spirit, called aguardente, which stops fermentation and keeps more of the natural sugar intact. The wines are then aged in barrels (or bottles depending on the style ). Now we have white port, ruby port, tawny port, late bottled vintage, colheita, blends, and vintage port.

In the early days of the port industry, the grapes were grown in the Douro and then sent to Porto to be made into wine and aged in the city’s cellars, which are called caves. This was all done in Porto so that the finished product could be easily shipped the short distance down the river to the Atlantic and then on to England. Now, while the grapes are still grown in the Douro Valley, the rest of the process is completed there as well, leaving many of Porto’s wine caves just for show or to welcome people who want to come taste the port wine. In fact, port tasting is the main activity in Porto and one you should not skip.

The port houses of Porto aren’t actually in Porto. They’re across the river (a 5-10 minute walk) in Vila Nova de Gaia. Just over the iron-trellised Ponte Luís I bridge (which may look familiar in style, as it was made by a partner of Eiffel) there are over a dozen port houses that open their doors for free or low-cost tasting.

My advice is to start at the top of the hill and work your way down. Like Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia is quite hilly, and steep cobblestone streets become more difficult to navigate after a few glasses of port. And be sure to eat before you go, as there are only a handle of dining options on this side and most are down by the riverfront. There are signs and arrows throughout the town pointing you to nearby port houses (most hotels have a map as well) from the more touristy Sandeman (which does have an excellent cafe attached for a quick snack), to the famous Taylor’s and Graham’s. I preferred the lesser-known (and still Portuguese owned) Wiese and Krohn (where we were the only people on the tour – as compared to Sandeman’s sold-out tour of more than 30 people!), Burmester, and Kopke.

Some, like Croft, Wiese and Krohn, and Taylor’s, offer free tours. On the tours, which last about 10-30 minutes, you’ll learn more about the history of port and how it is made.  Sandeman and a few others change a small fee for the tour and tasting. And still others, like Kopke, just have tasting rooms with no tours.

Though there is no tour at Kopke, I highly recommend visiting this oldest port house. You have to pay for samples, which you can  try by the glass or flight paired with chocolates. Tastes range from 1-3 euros on up to 8-15 (and much, much higher) depending on the age and style. I recommend going with a flight; I enjoyed two Portuguese wines and three port wines with accompanying chocolates for just 13 euros. If you’d rather not schlep from port house to port house and don’t mind paying for tastes, head to the Port Wine Institute. Here, overlooking the Douro River on the Porto side,  you can sample from hundreds of ports starting at 1 euro per glass.

For more port wine fun, you can book a day cruise down the Douro to see where the grapes are grown (some tours also include a stop at one winery).  And if you want the wine theme to carry over into your hotel, stay at The Yeatman Hotel, in Vila Nova de Gaia side, where wine themed rooms with private patios are  just steps away from the port caves.

>> Read more about the Yeatman

Photos by: Katie Hammel ,  rene j,

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Portugal

Getting Around in Porto

While most people think of Porto (or Oporto) as straddling the Douro river, that’s actually incorrect. Porto is located on the north side of the Douro while the south side, where the port houses are located, is actually called Vila Nova de Gaia. The two cities are connected by a bridge which carries cars, a tram and pedestrians over the river.

Visitors to Porto are generally better off without a car; the streets can be confusing (and some require special permits to drive on), parking is hard to come by, and public transport is cheap and easy to use. Here’s what you need to know about getting around in Porto.

From the airport or train station

Porto Airport has a station on the Metro do Porto light-rail/tram system. Depending on where in Porto or Gaia you are staying, it will take about 20-30 minutes to arrive and you may need to change train lines or take a cab from the city center (especially if you are staying on the Gaia side) once you arrive. The tram from the airports costs just a few euros (the price will vary depending on your destination) and there are attendants at the airport to help you plan your route and use the automated machines. Be aware that the machines only take change, no bills.

The  main train station – Porto Campanhã  –  is on the east side of the city, about 2 kilometers from the center. Upon arrival, you can take  a local Urbanos train 5 minutes to the city center station of São Bento or take a cab to your final destination.

Trams/light rail and bus

The public transportation system in Porto is excellent and made up on trams, buses and the Metro do Porto , a network of six tram or light-rail lines that run every 10 – 20 minutes from 6am until after midnight. Ticketing on most buses, trams and rail is integrated under the ANDANTE system using zones to set the fares.  The trams – four-wheeled wooden trams from the 1920’s – run about every 30 minutes on three different lines. Line 1 is the most popular with tourists, taking them from Porto to the leafy and upscale suburb of Foz. There’s also a funicular that runs from the Ribeira (riverfront) up the hill towards the city center.

Cabs

Cabs are plentiful and cheap (compared to other European countries) in Porto. It’s safe to hail one on the street, just make sure the meter is on or that you negotiate a fare beforehand. Most taxi drives speak enough English to take direction, but if you are headed to a less touristy destination, it’s wise to have the address written out for the driver. It’s common to tip a taxi driver 10% of the fare.

Walking

Most of Porto is easily accessed on foot as many of the main attractions are located in a small area. However, Porto is quite hilly and walking up from the riverfront (on either side) can be tiring. Especially if you are headed from the riverfront to the city center of Porto, consider taking a cab or riding the Funicular to save your legs.

Photo by b00nj

Categories
Articles Portugal

Wine Tasting (For Less) in Portugal

Portugal doesn’t get nearly the recognition it deserves as a culinary and wine destination. In Western Europe, it’s often overlooked for Spain, Italy, and France. But what many people don’t realize is that wine-lovers – especially those on a smaller budget – should be flocking here in droves. Portugal is one of the cheapest destinations for wine tasting, producing a diverse array of quality wines all over the country.

Thanks to a struggling economy and a lower cost of living, travel in Portugal is relatively cheap. If you can find cheap flights to Lisbon or Porto (check flights to Madrid and then look for a low cost flight to Portugal) you can get by a pretty small budget. Hostels in major cities can be had for under 20 euros per night, while mid-range hotels are available for around 70 euros per night. Prices in off season and in smaller towns can even be less. Public transport in the cities is excellent and cheap, and the rain network efficiently connects many of the smaller towns with Lisbon and Porto, making it easy to plan a wine tasting trip to some of the smaller regions even without a rental car.

Though Portugal deserves its own trip, many people choose to add it as a side-trip to Spain. The flight from Madrid to Porto or Lisbon is only an hour and can cost as little as 40 euros each way, so you can jaunt into the country even for just a long weekend if you like. There’s also a 10 hour train from Madrid to Lisbon; getting from Seville to Lisbon takes about seven hours on an overnight train.

From the vinho verde wines produced in the northern Douro region to the ports of Porto to the moscatels of Setúbal to the Alentejo wines of southern Portugal, the wines of Portugal are gaining notoriety for their quality as quickly as Portugal is gaining recognition as a world-class wine tourism destination. In other words, the secret is out, and this low-cost, low-crowd destination won’t remain so for long.