If you’re planning a trip to spend a few days of spring in Porto, you made the right decision! Spring is one of the best times to visit the “undefeated city“ since the weather is moderate and the touristic attractions are not as crowded as they will be during the summer and fall months.
There are many things that you can do all-year-round, but there are also some activities that become more special during the spring season in Porto. Let’s check them!
No time to read a long article? Here’s a summary
These are the best activities to do during spring in Porto:
- Foodie activities: Walking and Wine Tasting Tour with snacks or go to a restaurant with a nice view
- Outdoors activities: take the 6 bridges cruise or Ride an Off Road Buggy
- Free activities: walk on the parks of Porto or explore the Ribeira neighborhood
- Families with kids: Visit the Santo Inácio Zoo
- Enjoy the views: climb the Clérigos tower or walk on the upper deck of Luiz I bridge
Top things to do when it’s spring in Porto
Take the 6 bridges cruise
One of the best things to do in Spring in Porto is to take the 6 Bridges cruise. This lovely 50 min boat ride will give you an excuse to rest in between all the other activities whilst giving you the time to enjoy the magnificent view over Ribeira neighbourhood, as well as the six bridges in Porto.
It is such a popular activity in the city that I highly recommend you to buy the online ticket to the 6 bridges cruise as it sells out very fast! The ticket currently costs 15€.
Pro tip: Many people prefer to buy the combined ticket to the Hop On Hop off bus tour + 6 bridges cruise + Port wine cellar for 35€. If you do the math you’ll see it’s a really good deal, as if you bought the tickets for the three activities separately you’d spend at least an extra 20€.
If, however, you prefer to do a private cruise (I reckon that the 6 bridges cruise gets VERY crowded!), read my article about the best private river cruises in Porto.
Watch the peacocks of the Crystal Palace gardens
There are some really nice parks and gardens in Porto, and one of my favourite one is the Crystal Palace gardens. I particularly like them for its romantic gardens, for the wonderful views of the Arrábida bridge and for its… peacocks! That’s right: the fastest growing animal population at the Crystal Palace gardens is the peacocks, that wonder around freely, amazing us with their magnicient colors and funny jumps. If you are traveling with kids, this is definitely one of the best things to do during spring in Porto.
Take a food tour in Porto!
If there is one thing that is central to Portuguese culture is Food & Wine, as my boyfriend likes to complain about (he is Belgian, and does not understand our obsession about food). In fact, one of the best way to explore Portuguese culture and have a grasp about how Portuguese think and feel is precisely to sit down to eat their food and drink their wines. Therefore, I think that one of the best things to do in spring is to take a food & wine tour in Porto. There are two that I particularly recommend: the Walking and Wine Tasting Tour with snacks, which is more focused in wine tastings in wine cellars, and the Food and Wine Walking Tour of Porto, which is more focused in food.
Watch a Fado show
A great activity for a Spring night in Porto is to watch a Fado show. As it usually includes dinner it ends up being an expensive activity (about 30 / 40€ per person). However, if you are only interested in listening to Fado, I recommend that you to buy the online ticket for the Fado show at Casa da Guitarra, which is very economical – only 15€ / person.
Another option is to buy a combo ticket for a Fado show at a Port wine cellar. It allows you not only to visit one of the best Port wine cellars in Porto but also to enjoy the wine tasting while listening to fado played in front of the wine barrels. How does that sound?!
This is a good deal because a visit and wine tasting at a Port wine cellar costs around 15 / 18€, and if you go to a traditional Fado show (in a restaurant) you will never pay less than 40€. Therefore, by getting this combo ticket you are saving a lot of money as it only costs 25€.
Climb the Clérigos tower
Climbing the Clérigos tower is no easy task, particularly if you have claustrophobia or simply if you have bad knees, but for those that endure climbing the 225 of this magnificent landmark you will be rewarded with one of the best views of Porto. It is truly spectacular, particularly at sunset hours. Once there, make sure to also hit the Clérigos church, because it is one of the most beautiful churches in Porto, and it is free of charge.
Attend a football game
Even if you’re not a fan of FC Porto, one of the biggest clubs in Portugal, attending a match at the Dragon Stadium (it’s how we call it here) while it’s spring in Porto is a must!
The stadium was built to house the Euro 2014 championship where Portugal placed 2nd against Greece. Being there between the enthusiastic singing crowd is something special. If you won’t be attending a game, you can visit the FC Porto stadium and museum which is a fun activity, especially if you’re a football lover like my boyfriend. Don’t forget to head out to the gift shop to buy some stuffed dragons or a jersey to commemorate your experience.
How to get there: Estadio do Dragão subway station is right outside of the stadium.
Join a private tour with us
If you want to make the most of your trip to Porto, why not join a private tour in the city with us? We most certainly know the best places in the city, and tips and tricks to enjoy Spring in Porto.
We will teach you about the history and economics of the city and tell you secrets and stories that you never heard about. After being with us, you will have a much better understanding of the Portuguese way of life and a list of the best places to go in Porto according to your taste. What could be better than this?
You can read the reviews of our clients on TripAdvisor and then simply send an email to sara.riobom@portoalities.com telling us when you are coming to Porto and how many people are travelling with you. It will be our pleasure to guide you!
Take a day trip from Porto!
Porto is a phenomenal starting point for a number of day trips that you can take to the douro valley, to the green wine region, to the iconic cities of Guimarães and Braga, to Ponte de Lima, to Amarante… the hardest part is to chose among them! To help you out, I wrote a guide of the best day trips from Porto, as well as the best cities around Porto. If you don’t feel like reading another article then I can tell you right away that the most popular day trip from Porto is a wine trip to the douro valley. To get there, you can either rent a car on AutoEurope, join a group tour or hire a private guide.
Ride an Off Road Buggy
If you love sports and nature then I recommend you to ride a Buggy at Serras do Porto Natural Park because it is SO MUCH FUN 😀 I was a bit worried about safety but 1) the guides are very professional but 2) the equipment is new and in good conditions.
Once I got it out of my head I got into our buggy and enjoyed the ride – we crossed some rivers and some bumpy courses with holes, always enjoying the most beautiful panoramas of the region. We also got to see Quintandona, a picturesque village, as well as the incredible Roman ruins of Castro Mozinho.
All and all, a really well spent afternoon 🙂 If you want to give it a go, just get your online ticket to the Off Road Buggy Adventure!
Go to a music festival
Many music festivals take place during spring in Porto, with the most popular one being NOS Primavera Sound. The festival is held at the biggest urban park at the Iberian Peninsula, Parque da Cidade. NOS Primavera Sound is always graced with big names in the music industry from both the international and national level.Bring a good jacket to save you from the chilly winds.
And be aware that food, drinks, blankets and even umbrellas are not allowed inside festivals. Even if it’s raining cats and dogs, security will take your umbrella away and you won’t get it back. You need an umbrella? You’ll have to buy an over-priced one from the vendors inside.
How to get there: take an Uber or a Taxi, public transportation gets too crowded with too many waiting lines.
Take photos at a great viewpoint
Being built on the top of hills, Porto has amazing viewpoints spread all around the city and one of the best things to do during spring is to get your camera and walk around, looking for the best places to create long last memories (and amazing Instagram photos to make all your friends green with envy back home :P). It’s hard to favor one viewpoint over the other but I personally really like to take photos from the upper deck of Luiz I bridge in Porto. Around the cathedral of Porto there are also some phenomenal viewpoints nestled among the tiny medieval houses of this iconic neighborhood.
Visit Santo Inácio Zoo
Santo Inácio Zoo is not like other establishments that harm animals to make money. When I met the staff and the animals of Santo Inácio Zoo, I learned that this place is there to educate people about the importance of the conservation of wildlife – something they’re contributing to greatly. So I highly recommend you visit the zoo when it’s spring in Porto and I am positive you’ll fall in love with the animals and nature around.
The ticket to Zoo de Santo Inácio is a bit expensive, but the money is used to take care of the sheltered animals, so it is worth it.
How to get there: I would probably just take an Uber to get there.
Enjoy lunch with a view
One of the things I like to do the most during spring in Porto, especially if there is a clear sky, it’s to go for lunch at a restaurant overlooking the douro river, or to head to the beach (in Matosinhos, in Leça da Palmeira or even in Angeiras) and have lunch there 🙂 There are, indeed, great Porto restaurants with a view, that became increasingly popular after the pandemic. Therefore, make the most of the good weather in my sunny country and enjoy lunch with a view!
Tour the Villar D’Allen Manor
One of the best places to visit while it’s spring in Porto is the Villar D’Allen manor and its garden. This 18th century building, which belongs to John Allen’s family (an English businessman), has one of the best collections of Camellia, the flower of Porto.
You can take a guided tour to the garden and learn the history of the building, the garden, the family and their business. You can also go for a garden tour, house tour and wine tasting.
How to get there: take an Uber or a Taxi.
Save this article for later:
