When I was a teenager my parents took me and my sister to Madrid. What could have been a lovely family trip ended up in this horrible memories of my father dragging us to three museums a day under 40º C. Every. Single. Day. One day the women united and decided it was time to do some proper shopping. Revenge felt good! 😛
I am telling you this story to give you an advice: if you’re travelling to Porto with teenagers, give them a choice. You might have a clear idea of what you want to do, but let them choose between riding a bike by the beach or going to a city park, visit a museum or doing some street shopping.
This way, they’ll enjoy more, and they will let you enjoy more as well 😉 So, this is my list of what to do in Porto with teenagers. And if it is not enough, check also my Porto bucket list.
No time to read a long article? Here’s a summary:
These are are the best activities for:
- Outdoorsy teens: 6 bridges cruise or do a picnic at the city park
- Adventurous teens: Ride a buggy on the hills of Porto or do a surf lesson in Matosinhos
- Foodies: pastel de nata cooking class
- Rainy days: Indoor Mini Golf or test your skills at the Às de Copas Escape Room.
- Teens crazy about football: visit the FC Porto football stadium & museum
And the best things to do in Porto with teenagers are…
Watch a multimedia show at the Clérigos church
Everyone who reads my blog knows that I LOVE the Clérigos church, as it is, in fact, the most beautiful church in Porto. Therefore, I was very happy when I discovered that a multimedia show is taking place at the Clérigos church as it is one of the best activities in Porto for families with kids 🙂
It’s a fantastic lights & sounds show, and I must say that seeing the succession of images reflected in the Clérigos church is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen recently in Porto.
The show lasts half an hour (which is great because the kids don’t even have time to get bored), and the first time slot is at 17h30.
If you go in the afternoon, I suggest you to visit the garden of Cordoaria before the show, as it is just across the street. There is also an Amorino ice cream shop nearby 😉
Practical information about the multimedia show at the Clérigos church (2025)
Prices:
- Adults [11 years old and above]: 10€
- Children [0 – 10]: free ticket
This show is usually sold out (even during the low season), so I highly recommend you to buy your online ticket for the multimedia show at the Clérigos Church.
Schedule: 17h30 | 18h15 | 19h00 | 19h45 | 20h30 | 21h15
Smart tip: arrive early to sit in the last rows of the Clérigos Church, so you don’t have to constantly look everywhere to try not to miss something great!
Duration: 30 minutes
Drive the hills of Porto on a Buggy
Recently I rode a Buggy at the hills of Porto and I had 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.
And, if your teens are anything like I was in their age and get tired of museums and walking in the city, riding a buggy is a fun, adventurous and safe activity to do in a pos pandemic world 🙂 If you want to give it a go, just get your online ticket to the Buggy ride in Porto’s hills!
Practical information about the Buggy ride in Porto (2025)
Prices: 75€/person (yes, it’s expensive)
Time: 10h or 15h
Duration: 3h
Visit FC Porto stadium & museum
I don’t know what your teenagers are like, but if they are like I was at their age, the more interactive the museum is, the better. For this reason – and because it is a cultural and sports reference in the city – I recommend visiting FC Porto Stadium & Museum as it is one of the best activities to do in Porto with teenagers.
On this guided tour you will go through 27 interactive areas, see the trophy room and the changing rooms, in addition to the stadium itself. It is an unforgettable experience for those who like football in general and FC Porto in particular 🙂
I recommend that you buy the online ticket for the FC Porto stadium & museum because there are always lots, lots of people waiting.
Practical information about the FC Porto’s stadium and football museum (2025)
Prices:
| Type of ticket | Price |
| Adult (13 – 64 yo) | 20€ |
| Kid (5 – 12 yo) | 10€ |
| Senior (> 65 yo) | 15€ |
| Baby (< 4 yo) | free |
Schedule: Tue – Sun: 10h – 18h. On Mondays it only opens in the afternoon.
Duration: around 2h30 – it’s a large museum and the tour of the stadium takes 45 minutes!
Do the 6 bridges cruise
One of the best things to do in Porto is to take the famous 6 bridges cruise, a leisurely 1h boat ride in Douro river. It allows you not only to see Ribeira, the Unesco’s protected neighborhood, but also to check the magnificent bridges of Porto.
It is perfect if you need to relax, if you are traveling with kids & teens or if you have some time to kill in between other activities.
If you prefer do a private river cruise, make sure to check my article about the best river cruises in Porto to discover the best options for you!
Practical information about the 6 Bridges cruise in Porto (2025)
Prices & Tickets (2025)
Schedule: every day of the week. First boat at 11h, last one at 16h.
Duration: 60 minutes
Go for a bike ride in Gaia
If you have run out of ideas on what to do in Porto with teenagers or if you simply want to escape the crowds of the city, why don’t you just rent a bike and go ride by the ocean side?
There are several amazing bike lanes in Porto, but the best (and more easily accessible) ones are in Gaia, right after Afurada, the magic fishermen village. My suggestion is to have a grilled fish at one of the unpretentious restaurants in Afurada and then start the ride along the coast.
Don’t stop until you see Capela do Senhor da Pedra, the stunning chapel built on the beach, which is approximately 10 km away from Afurada. At this point, if you or your family is too tired to keep riding, simply take the train back to Porto from the station Miramar or Francelos, that are very close by.
Have a surf lesson in Matosinhos
There is a beach near Porto where you can easily – and safely – take a surf lesson for a reasonable price, which is definitely one of the best things to do in Porto with teenagers.
At Praia de Matosinhos there are several surf schools, but Fish Surf School has the highest ratings and two classes a day, taking place at 11h and then at 15h. Their prices are the best, too.
If you want a premium service, with pick up and drop off from your hotel in Porto, then go for Pura Vida Surfing School as it is the best option (albeit more expensive).
Practical information about the Surf lessons in Matosinhos (2025)
Prices:
- Fish Surf School: 30€ / person
- Pura Vida Surfing School: 49€ / person
Opening hours: every day of the week, 10h.
Duration: 1h30
Learn how to cook the famous pastel de nata pastry!
If your kids love to cook (I always loved to, since I am a kid 🙂 then why not taking them to a pastel de nata cooking class? For those unfamiliar with it, pastel de nata is the most famous pastry of Portugal and trust me, once you try it you WILL want to know how to make it a home 🙂
This pastel de nata cooking class is quite cool because it follows an ancient recipe that belongs to the host’s grandmother, who is this sweet old lady that takes time to welcome people at her own home. It’s so sweet 🙂
Practical information about the pasteis de nata workshops (2025)
Prices:
- Porto cooking class: 27€ / person
- Little Bird: 35€ / person
- Domus Art: 35€ / person
Schedule: depends on the option you choose.
Duration: 2h
Try to Escape the Room
Another fun thing to do in Porto with your teenagers is to give it a go at the Às de Copas Escape Room, where you are the main characters of a thriller game and the main goal is to get out in time. I have done it with friends and with my partner and it was always SO. MUCH. FUN. 🙂
There are several rooms, each one with a game with a specific difficulty level. Between 2 to 8 people can get inside a room, which makes it very suitable for families.
Practical information about the Às de Copas Escape Room (2025)
Prices: 20€ / person
You can book the online tickets for the Às de Copas Escape Room.
Schedule: Every day, and you can choose the time of 5pm, 7pm or 9pm.
Duration: 60 minutes.
Indoor Mini Golf with UV light courses
Recently I tried this new activity in Porto for teenagers, which was the indoor minigolf. It is located near Trindade subway station (the most central one in Porto), and has the advantage of being an activity that can be done on rainy days.
It basically consists of a couple of rooms (one of them illuminated by UV lights) where you can practice your mini golf skills (mine are non-existent!).
Upstairs there are some pool tables, a foosball table and slot machines. There is also a small mini bar that sells drinks and snacks.
This indoor minigolf in Porto is a little expensive (I’m being honest), and it’s very popular with local students, so if you want to go there I recommend you to buy your ticket online.
Practical information about the Indoors Minigolf of Porto (2025)
Prices:
- Adults (> 15 years): 14€ / person
- Young people (5-14 years): €12 / person
Opening hours: every day, from 12h to 23h.
Duration: as long as you want.
Go to a swimming pool
In the last couple of years Porto has been enjoying (or just enduring, im my case…) very high temperatures during Summer (June to August) and even during Fall (September to November).
If you’re travelling to Porto with teenagers it might be wise to include a day off at either one of the best beaches in the city. All the beaches that are mentioned of the article have a life guard and a flag to tell you if you can or cannot swim on a particular date. There is this urban myth that the best beaches are in Gaia, just across the Douro river, but to be fairly honest I find them all pretty much the same.
Please keep in mind that we’re facing the Atlantic ocean, so the 1) the water is f****ng cold and 2) there are strong currents that might endanger a less prepared swimmer. Depending on how old are your kids, you might want to take them to some of the nice swimming pools in Porto, like Piscina das Marés (the one on the picture above) or Quinta da Conceição.
Have a picnic at the city park
If you’re family is like me and simply hates the idea of spending the day at the beach (seriously people, there’s so much to do in life rather than getting tanned!), why don’t you organise a picnic at one of the most beautiful gardens in Porto?
There are many parks and gardens at the city but I reckon that the most versatile one is the city park. There you can make a picnic, do some jogging, walk the dogs, ride a bike, feed the ducks on the lake… you can also take advantage of the proximity of the city park to the Atlantic ocean and spend some hours in the park and then go to watch the sunset by the beach. It’s a lovely afternoon plan if you’re staying in Porto with teenagers.
Climb the Arrábida bridge
A really nice activity to do in Porto with teenagers is to climb the Arrábida bridge from within. Don’t be dismay by the 262 stairs that you’ll have to climb as they are very short, as hence don’t require an excellent physical shape or a lot of effort. In fact, you’ll arrive very shortly at the top, where you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful view over the Douro river, the Crystal Palace gardens and some Port wine lodges.
Practical information about the Arrábida Bridge Climb (2025)
Prices: 20€ / person (it is a bit expensive for what it is, to be honest).
Schedule: every day in the afternoon.
Have a drink with them (seriously!)
I am not encouraging juvenile drunkenness, relax! But given the fabulous weather that you’ll most likely enjoy during your stay in Porto, why don’t you take some time to simply enjoy a light meal or a drink or two at one of the amazing rooftops and urban terraces in the city?
There are two in particular that I find very suitable if you’re travelling in Porto with teenagers, which are Miradouro Ignez (the one on the photo, with a great terrace overlooking the Douro river) and BASE, the cosmopolitan open air terrace very close to Lello bookshop and to the Clérigos tower.
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