Looking to explore northern Portugal? Discover our selection of the best day trips from Porto!
Portugal’s second-largest city after Lisbon, Porto is a cosmopolitan destination for adventure and relaxation. Developed on the slopes of the Douro Valley, close to the coast, the city is a great starting point for excursions lasting a few hours.
During your stay, take advantage of all the region’s tourist options: seaside resorts, picturesque villages, historic sites, nature parks…
To guide you through all these treasures, we’ve listed the most beautiful excursions from Porto!
1. Braga
Photo credit: Shutterstock – marchello
📍 55 kilometers
🚗 By car: 40 minutes
🚆 By train: 1h journey from Sao Bento station, direction Braga
📷Sightseeing: Sé de Braga, Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary
Often considered the country’s religious center, this city is home to Portugal’s oldest cathedral, Sé de Braga, and numerous Gothic churches.
They stand alongside Baroque buildings, pretty squares and one of the country’s most beautiful monuments, the sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte. Take the time to climb its staircases, which lead to sublime panoramic views.
2. Coimbra
Photo credit: Shutterstock – saiko3p
📍 120 kilometers
🚗 By car: 1h10
🚆 By train: 1h10 journey from Vila Nova de Gaia-Devesas, direction Coimbra or Lisbon
📷 What to see / What to do: University, Moorish fortifications
The country’s ancient medieval capital, Coimbra is divided into two parts: the Cidade Alta (upper town) and the Baixa (lower town).
In the heights, don’t miss the Moorish fortifications, Gothic buildings and gardens, not to mention its renowned campus, built around a former royal palace and home to an incredible library.
3. Guimaraes
Photo credit: Shutterstock – saiko3p
📍 50 kilometers
🚗 By car: 35 minutes
🚆 By train: 1h15 journey from Sao Bento station, direction Guimaraes
📷 What to see / What to do: Largo, Castelo de Guimaraes, Paço dos Duques de Bragança
Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, Guimaraes deserves a mention among the best day trips from Porto.
Start your visit in the center (Largo da Oliveira, Largo Republica do Brasil, Largo do Toural), before moving on to Largo Hill. Here you’ll find the Castelo de Guimaraes, the Paço dos Duques de Bragança and the chapel of Sao Miguel.
4. Ponte de Lima
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Fotokon
📍 80 kilometers
🚗 By car: 50 minutes
📷 Things to see and do: churches, Ponte Romana
Regarded as one of the country’s oldest cities, Ponte de Lima has a rightful place in our ranking of excursions from Porto. Its most emblematic monuments are the Church of the Matrix and the Ponte Romana, a Roman bridge built around the year I.
Take a look at its museums, the Cadeia Velha tower and Camões Square, which you’ll find on every postcard.
5. Vila do Conde
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Barry Paterson
📍 35 kilometers
🚗 By car: 25 minutes
🚇 By metro: 50-minute journey with line B, direction Povoa
📷Sightseeing: beach, Socorro chapel, aqueduct
With its strong identity, influenced by its maritime history and pretty beach, Vila do Conde is one of the excursions from Porto that will appeal to the curious and families alike.
Its rich heritage is symbolized by the Chapelle do Socorro, built in 1559, and the arches of the Santa Clara aqueduct. The Shipbuilding Museum and Lace Museum offer a wealth of information on the city’s history and economy.
6. Douro Valley
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Visual Cortex
📍 95 kilometers
🚗 By car: 1h10
📷Sightseeing: Museu do Douro, cruises
A Unesco World Heritage Site, the Douro Valley is a splendid wine-growing region. There are two ways to discover it: by cruise or by car. While the boat is a pleasant alternative, it is preferable to take the road to reach the remote villages (Pinhao, Vale de Mendiz, Linhares…).
A visit to the Museu do Douro, in Peso da Régua, is an interesting stop-off to learn more about local history.
7. Aveiro and Costa Nova
Photo credit: Shutterstock – DaLiu
📍 70 kilometers
🚗 By car: 45 minutes
📷Sightseeing: Sé cathedral, canals, beach
Aveiro is famous for its canals and colorful « moliceiros » boats. Come aboard one of them and discover the authentic fishermen’s quarter, its Art Nouveau houses and its religious heritage, marked by the presence of the Sé Cathedral.
From Aveiro, you can easily reach Costa Nova, with its small colorful houses and huge beach.
8. Matosinhos
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Fotokon
📍 9 kilometers
🚗 By car: 15 minutes
🚇 By metro: 30-minute journey on line A, direction Matosinhos Sul
📷 What to see / What to do: beach, Castelo do Queijo
This seaside resort is a must-see during the summer season. In addition to its immense beach, the town is home to the Castelo do Queijo, a 17th-century fort open to visitors, the Parque da Cidade, a large landscaped park, and a fresh fish market.
Just outside Matosinhos is the Sea Life Porto aquarium, with its 3,000 residents.
9. Povoa de Varzim
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Barry Paterson
📍 35 kilometers
🚗 By car: 25 minutes
🚇 By metro: 55-minute journey with line B, direction Povoa de Varzim
📷 Things to see and do: beach, casino
Povoa de Varzim is a lively summer resort with excellent facilities: restaurants, bars, hotels, various sports fields… The town is also renowned for its rough sea, a surfer’s Eden, and for its casino, one of the finest in Portugal.
10. Barcelos
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📍 60 kilometers
🚗 By car: 40 minutes
🚆 By train: 45-minute journey from Campanha station, direction Viana do Castelo
📷Sightseeing: churches, medieval bridge
Built on the banks of the Cavado, Barcelos is home to an open-air archaeological museum and the Medieval Bridge, a 14th-century Gothic monument linking Barcelos and Barcelinhos.
Around the Campo da República, the former market square, stand the 18th-century churches of Bom Jésus da Cruz and Nossa Senhora do Terço.
11. Santiago de Compostela
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Sergey Golotvin
📍 230 kilometers
🚗 By car: 2h20
📷 What to see / What to do: historic center, cathedral
Santiago de Compostela(Spain) is one of the destinations you should visit at least once in your life. Accessible on foot from the Portuguese Way or by car, it has a special atmosphere and is one of the best excursions from Porto.
After a stroll through the historic center, venture to the majestic cathedral. Listed as a Historic and Artistic Monument, its construction began in the 11th century.
12. Peneda-Gêres National Park
Photo credit: Shutterstock – paulomachado_9
📍 95 kilometers
🚗 By car: 1h15
📷 What to see / What to do: hiking
This 70,000-hectare national park is a must-see on any trip from Porto. It offers access to magnificent landscapes of moorland, waterfalls and mountains, as well as granite villages and relics (medieval castles, sanctuaries…). Along the way, you may come across wolves and ibex.
13. Serra da Estrela
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Gi Cristovao Photography
📍 190 kilometers
🚗 By car: 2h10
📷 What to see / What to do: hiking, winter sports
This massif of rare beauty is the highest mountain in mainland Portugal (1,993 m). In this natural setting, almost 375 km of marked trails are accessible on foot, on horseback or by bike. In cold weather, you can go skiing, sledging and snowboarding.
14. Viana do Castelo
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Fotokon
📍 75 kilometers
🚗 By car: 50 minutes
🚆 By train: 1h15 journey from Campanha station, direction Viana do Castelo
📷Sightseeing / Activities: Gil Eannes Hospital Ship, Santa Luzia Basilica, beaches
Viana do Castelo unveils its wild beaches, pretty riverbanks and small squares to all those who stroll along its picturesque lanes.
The more curious can visit the Gil Eannes Hospital Ship, one of Portugal’s finest museums, the Museu do Traje, a highly educational regional museum, the interior of the Santa Casa da Misericordia and the pre-Roman ruins of the Santa Luzia Basilica.
15. Espinho
Photo credit: Shutterstock – relativeadv
📍 20 kilometers
🚗 By car: 20 minutes
🚆 By train: 30-minute journey from Sao Bento and Campanha stations, direction Aveiro or Ovar
📷 What to see / What to do: Casino, beach
A charming seaside resort, Espinho is renowned for its casino – the largest in Portugal – and its beach. The 17 km-long beach stretches right down to the Douro estuary. If the water is cool, it offers lovely waves for water sports, particularly surfing.
16. Lamego
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Luis Pedro Fonseca
📍 120 kilometers
🚗 By car: 1h15
📷 What to see / What to do: castle, sanctuary
Lamego is one of the best excursions from Porto. The town overlooks two hills, the first of which is home to the ruins of a 12th-century castle and the second to the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.
We recommend a visit to the municipal museum, housed in an 18th-century episcopal palace.