Discover Porto on a Cruise
Cruising Journal, the international portal for cruise ship reviews, takes you to Porto! Discover and experience Porto during a cruise stopover in the Cruising Journal tips.
Take a stroll through the beautiful, winding streets of Porto, go on an adventure in nature or visit a museum to learn about Portugal’s cultural wonders!
Porto is a city rich in traditions and history, with many places to explore and experience. The choices are endless, and there is an activity to suit every taste in this beautiful city.
Porto
How to get to Porto
Many cruising companies have varied itineraries that stop in Porto, such as CroisiEurope, P&O Cruises, Fred. Olsen and Cruise and Maritime.
Both Celebrity Cruises and Oceania Cruises offer a more luxurious experience on board, with lavish suites, gourmet meals and quality entertainment to make your journey as comfortable as possible.
Walking Tour of Porto
Discover Porto in this half-day walking tour provided by EFun Tours. On this tour, your guide will uncover the lesser-known city secrets and show you some of the most famous city landmarks, such as the Centro Portugues de Fotografia, Liberdade Square, the Sao Bento Railway Station and the Cathedral. Throughout the tour, your guide will help you navigate the winding streets of Porto, making this tour ideal for first-time visitors and those with limited time in the region.
Porto
World of Discoveries Interactive Museum
If you want to immerse yourself in the extraordinary history of this country, you should visit World of Discoveries, an interactive museum and theme park that recreates the adventures of the Portuguese explorers and their journey to a new land. Here, you’ll take part in the adventure and set sail on a voyage through history. Your journey will end in a special shop, where you’ll be able to choose what you take home with you as a keepsake of the adventure. You can also stop by the museum’s restaurant, where you can taste many flavours from the four corners of the world.
Local Food Walking Tour
Detours offers a delicious tour through Porto’s culinary wonders. Showcasing one of the main facets of culture – gastronomy – this tour will take its guests through the historical centre of Porto for a travelling tour in search of the most delicious dishes of the city. As you marvel at the beautiful architecture, your guide will tell you about the best restaurants in Porto, and you’ll be able to try the mouth-watering pastel de nata custard tarts. Afterwards, you’ll indulge in a traditional bifana, a sliced pork steak in a roll of bread. Next, you’ll head to another restaurant, where you’ll have a chance to try a cachorrinho, a small Porto-style hot dog, as well as sandes mista de pernil, a pork and cheese sandwich. All of the dishes you’ll enjoy will be accompanied by a soft drink, Portuguese craft beer or local wine, making it one of the most appetizing tours in the city.
Porto
Rafting Adventure
Detours also offers a peculiar adventure on the Paiva River, which is one of the best rivers in Portugal for this activity: rafting. Depending on the flow of the river, this adventure promises a great adrenaline rush, even for more experienced rafters. However, this experience is suited for everyone, as there will be an expert guide present on the raft to guide you through the more difficult patches. There is even an introductory safety and skill course, where your guide will explain how to safely enjoy your adventure down the Paiva River.
Tile Painting
One of the most unique Portuguese traditions is that of the hand-painted tiles that decorate the buildings, and in Porto, you’ll see many beautiful houses decorated with such tiles. The tiles were hand-painted one by one in factories that have now, unfortunately, disappeared. A workshop in Porto aims to keep the memory of this trade alive by offering a unique experience to the many tourists who make their way through the city. In this workshop, offered by Gazete Azulejos, you’ll be able to paint your own decorative tile, either with a traditional design or one of your own making, and you will learn all about the painting techniques and the history of this treasured tradition.
Porto
Worth mentioning is The House of Sandeman, a wine cellar situated in a 1797 granite building across from the Douro river. Here, you’ll be guided through a wine tasting in a setting that teeters between tradition and cosmopolitan influences.
Don’t forget to leave a comment or review on Cruising Journal and tell us about your experience on the cruise ship.
Alice Fogliata Cresswell
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