3 days in Porto with kids: a tested itinerary to uncover delightful Porto

Last Updated on 07/03/2023 by Clotilde Passalacqua

3 days in Porto with kids is the perfect time to appreciate this small city which has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Having slept for a long time in the shadow of Lisbon, Porto has woken from its slumber and more and more tourists are now descending to appreciate its beautiful views, delicious food, history that can be read simply by wandering aimlessly in the pretty cobbled streets, and obviously relaxing with a good glass of the famous fortified wine that makes it so famous, Porto.

The touristic area is not very large, but there are still so many things to see and do in Porto. If you Visit Porto in 3 days you will have the opportunity to enjoy the little things, appreciate the opportunity to relax watching the river flow, or let the children mingle with their peers in the little playgrounds dotted around. We enjoyed it so much that we are already thinking of returning.

As usual, below you will find a detailed itinerary on what to do in Porto with kids based on our experience, and optimised by building a fluid route to get around the city mainly on foot, minimising long journeys.

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Visiting Porto with kids

In general there are many things to do in Portugal with kids and Porto is no exception, people are very friendly with children, often in restaurants you will also find a kids menu and most museums offer free admission.

Visiting Porto with kids is quite easy but it helps to be aware of a few details. One thing to keep in mind is the that the city is perched on the banks of the Douro River, which makes it full of steep climbs and stairways that can tire children or put a strain on the pushing of a stroller.

However, the underground and tram network is very efficient to overcome the problem, as well as the presence of a funicular and a gondola lift. Those traveling with small children will probably find the use of a baby carrier more convenient than a traditional stroller.

OUR EXPERIENCE: During the day we usually had no problem, as the walks between sightseeing are short, but in the evening to go back to the hotel, we used the electric scooter sharing system, taking a child each (Liam and Santiago were 5 years old during this trip). In the city they are everywhere, you just need to download the app (we used Bird), register and save your payment details to unlock and use them. They’re super easy to use and while I don’t recommend using them with kids as a means of transport, they were definitely a helping hand at the end of the day for turning a complaining 20-minute walk back (which often translates to 40 mins) into 10 minutes of laughter.

How many days in Porto?

3 days in Porto is definitely the ideal number of days to appreciate all aspects of the city, historical, cultural, and gastronomic. Below you will find a detailed itinerary to optimise travel and times. Obviously everyone has different needs so after the detailed itinerary you will find suggestions for those who visit Porto in 2 days, or even for anyone just passing through looking for a one day in Porto itinerary.
If you have more days you can consider day tours from Porto, or even better immerse yourself in the splendour of the Douro Valley wine region.

Things to do in Porto with kids

Porto offers a lot of entertainment even if not many are designed specifically for children, however there are some fun things to do in Porto that will surely entertain even the most demanding children.
In this 3 days in Porto with kids, the first two days are a little more intense, the third is certainly the one that offers more entertainment for children.

The stops that children will surely like the most are:

• Miradouro da Victoria, where they can run a little freely.
• Church of St. Francis, where to see bones in the catacombs
• Dom Luis Bridge, walking on the top footpath is different than any bridge they walked on before
• Cable car run
• All the pastel de nata stop
• Tuk tuk tour, this is really fun if they have never done it before
• Parque de Serralves, beautiful park which even has a treetop path
• Discovery World, lovely interactive museum in a theme park style
• Boat tour

All details below in the itinerary

Day 1: Morning, from Sao Bento to Mercado Ferreira Borges

• 9:30 SAO BENTO. The first day starts at Sao Bento station, a top thing to see in Porto particularly to admire the atrium covered with azulejo tiles. The atrium is covered with more than 20,000 tiles and took 20 years of work to complete. You can now admire different representations that range from scenes of daily life in the fields to representations of battle, Kings, and also transportation history.
  
  15 -20 min. should satisfy every photographer, from here you can reach the next stop in 5 minutes, the Se Cathedral
  

• 10:00-11:00 SE CATHEDRAL. Mass usually starts at 11, so start your visit inside the church to avoid disturbing the service. The majestic but sober interior has undergone, like the whole complex, numerous alterations which have at times confused the original layout initiated in the twelfth century. Admission to the cathedral is free, but you will need a ticket to enter the adjacent cloisters and casa do Cabido. The visit is also pleasant for those without religious interests, and from the tower you have a beautiful view of the city.
  
  Cathedral opening time: Apr. – Oct. 09:00 – 18:30 / Nov. – Mar. 09:00 – 17:30
  Cathedral entrance: free. Cloister entrance: €3
  

• 11:00 – 12:00 MIRADOURO DA VICTORIA. From the cathedral it should take 10 minutes to reach the next stop, the Miradouro da Victoria, but it is certainly better to consider at least half an hour to be able to explore the small cobbled streets in tranquillity, where often crumbling facades overlook and they seem positioned asking to be photographed. After the usual photos from Miradouro you can begin to descend towards the river. Many of the streets to go are pedestrian, perfect for children to run safely. Free to enter

• 12:00 -13:00 MERCADO FERREIRA BORGES Time for a break. As you head towards the next stop it’s time for a snack. You can stop at the Mercado Ferreira Borges, the mammoth red iron construction that overlooks Square do Infante Dom Henrique. Built to replace an old market in Ribeira at the end of the nineteenth century, it was instead used for various other purposes until it became a venue for concerts and performances. Among other things, it also houses a restaurant that is perfect for appreciating this striking building.

Day 1: Afternoon, from Church Of St Francis to Vila Nova de Gaia

• 13:00 -14:00 MONUMENT CHURCH OF ST. FRANCIS. The visit to the Monument Church of St Francis will delight children especially the descent into the Catacombs. Very little remains of the original church and convent, begun in the mid-thirteenth century, as much was reworked in the following centuries, but despite this the church especially is extremely impressive, probably due to the great use of gold coverings to cover everything. The visit to the catacombs with the opportunity to eye the mountain of bones accumulated under the floor is intriguing even if the visibility is minimal.
  
  San Francisco Convent Church opening time: every day 09:00 – 17:00
  Entrance tickets €8
  

• 14:00 -15:00 RIBEIRA. From the church of San Francesco it’s time to head towards the lively Ribeira. Stroll along the river and climb the colorful streets that start from the banks, or stop for a coffee and admire / photograph from a thousand angles the imposing bridge of D. Luis. From the river bank it is now time to go up to cross the bridge.

• 15:00 – 16:00 DOM LUIS I BRIDGE. Cross the Dom Luis I bridge, one of the top free things to do in Porto. Enjoy the crossing, take time to appreciate the enchanting views of Porto and Vila Nova di Gaia on the other side. The upper level of the bridge is reserved only for pedestrians and the subway, which makes it much more peaceful and pleasant. Once you reach the other side, you can go down on foot, but the children will be thrilled by a short trip with the cable car.

HOT TIP: Dom Luis I bridge can be walked by pedestrians on both levels, but I found the footpath on the lower level too narrow and crowded to stop with children to take in the views. The upper level offers wider footpaths with breathtaking views of the river and the city.
To go up to the next level you have three options:

– Go up the steps (called escadas do codecal) which start just opposite the bridge

– You can take the impressive lift (elevadore lada ribeira for a fee) that you see just behind the colorful houses on the river, which will take you halfway up the hill

– Or, if in operation, take the funicular that takes you right where the bridge begins (unfortunately it was not in operation during our stay)

• 16:00 -17: 00 CABLE CAR AND PLAYGROUND. The cable car will leave you in lively Vila Nova de Gaia, past the tourist-catching stalls you will not be able to avoid a stop at the playground that you will find right in front. Let the children let off some steam before continuing the walk on this side of the river.
  
  Cable car opening hours change depending on the season: every day 10::00 -18:00, from July to September plus during the weekend in May and June 10:00 – 19:00
  Adults ticket €6/9 (one way/return). Kids 5-12 €3/4,5 (one way/return)
  Family of 4 (2 adults plus 2 kids) return ticket €22

• 17:30 -19:00 WINE TASTING. If you don’t have the opportunity to visit the producers’ locations in the vineyards of the Douro valley, then a stop in Vila Nova de Gaia should be in any Porto itinerary. Almost all the producers organize tours of the cellars and at the end you can try some varieties of the famous fortified wine.
  
  The choice is wide, you will find the very famous Sandeman, Taylor’s, Graham’s, Croft, but also the less well known Calem, Ramos Pinto, Krohn. There are surely others too, but these are easily identifiable even during the previous walk from the top of the bridge.

HOT TIP: We stopped at Calem located directly on the waterfront, where tastings can also be done outdoors, while the children have freedom of movement.
After the wine tasting you can stop for dinner on this side of the river. The sun is already low behind Porto, leaving the Ribeira bank in the shade, while in Vila Nova de Gaia you can enjoy the pleasure of the last rays of the day.

Day 2: Morning, from Rua Santa Caterina to Rua da Flores

The second of these 3 days in Porto with kids is dedicated to the exploration of the upper part of Porto.

• 9:30 MAJESTIC CAFE. The day starts with a visit to this impressive place, an impeccably maintained expression of the belle epoque. Definitely a symbolic cafe of the city … consequently very touristic where for a coffee you will spend €5. The choice is yours whether to come in for a coffee and take home the memory of a place of other times.

• 10:00 -12:00 RUA SANTA CATERINA. After coffee (and a quick stop to see the majestic Ildefonso church near by), let yourself be intrigued by rua santa Caterina, where between the shops of the large international chains will also find small local boutiques as well as the inevitable church. In this case, a small church, but definitely not to be underestimated, the capela das Almas (chapel of souls) is bejeweled with the famous blue azulejos that makes it stand out, almost out of place, between one shop and another.
  
  While you are in this area, do not miss a visit to one of the two most famous pastry shops for pastel de nata: Fabrica da Nata and Manteigaria (we tried Manteigaria and the pastel de nata was delicious)
  
  The last stop while in this area is at the colorful Bolhao market. Unfortunately, during our visit it was closed for renovation and the temporary location does not do justice to the original.

• 12 00-13:00 IGREJA DO CARMO. From Rua de Santa Caterina it is time to move to another very lively part of the city and visit the Igreja do Carmo and the Igreja do Carmelitas. As you move, you can pass in front of the impressive city hall with the long tree-lined avenue (albeit quite unattractive). Arriving in front of the two churches, you cannot help but notice that they are not separate, but there is a now very famous small house between the two. It is said to have been built to avoid any form of contact between the nuns of the dos Carmelitas church and the monks of the Igreja do Carmo.
  
  The Igreja del Carmo, built in the mid-eighteenth century, is located on the right and has a beautiful side facade covered with azulejos. The visit to the church is free, but you must buy a ticket to enter the hidden house, or you can take a more complete tour with a ticket that also includes the catacombs, the sacristy, and other rooms.
  
  Church entrance is free. Entrance to the hidden house and Catacombs is €3

• 13:00 -13:30 BELO MARKET. Optional: in case it is Saturday go to see the Belo market, an artisan market held a few steps from the churches in Carlos Alberto square. It is a small market, but with lovely unique products on sale.

• 13:30 -14: 30 LAUNCH AT RUA DA FLORES. As it is now lunchtime, go to Rua da Flores where you will find some of the best restaurants in Porto. We have tried Traca and Cantinho do Avillez, and found both to be excellent, in particular Traca. Another excellent option is Cantina 32, but book in advance or you will hardly find a place.

Day 2: Afternoon, from Torre dos Clerigos to the Tuk tuk tour

• 14:30 -15:30 TORRE DOS CLERIGOS. Retrace your steps for a short distance and you will find yourself in front of the Torre dos Clerigos. The view from the top of the tower is certainly fascinating and pays off climbing the 220 steps. Families with children between 3 and 6-7 years old must consider that the stairs are very narrow and you often have to wait in line to climb. If your children are not patient then avoid!
  
  Entrance ticket €6, including the museum entrance (free for kids under 10).
  Torre dos Clerigos opening hours: 09:00 – 19:00. (Before Covid they were also open 19 -21, for a night tower visit)

• 15:30 -16:30 PLAYGROUND Especially if you have faced the ascent to the tower, it’s time to let the little ones have some fun. In the Joao Chagas gardens in front of the tower there is a small playground that will serve this purpose.

• 16:30 – 17:30 LELLO BOOKSHOP. At this point if you are passionate about Harry Potter you can visit the Lello Bookshop. The neo-Gothic building was opened just over a century ago, in 1906 by the Lello brothers and has always been considered an architectural masterpiece. In the last twenty years its fame has further grown thanks to the rumours that the writer, J.K. Rowling¸ a frequent visitor took from here her inspiration for the fantasy world of Harry Potter. Since 2015 a ticket is required to enter. Definitely fascinating, but always very full which makes it difficult to take good pictures.
  
  Lello bookstore opening hours 09:30 – 19:30
  Entrance ticket from €5. (kids under 3 free) Some tickets allow you priority entrance.

• 18:00 -19:30 TUK TUK TOUR. To end the day something that will surely amuse the little ones, a tuk tuk tour. The tour will make you retrace some of the streets you have already seen, but it will be from a completely different point of view, really one of the top fun things to in Porto with kids.
  This tour is more about relaxing and enjoying the beautiful views, rather than learning everything about Porto. The driver will give you some insight, but only of the major attractions, and for sure you will discover places where you will want to go back to explore them more.
  
  There are several companies offering Tuk Tuk tours, Livingtours offer great flexibility with time and a good price from €20 per person.
  A similar tour with Viator is a great alternative in case the previous one is not available, and this other one is perfect if you prefer to book a tour in the evening
  

Once the tour is finished you can return to the Ribeira district for a drink on the riverside and then move for dinner to the Cervejaria Gazela and try the famous cachorrinho sandwich (a very simple, but delicious sandwich with sausage) or the francesinha (another sandwich, less simple with steak, sausage, ham and covered with melted cheese)

Cervecejaria Gazela is in Rua de Entreparedes N 8 10, 4000-434 Porto.

Day 3: Morning from Casa da Musica to the beaches

This day is dedicated to the less touristic things to see in Porto, with some activities particularly suitable for children.

• 09:30 CASA DA MUSICA. From Sao Bento station you can take bus 201 or 501, or if you are close to the Bolhao metro station you will only have 4 stops to do on the metro. The Casa da Musica concert hall, is a fairly recent building (2005) commissioned to the famous architect Rem Koolhaas. Like many of the contemporary works of art, it has generated interesting discussions among citizens due to the nature of its shape which seems to guarantee perfect acoustics, but does not seem to be appreciated by everyone.
  
  Obviously, the ideal would be to attend a concert, but you can also settle for daily tours (perhaps too demanding for children) or, like us, just wander around taking photos in the internal and external parts open to the public which you can access without a ticket. Children will have fun running on the hills of the square that surrounds it.

• 10:30 -12:30 PARQUE DE SERRALVES. From the roundabout which Casa da Musica overlooks you will have several buses to reach the next stop. Take the 201, 203, or the 502 and in about 20 minutes you will arrive at the Parque de Serralves. The park is well organised and inside there are also the museum of contemporary art, a cinema, and a renovated villa by a famous Portuguese architect, Alvaro Siza.
  
  You could fill a day with a complete visit, but within this 3 days in porto with kids itinerary we will only consider visiting the park without entering the various attractions. Don’t miss the walk on the elevated path through the trees, Kids will love it! On the site there are three different itineraries that will take you to see all the corners!
  
  Park entrance ticket is €12. Here is the website with an overview of the other attractions.

• After the nature walk we can move for lunch and there are two alternatives:
  
  1. 12:30 – 14:30 LUNCH AT CASA DA CHA DA BOA NOVA. If you are a food lover and interested in architecture, even when traveling with children, you should not miss the view of the Piscinas de Mares in Leca de Palmeira and lunch at the cafe / restaurant Casa da Cha da Boa Nova.. To reach this area, albeit not very far away, you will have to change two buses, much more practical is an Uber that will take you to your destination in 20 minutes for less than €10.
     
     The restaurant (designed by Alvaro Siza in 1963) is built on top of the rocks just a few metres from the sea, perfectly integrated with the surroundings to make the visitor lose the boundaries between the building and the landscape. Unbelievable to realise that it was abandoned for many years until 2014. As a two Michelin star restaurant the prices are not cheap, starting with menus from €90, but the experience is incredible. Call to book in advance.
     
     
     14:30 -16:30 PISCINAS DE MARES. After lunch, a walk along the seafront of just over 15 minutes will take you to the piscinas da Mares (unfortunately closed during our stay), also a work by Alvaro Siza. When it reopens you can spend a couple of hours of fun with the children in these pools integrated into the rocks that fill with ocean water and allow you to splash around while protected from the open sea. This stop is still worthwhile even if they are closed, kids will love even just to play on the beach. To return to the city center and arrive to the next stop (World of Discoveries) take the bus 507 just on the water front (direction Cordoaria) and in roughly 40mins you’ll arrive at the hospital St. Antonio stop were you get out.
     
     HOT TIP: Like when visiting Santorini, you are not coming to Porto for a beach holiday, but for the kids, a stop by the sea is always entreating.
     
     
  2. 12:30 – 15:30 LUNCH AT PISCA. If the starred restaurant is not your thing and you prefer a more relaxed environment, then there’s nothing better than heading towards the mouth of the Douro River. At the Serralves park exit, take bus 207 (direction Campanha and get off after 5 stops) from there with 10 minutes walking you will arrive at the Pisca restaurant, a small tapas restaurant with a sea view.
     
     After lunch, walk up to where the Douro River meets the ocean and let the children play for a while on the beach. If there is the strong wind that often characterises the coasts of Northern Portugal then enter the western part of the Jardin do Passeio Alegre where you can challenge yourself to a round of minigolf.
     
     
     15:30 -16:00 To return to the old city you will now use the old tram no.1 which runs along the scenic waterfront. Go back to the corner of the Jardin do Passeio Alegre, where you will find the terminus. The journey takes place on beautiful restored carriages that still show the beautiful finishes of the 1930s. Going up to the terminus you will have a better chance of finding less queues and getting a seat. Get off at the penultimate stop Alfandega.
     
     Ticket price €3.

Day 3: Afternoon at World of Discoveries and on a boat tour

• 16:00 -18:00 WORLD OF DISCOVERIES Get off the tram but before heading to the next stop, the World of Discoveries, go up the steep staircase that leads to one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Porto, the Miradouro Banderinha da Saude. After the usual photos, go back down the river and in a few minutes you will find yourself in front of the World of Discoveries, a small interactive museum / theme park that traces the history of Portuguese navigators. Children will be delighted to travel the journey on the little boat meeting pirates and wild animals in between special effects and sets of other peoples.
  
  World of Discoveries opening hours 10:00 -18:00 (10 – 19 weekends and bank holidays)
  Entrance ticket: adult from €12.75 online kids from €7.65

• 18:30 – 19:30 DOURO RIVER BOAT TOUR. To end the busy day and this 3 days in Porto with kids there is also the most classic of activities: a small cruise on the Douro River. We took part in a cruise on the Douro during our days spent in the Douro Valley, but apart from the different scenery the cruise is very similar. Surely touristy, but it offers a different view of the city and brings you back to the time when the river was the only connection with the Douro Valley to bring the Porto wine to the city.
  
  You board the 6 Bridge’s Cruise on Praca Ribeira and it lasts 50mins. Check here the price.
  

From here you can go back to Rua das Flores for dinner at one of the restaurants you haven’t tried yet.

OUR EXPERIENCE: before arriving in Porto we spent 3 days exploring the Douro Valley, we rented a car at the airport and given the minimal cost, we kept it even during our stay in Porto even if objectively it is not needed. If you consider the same solution, I can tell you that parking was not particularly difficult and on Saturdays after 4pm and Sundays, parking is free,

RELATED: WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET BETTER PLANNING YOUR FAMILY TRIP? READ HERE TO LEARN ALL THE TRICKS

Porto offers an excellent starting point for exploring many areas of northern Portugal. If you have more than 3 days available you should definitely consider a day trip from Porto.

The best part is that you don’t have to rent a car if you don’t want to. There are many destinations that you can easily reach by train. Obviously, if you prefer an organised tour for convenience, you will be spoiled for choice. Here are some indications based on our experience alongside the best Porto tours as an alternative.

• Porto to Braga, and Porto to Guimares are two pleasant day trips that are very easy to organise even independently by train. The journey (starting Sao Bento station) takes about 75-90 minutes and the train station in both Braga and Guimares are very central so it will take you less than 10 minutes to reach the most interesting points.
  A visit to both towns in one day with the train is not recommended as you will lose a bit too much time just travelling, although if you are tight for time you can join an organised tour.

• Porto to Aveiro is just as easy to organise by train. Trains depart from Porto Campanha and within 75-90 mins you will be at your destination. As in the previous case, from the station it will take you less than ten minutes to be in the liveliest area.

• If you are interested in a Porto day trip to Douro Valley I recommend you click here to read the dedicated article, where you can explore various alternatives including daily visit by train, boat, or multi-day car itineraries. You will find a day’s itinerary, with details of the trains to take, where to stop and the various costs.

Porto has many accommodation options. Despite being such a small city the alternatives are many and varied, from hotel to home rentals. The best location to stay in Porto is the neighbourhood Baixa/Se (where most of the attractions are located), followed by Ribeira along the river.

There are countless numbers of new accommodation, new hotels, and airbnbs seemingly popping up every day. At the moment the situation still seems well balanced between tourists and locals living in the city center but it would not surprise me to find in a few years that Porto becomes a victim of its own success, making it difficult for residents to find affordable accommodation. Venice and Barcelona are just two of the most striking examples in Europe.

Anyway … at the moment you will find excellent alternatives at reasonable prices. Personally, during 3 days in Porto with kids I prefer to choose a hotel and below you will find the 4 best options for a family.

Best budget accomodations

I hope this guide will help you during your time in Porto! Let me know in the comments if I missed some things!

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