Is this recommended? I don’t have enough time to stay in Porto but want to get a feeling about porto so I can plan a longer trip next year or possibly work for there little bit next year.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
Up to you. It's easy to do by fast train, though you have to connect a few times since the fast trains don't go directly to Porto São Bento station in the center (just one local train stop away from the fast train stop). But you're going to burn 6-7 hours of your day just on the trains.
Porto is charming but much smaller than Lisbon.
Posted by
7688 posts
I DO NOT recommend trying to do Porto on a day trip. It takes a minimum of two full days to see the city well. We took the train from Porto back to Lisbon, since we did a seven day Douro River cruise that was fantastic, and stayed in Porto for two more days after the tour, which had covered the city somewhat.
You need to come back and spend 2-3 days in Porto and then spend some time in the Douro River Valley. It is the most scenic in Europe and I have seen a lot of scenic river valleys in Europe. Take the train up to Regua or take a cruise on the river.
Posted by
142 posts
I recently spent time in both Lisbon & Porto. I would not recommend Porto as a day trip. By the time you get there, get your bearings maybe you'll get to do one thing and then it will be time to take the train home.
We took the fast train, which was just about 3 hours (one way) from Lisbon, and stayed for a couple of days. The train will take up 6 hours or so of your day. if you are doing it roundtrip in one day. We found there was lots of street and other construction going on in Porto, which really made it even more challenging to navigate the city. It was also super crowded, and we were there in mid-April after Easter but still during what is considered off-season, although in talking with locals it seems "off-season" time frames are changing. We personally enjoyed our time in Lisbon more.