Insider’s Guide to Porto, Portugal 

By Cooper Fleishman

“If Lisbon is summer, Porto is autumn,” said a woman I met at the Torel 1884 hotel. She’d moved to Portugal from Austria years before, and in her hand was a vinho verde, not a Riesling. Her point: Although it’s flanked by soaring bridges and Douro River vistas, the tiny city where port wine got its name is truly that cozy.

Porto lacks grand displays of wealth, but it’s rich in both patina and contemporary creative cool. Its dining scene is particularly refreshing: warm and welcoming as the sourdough on your table, a new vision of luxury centered on human connection. A sommelier may stride up to your table with a few new bottles she’d love to sample with you. Often, locals’ recommendations are better than free wine: At the Michelin-rated, izakaya-inspired Euskalduna Studio, a chef called his father between tasting-menu courses to write me a list of hidden gems in the Azores, our next stop. Another cook one-upped him, providing a laundry list of his own favorite Porto bars, none of which I’d heard of.

The city’s many small hotels are approachable and, oftentimes, contemporary—controlled studies in boutique luxury that nod to centuries of history. Many stays have only a handful of rooms but an outsize emphasis on personalized service. A few rooms and poolside views linger in my mind a year later: the standard-setting Torel Avantgarde, the historic Torel 1884, and the teeny-tiny Gran Cruz House, directly overlooking the Douro River.

Of course, tourism has changed the city considerably. Porto is adjusting to its newfound popularity, sometimes oddly (a sterile mall devoted to port wine sits empty in Gaia, across the river, to greet weekend visitors). And yet, the yearly Festa de São João do Porto, where the entire city comes out at night to revel and bonk strangers on the head with squeaky toy hammers, is a remarkable feat in wholesome chaos that can never be replicated anywhere else.

Regardless of the time of year—festive, fall, and, yes, even summer—eating cachorrinhos with locals overlooking Jardim das Virtudes will convince you that Porto’s lived-in charms make it a deeply lovable destination.

WHERE TO STAY

Torel Avantgarde
Splendid rooms, amenities, location, bar fare, and personalized service make the Avantgarde the city’s best all-around boutique hotel. If a single photo were enough to sell you on a trip to Porto, it’d be taken here, right in front of the pool, looking out on the Douro River. The cocktails and burgers at the Digby bar are too good to leave behind, so plan to cancel plans and spend an afternoon poolside.

Torel 1884
A spotless renovation of a bank building in a very central location. Book the 1884 for its massive skylight and historic details in a handful of cozy rooms.

Gran Cruz House
A teeny-tiny waterfront stay with knockout Douro River views, tastefully appointed rooms, and an outstanding Italian restaurant, Casario.

EAT & DRINK

Chef Vasco Coelho Santos has a storied career as a restaurateur: Michelin distinction, multiple successful openings, and the city’s most in-demand tasting menu. But his greatest prize, he told me, was receiving an honorary shirt from FC Porto—the football team he grew up idolizing—to celebrate his first star. “It’s a very small city,” said Porto’s best-known chef when I asked what he loves most about his hometown. “People who really live here like to seek authenticity, not just hype. Walk around and see!”

Euskalduna Studio
If you splurge on one meal in Porto, make it Chef Santo’s exquisite tasting menu. His Japanese-izakaya-inspired, Michelin-rated chef’s counter is a gastronomic journey through Basque country, utterly devoid of stuffiness. His chefs can personalize the daily menu for any palate. If dining early, try the green tea pairing in lieu of wine.

Época
Delightful, greens-forward plates in the trendy, cobblestoned Cedofeita neighborhood. Eat al fresco and don’t skip the sourdough.

Taberna Dos Mercadores
The city’s best octopus rice. Book in advance or grab a spot in line early.

Donau
On one of Bonfim’s most charming blocks, Donau offers fresh takes on Portuguese classics like stews and toasts. Try beef bullion on semolina, pork goulash, and veggie lasagna.

Base
An open-air beer bar on a rooftop green space. You could—and will—spend all day here.

The Rebello
Over the river in Gaia is a stunning view of the city—you just need the right rooftop hotel bar. Try the spritzes on the top floor of this snazzy, newly opened stay.

Torto Porto
Where chefs like Vasco Coelho Santos sample innovative cocktails after-hours.

Combi Coffee
The flat white and cinnamon roll you’re craving to kill the jet lag.

WHERE TO SHOP

LOT: Labels of Tomorrow
A hip gathering space for emerging labels and designers.

La Paz
Menswear mecca with a river view.

Senhora Presidenta
A gallery for local illustrators, textile artists, and designers.

WHERE TO EXPLORE

Jardim das Virtudes
The garden itself is pleasant, but the terrace above it is where locals gather to watch the sunset, drink €1 Super Bock, and eat cachorrinhos, a sandwich that is somewhere between a hot dog and a burger.

Serralves
A contemporary art museum, park, and villa. The grounds alone, full of gardens, sculptures, and installations, are well worth the short cab ride from downtown.

Foz do Douro and Matosinhos
Porto’s beloved beachside shopping, strolling, and dining.