The remnants of the Roman Ruins of Conimbriga are an off the beaten path day trip from Porto. Check out all of Porto's best day trips and tours on this recommended tour booking site. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Once in Coimbra, you can easily explore the university and the historic center on foot. Paiva is one of the best day trips from Porto for nature-loving travelers. I'm trying to find the timetable for this September so I can coordinate with a flight out of Porto. Express trains from Porto Campanha take about 1 hour to get to Coimbra-B. The charming city of Braga is known for its baroque and neoclassical architecture, as well as its many churches, which the city is often referred to as the Rome of Portugal. This makes Braga a popular tourist destination. Youll also want to stop by Tibias de Braga, which has the Tibias dessert that originated from Braga. Lisbon Day Trips. If you make a purchase through these links, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This book showcases 50 of the greatest road trips on Earth, from classic routes in America, Australia and Europe, to incredible adventures in Asia and Africa. But inside its a riot of gorgeous gold and blue-and-white azulejo tiles, with an intricate ceiling fresco. Youll also be interested to find this conservative small Portuguese town serving giggle-worthy pastries called bolos de So Gonalo and recognized by their phallic shape. day trips from porto. Escape the worst of the cold this winter by heading to Europes southern reaches, where the wam sun shines year round. So, its definitely worth a day trip from Porto by train. A day trip might feel insufficient to explore . Consider hiring a car for the day and nominating a designated driver for full flexibility. There are dozens of quintas (wine estates) in the Douro, each producing amazing wine. Guimares is brimming with history and said to be the countrys birthplace. Pour yourself a wine and lets get planning. This can impact your experience and may mean that the church is inaccessible. Jeronimos Monastery. And there are some beautiful hidden gems in northern Portugal that you can easily reach in a day. The small town was also the birthplace of Portugals first king, Afonso Henriques. The Douro Valley region is a mandatory visit for those who travel to Porto. If you enjoyed this post on some of the nicest day trips from Porto by train and bus, why save it by pinning it to your Pinterest board? Porto day trips in nature are easy to come by, however Peneda-Gers national park is one of the best. Amarante is a small town located in the north of Portugal, about 1-hour northeast, or 37 miles (60 km) of Porto making it a fantastic day trip. Coimbra is home to one of the oldest universities in the world, the University of Coimbra. Love places that announce themselves: BRAGA! You can also marvel at the intricate layout of this planned city by starting in the town square, Praa da Repblica, and working your way up and down the gridded streets. Porto Tourism Porto Hotels Porto Bed and Breakfast Porto Holiday Rentals Porto Packages Flights to Porto Porto Restaurants Porto Attractions Porto Travel Forum Porto Photo Porto Map Porto Guide . The most popular day trips are marked in yellow , while the lesser known destinations are highlighted in green. 2.1 Go hiking. At about 40 km from Porto, Guimares is perfectly located for a day trip. The Braga to Porto train is the easiest way to get back to Porto. Santa Clara Aqueduct is one of the main attractions here. Made with only two ingredients, egg yolks, and sugar, its cooked in a special pan, sliced, and served with cinnamon and lemon. If youre looking for a morning or afternoon activity outside of Porto, a coastal walk in Espinho is a good idea. Best Day Trips from Porto with Kids - Porto Serralves Museum and Park Entrance Ticket. Getting to Guimares. The town also sells different sweets once made by the local nuns. 2.2 Day trip to Braga from Porto. You can follow the walk briefly or for as long as you like. One of the best day trips from Porto by train you can do is to Portugals Venice Aveiro. Porto is a beautiful city located in Northwestern Portugal which is the gateway to the Peneda-Gers National Park, one of the most scenic and wild places in all of Europe. You can see how Portuguese traditional clothes were made and evolved over the years. Tickets cost around 3.25 one-way and can be purchased online or through the Comboios de Portugal's website (which is the Portuguese rail company). Additionally, theres a nice childrens playground in the park with a typical snack bar serving ice cream, coffee, and light bites that looks out over one of the beautiful bridges crossing the Nabo River running through town. The CP Tour card will provide free access to the entire Porto Urbano system, to final stops on the Aveiro line, Caide line, Braga line and Guimaraes line, including on/off in-between. It's very easy to get to from Porto, whether . Oh and dont leave before trying Viana do Castelos local delicacy. You can go by train, with frequent departures from one of Porto's railway stations, So Bento or Campanh, with a journey time of just around 1 hour and 15 minutes. From here the wine barrels were transported to Vila Nova da Gaia. Tomar sits just 2 hours by car and 124 miles (200 km) south of Porto. Please be aware that this is the hardest of all the day trips from Porto by public transport, but it is just about doable, especially if you stay over. Its a great place to come if you want to see an authentic Portuguese town with few international tourists. Theres also a really good costume museum (Museu do Traje). Very enjoyable, thanks. If you don't have much time, a Porto day trip from Lisbon is definitely possible in a single day. Thus. For several destinations, youll need a car to visit, but others are easy to reach either by train, bus or, if youre visiting the Douro Valley, by boat on an organized tour. You should absolutely take a day trip from Porto to Nazare, Portugal. Everyone goes mad for them. Their work is displayed in the Municipal Museum, which is in a renovated convent. The local fishing industry means that there are plenty of cafs serving fresh seafood straight off the boats. It costs less than 10 euros to travel to Viana do Castelo from Porto. Guimares and Braga 34 miles (55 kilometers) from Porto Discover Portugal's architectural and religious heritage with a guided trip to Guimares, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its 10th-century castle and the . You should also visit the citys Fish Market, the lighthouse (the tallest in Portugal! Day Trips from Porto: Douro Valley. This is the unassuming home of bolas de berlim, the Portuguese version of the custard-filled Berliner doughnut. Matosinhos would be a good idea if you want to escape the heat and hustle and bustle of Porto for an afternoon on the golden sand. 7) Povoa de Varzim (beach trip) (metro) Below is an interactive map of the locations of the day trips from Porto. The ride takes 1 hour from So Bento Station. A return ticket is only 6.50! The next day, we will be making our way to Porto, likely by train as we will likely. Of course, I now want to go back to Porto and do all the places Ive not yet done. It even has UNESCO World Heritage status. If you want to skip all the walking up and down the hills of Vila Nova de Gaia, you can buy a round-trip ticket to ride on the Telefrico, aka cable cars. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'herwanderfulworld_com-portrait-2','ezslot_20',145,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-herwanderfulworld_com-portrait-2-0');You can also visit the many shops, cafes, and restaurants in Vila Nova de Gaia, or take a stroll along its cobblestone streets to admire its old-world charm. Step 1, travel from Porto Campanh to Faro by train as shown in the Porto to Faro section above . It takes about one hour from the center of Porto to the center of Guimares, and you can easily do it by train, bus, driving or on a tour. As someone who hates driving on the rare times I have to do it at home in the UK, the thought of renting a car in Portugal gives me chills. Besides drinking your way through the port wine cellars, you can also have a sunset picnic on the Jardim do Morro. Join the queue and get a box of them to eat still warm on the train home. To get to Matosinhos from Porto, you can take the local 500 bus, which is near the Sao Bento Train station, or take the metro line A. If youre not comfortable or confident driving in Portugal, then sticking with public transportation is your best bet. You can also go on a guided day trip if you prefer some context and convenience - check prices, availability, and itinerary here. Cant wait to go to Portugal! Back in the day, these wooden boats were used to remove algae from the canal but fell into disuse once the process was automated. Theres so much to do in Porto itself (have a look at my main blogpost on Porto for lots of ideas) that you can easily just visit the city and stay there. Located along the bank of the Sado River, Setubal is known for its fishing industry, especially for sardines. This beauty showcases some of the finest architecture in the country, with design styles from many centuries. How to Get There: A train runs from Campanha Station to Aveiro Station. Costa Nova is located 53 miles (85 km) south of Porto, which makes it a perfect day trip from Porto by train. Rede Expressos also services this route once daily. Want to receive notifications of new posts by email? The cost of this train is 10 one way. In winter, Gers can occasionally get a sprinkling of snow. Pinhao is the main town in the Douro Valley and is located right in the middle of all the action. It was here that McNamara beat the world record for the largest wave ever surfed. 2 one way or 3 r/t. 2.1 Vila do Conde. The city can be reached by car, public transit, and boat. Though Portugal is a walkable country, it doesnt mean the trekking is easy (aka MANY hills!). Select a pickup point. Train operators. Read my disclosure and privacy policy. We want. Trust me, we got ourselves burned in just a few short hours! Before heading back to Porto, you can dine at riverfront spots in Pinho like Veladouro. Pack The Suitcases uses affiliate links. Youll find two plazas connected by covered walkways. Enjoy a stroll on the seaside promenade or hang out at the largest sandy beach in the Porto District. But thats not all. Amarante is also home to a few good restaurants like Adega Regional Quelha, which serves up local specialties like smoked meats and the popular vinho Verde grown from its Terras de Basto wine region. The Parque Florestal de Amarante contains hundreds of exotic trees and has playgrounds, aviaries, and a deer enclosure. Guimares andits castle can fill a full day but knowing how much time you have makes it easier to plan. Here's one highly-rated private Porto day trip from Lisbon that shows considerably more than the others. There isn't much in the tiny town of Pocinho. 2.8 Chill out at Congida Beach. It is a charming and unique way to see Porto. Wine barrels were transported to Vila Nova da Gaia riverfront spots in Pinho like Veladouro local nuns most... 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