Unknown Porto Holidays: A Walking Experience in Portugal

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival

Arrive at Porto airport, transfer to hotel. If time allows an introductory walk will be offered.

Porto Viewpoint over the Douro River, you’ll be able to see the crumbling houses of Porto’s ancient Ribeira district.

Day 2 – Porto walk

A day designed to take in and fully experience some of Porto´s most iconic monuments and places such as the Cathedral, the Stock Exchange, S. Bento Station, the Praça da Ribeira, and the Port Lodges.
The day was designed to include free time to explore the town and visit the Gaia Market, now converted into an untraditional food experience!

Boardwalk Douro in Porto, walking down the promenade on the Douro’s riverbank.

Day 3 – Afurada walk

The walk follows the coast south of Porto, along boardwalks and promenades giving access to the beautiful west coast and its sandy beaches.
The fishing village of Afurada, with many cafés and restaurants, is worth exploring and makes a great lunchtime stop.
From here, we follow the imaginatively created walkway along the south bank of the river back to the center of Porto.

Douro river Porto, arch bridge that spans the River Douro between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia

Day 4 – Matosinhos walk

A walk along the north bank of the river starting at the fishing port of Matosinhos, renowned for its superb fish restaurants.
Our walk follows promenades and boardwalks down the Atlantic coast to Foz do Douro where the river meets the sea.

Matosinhos, The church of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos. Its Baroque 18C facade.

Day 5 – Day off

This is an ideal opportunity to relax and enjoy the attractions of Porto. From its monuments to its bustling life, there’s much to do!

Gaia by The River Douro, Amazing River View

Day 6 – Castelo do Queijo Walk

A lovely walk taking in some beautiful parks and gardens, along leafy quiet lanes. This tailored walk brings you to the city park, away from the main avenues.
We walk into the narrow, picturesque, and quaint streets, where the locals gather and sit outside to catch up on the conversation during the sunny afternoons!

Castelo do Queijo Porto, Forte de São Francisco do Queijo), frequently shortened to Castle of the Cheese.

Day 7 – Vila do Conde and Póvoa do Varzim Coast Walk

A great coastal walk visiting two charming seaside towns, Vila do Conde and Póvoa do Varzim.
Once a traditional fishing village, Vila do Conde is nowadays an important center for industrial production, fishing, and tourism. It harbours the first protected area ever created in Portugal in 1957 – the Mondelo Ornithological Reserve. Today, this reserve is part of the Regional Protected area of the coast of Vila do Conde.
Póvoa de Varzim became famous in the late 19th century for its iodine-rich waters. But that doesn’t sum up what this town has to offer, nor its white sandy beaches, its traditional old quarters, and exquisite buildings. It holds one of the most unique sets of symbols associated with the fishing tradition – the Siglas Poveiras. These symbols were created by the local fisherman as their own family coat of arms and identified their boats and fishing apparatus.

Walk Matosinhos – Castelo do Queijo, A delightful walk with plenty of places to take a coffee.

Day 8 – Departure

Transfer to the airport.