Are you looking for the best day trip destinations from Porto?
We’ll introduce you to the best day trips from Porto, which will take you to the top attractions in Portugal.
* Contains affiliate links
Here are our favorites when it comes to day trips from Porto:
1. Douro Valley with boat trip, wine tasting, and lunch
2. Braga and Guimarães: Trip to the most beautiful historical cities in the north
3. Visit to Peneda-Gerês National Park with Tahiti waterfall
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Most Beautiful Day Trips From Porto
After exploring the most beautiful sights in Porto, it’s a great idea to discover the surrounding area.
Whether you do this as part of a Portugal road trip from Porto by car, by train, or through a guided tour, there are many highlights worth visiting.
Let’s start with our favorites and then move on to some real hidden gems for day trips from Porto:
Douro Valley Day Trip
The Douro Valley is best known for the Douro River, which winds through vineyards. Here, the grapes for the famous Port wine, as well as white and red wines, are grown.
The Alto Douro region is even a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is worth a visit for this alone.
Tip for Port Wine and Wine Lovers: Porto is the Portuguese city for wine and Port Wine.
The best port wine tasting in Porto is located along the Douro River in Vila Nova de Gaia, which is on the opposite bank of the river. From here, you’ll also have one of the best views in Porto.
If you’re interested in wine and Port wine, you can’t miss a Port wine tour. To see where the grapes come from, it’s a good idea to take a trip to the Douro Valley.
The most beautiful way to experience this is a boat trip on the Douro with wine tasting, as this is the best way to see the Douro Valley and the vineyards along the riverbank.
> DAY TRIP TO THE DOURO VALLEY
Braga And Guimarães Day Trip From Porto
In the Minho region, in the north of Portugal, are the historic cities of Guimarães and Braga. The city of Guimarães, located about 45 minutes northeast of Porto, is known as the birthplace of Portugal.
The first Portuguese king also lived here. The city’s medieval castle and old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are the highlights of a visit.
To the north of Guimarães is the city of Braga.
The journey to one of the oldest Christian cities in the world takes about half an hour.
The cathedral and the old town of Braga are worth seeing here. The Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary is particularly noteworthy.
> BRAGA AND GUIMARAES DAY TRIP
Day Trip From Porto To Peneda-Gerês National Park
If you want to hike in the Porto area or enjoy nature, a day trip to Peneda-Gerês National Park is perfect.
The national park in the north of Portugal can be reached in about 1½ hours from Porto by car.
The highlights in Peneda-Gerês National Park include the Tahiti waterfall, natural water pools, beautiful hiking trails, and the Pedra Bela viewpoint.
You might even spot wild horses (known as Garranos) in the park if you’re lucky.
> PENEDA-GERES NATIONAL PARK DAY TRIP
More Attractions In Porto’s Surroundings
Haven’t found the right day trips from Porto in the surrounding area yet? No problem.
Here are more excursions and destinations around Porto.
Some of these are absolute insider tips and highlights.
Let’s start with the north of Portugal: The most beautiful places in northern Portugal are not far from Porto.
My absolute highlights are these attractions near Porto, which you can best explore by car in one day:
Quinta Da Aveleda Winery
The Quinta da Aveleda winery is one of Porto’s hidden gems for me and is best reached by car.
A fairy-tale-like park belongs to the winery and is the highlight of the visit. Peacocks live here, roaming freely on the grounds, and there are also goats living in a wooden tower.
Beautiful houses reminiscent of witch and fairy houses are also located in the park. In addition to various plants and flowers, palms and sequoia trees (originally from California) grow here.
You can also take a guided tour and wine tasting at the winery.
You can find more information about this in my article about the Portugal road trip in northern Portugal.
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Amarante
Amarante is a charming little town on the Tâmega River.
The river flows leisurely through the town and divides the old town of Amarante into a northern and southern part.
The highlights in Amarante include a walk along the banks of the Tâmega, tasting local specialties at the Confeitaria da Ponte, or visiting the São Gonçalo Monastery.
The best views of the old town and the river are from the restaurants that seem to float high above it. The best of these are located next to the Confeitaria da Ponte.
Aboboreira Mountains – Portugal’s Stonehenge
From Amarante, you can drive up to the Aboboreira Mountains.
Here you’ll find megalithic structures of various sizes, some of which are hidden. This area is the only systematically researched area in Portugal.
Of the 50 megalithic structures in this region, almost all have been recorded. The Aboboreira Mountains are also a popular hiking area.
Now to the attractions south of Porto, which are suitable for a day trip:
Coimbra
Portugal’s oldest university is located south of Porto in Coimbra. The university, situated on a hill in the center of the city, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
From the university tower, there’s a beautiful view of the city.
In addition to the University of Coimbra, the baroque library at the Paço das Escolas, where kings once lived, is worth visiting.
However, the old cathedral and the view from Penedo da Saudade are also attractions in Coimbra.
> DAY TRIP TO COIMBRA AND AVEIRO
Porto Day Trip To The Sea: Costa Nova Do Prado
If you’ve already explored the beach near Porto and want to make a slightly different trip to the sea, then the town of Costa Nova do Prado is right for you.
The fishing village of Costa Nova do Prado is located an hour south of Porto, near Aveiro. It has become popular and well-known for its colorfully painted beach houses, which appear in many Instagram photos.
Day Trip From Porto To Lisbon
Lisbon is the most popular city in Portugal when it comes to city trips. Many people want to include Lisbon or even the Pena Palace in Sintra in their journey to Porto, which makes sense.
However, I wouldn’t recommend a day trip from Porto to Lisbon, as Lisbon is about a 4-hour drive south of Porto.
It’s better to plan more time for Lisbon.
If you can’t manage this, you can also make a day trip from Porto to Lisbon. In this case, I recommend a guided tour.
Visiting Lisbon’s highlights is less stressful than driving yourself or taking the train.
> DAY TRIP FROM PORTO TO LISBON
Travel Tip: Want To Book Great Day Trips From Porto?
You can do this with GetYourGuide, Viator, or Tiqets. We personally always book with one of these companies.
They offer many different tours, the prices are good, and you can also see reviews for individual tours and tour providers.
Here you’ll find not only day trips starting from Porto but also activities near Porto or other tours in Porto.
Both companies have good reviews and great customer support, and booking through the platforms is quick and easy.
Final Thoughts About The Best Day Trips From Porto in Portugal
Porto is a great base for exploring some of the best attractions in northern and southern Portugal.
A boat trip to the Douro Valley allows you the best opportunity to see where Portuguese wine and port wine come from.
Braga and Guimaraes are great options to learn more about Portugal’s history.
Peneda-Geres National Park is a great choice for wildlife viewing and hiking.
The best way to explore these attractions is to rent a car (we recommend booking through the comparison site Discovercars) or join a guided tour.
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zuletzt aktualisiert am November 24, 2025