5 neighbourhoods to explore in Porto

This colourful neighbourhood on the riverbank is adjacent to the famous Ribeira area, and it’s as picturesque and colourful. Located on the shore of a former medieval shipyard, its narrow cobblestone alleys and steep steps offer an atmospheric journey into the past.

‘Neighbourhood of the Arts’ in Cedofeita is home to designer shops, cool guest houses, hip cafes, restaurants and creative studios. This hub originated in the early 1990s when art galleries started popping up in Rua de Miguel Bombarda. The artsy community then expanded to surrounding streets, such as Rua do Rosário, Rua do Breiner and Rua de Adolfo Casais Monteiro.

The east of Porto is seeing a revival, with run-down buildings being turned into cool cafes, galleries and restaurants. Bonfim, which is also home to the Faculty of Fine Arts, has started overtaking Bombarda as the ’new arts neighbourhood’. With an authentic local feel and many traditional establishments, it’s easy to see Bonfim continuing to flourish in the years to come.

The picturesque fishing village of Afurada is one of Porto’s most precious neighbourhoods. It’s full of colourful houses, fresh fish being cooked on charcoal street grills, plus breathtaking sunsets. You can get here by car or bus, but the taxi boat trip (Flor do Gás) across the Douro River is particularly lovely.

‘Old Foz’ – as the name suggests – sits in the older part of Foz do Douro. It used to be a village, popular with wealthy Portuenses who had their holiday homes here, and it eventually became part of Porto. Foz Velha is full of charm, with narrow streets, the waterfront and Passeio Alegre’s leafy gardens.