Porto is a truly excellent city to visit with kids. The first time I went, I was with adults and I was so aware that my kids would have loved it too. As soon as I got home I booked a trip to return with the kids. I was right, they loved it and I just know your family will too. Let’s take a look now the MexicoCassie travel guide to exploring Porto with kids.

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Where is Porto?

Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, is located on the northwest coast of Portugal.

🚗 Drive Times from Major Cities on the Iberian Peninsula

Lisbon – Porto 3h

Faro (Algarve) – Porto 5h

Madrid – Porto 5h40

Seville – Porto 6h15

Segovia – Porto 5h

🚌 Check bus timetables for Porto

🚗 Check car rental prices if you plan on exploring more of Portugal

🚂 Taking to Train to/from Porto

There are no direct trains from Spain but Porto’s train station, Sao Bento, offers trains to and from cities around Portugal.

🚂 Check train timetables for Porto

✈️ Flying to Porto

Porto has a decent sized international airport that is easily reached from Porto City via the affordable and modern metro system. The airport is called Francisco Sá Caneiro (OPO). The airport caters for flights from around Europe and the USA.

✈️ Check flights to / from Porto

Best time to visit Porto?

🔆 April – September is warm and sunny

☔️ February, October and December are the wettest months

I have seen the rain in Porto and it is serious. If there’s a chance of rain on your trip, you must take a rain jacket with you.

🧣 My second trip to Porto was in early January and it was cold and beautiful. As long as you have appropriate clothing, you’ll be fine.

Best Family Hotels in Porto?

We stayed in the small and friendly Hotel Rex and the staff could not have been friendlier. The breakfasts were great, and the rooms delightful. Highly recommended (also, it was super affordable!)

➡️ Check out the Hotel Rex now

➡️ Search for family friendly hotels in Porto

⭐️ If you’re visiting Porto you can rent strollers and car seats (and more) to save taking your own.

What to do in Porto with Kids

There are plenty of activities that the kids will love in Porto. As we work through the list you’ll find my kids’ honest opinions about the activities after each one to help you figure out what’s right for your family trip to Porto.

Let’s get on then, with checking out the best things to do in Porto on your family vacation. 

⭐️ If you only have one day to see Porto, I recommend using this 1 day in Porto itinerary to see as much as you can.

⭐️ If you want to know what I’d recommend to people without kids to do a compare and contrast, check my long weekend in Porto itinerary.

Activities and Experiences in Porto

Torre dos Clérigos (Clérigos Tower)

If your kids are big enough, and the skies are clear, I highly recommend climbing the Torre dos Clérigos with them. This is a 67 metre Baroque tower that provides excellent views over the city of Porto.

There aren’t too many stairs to climb without breaks and the views over Porto from the top of the tower are really are spectacular. As a bonus, there is also an exhibition space in the tower. We saw a cool (and fairly interactive) Kandinsky exhibition. 

There are also views into the church itself and there’s a small church museum included – I have to admit we didn’t pay any attention to this. I’d already been to see a video mapping show in the church last time I was in town (if you’ve ever wondered about acid trips or if people are allowed to design video mapping shows while on acid trips, this answers that question, in my opinion).

➡️ Book skip the line tickets for Torre de Clérigos

Ride the Funicular and Walk Over Ponte Dom Luis I (Bridge)

In early 2024, unfortunately, the funicular is closed for works but in late 2023 I rode it with my brother. It was quick and easy. My kids were pretty sad when it wasn’t open for them but that was mainly because we then made them walk up the nearby steps to the top of the cliff so we could walk over the Ponte Dom Luis I (there is no reason for anyone with a decent level of fitness to not walk the steps).

The bridge has two levels – one for cars and one for the metro. Both are navigable for pedestrians but of course the views are better from the top. If you don’t fancy climbing the steps or taking the funicular you could just walk across the lower level.

Fun Fact: Ponte Dom Luis I is a double-deck arched bridge across the Douro River between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. It is 172 m long and when it was constructed, it was the longest bridge of its kind in the world. People often think that this bridge was designed by Gustave Eiffel but actually he designed the Maria Pia bridge, which is a little down river from here. This bridge was designed by Téophile Seyrig, who worked for Gustave Eiffel.

Gaia Cable Car

Once you’ve walked over the top of the bridge to the Gaia side of the river, you need to get down to the quayside. The first time I was there I walked through the Jardim do Morro and down the steps into town. The second time, with the kids, we took the cable car ride. The views from the cable car are pretty good but my adult opinion was that this was an over priced activity. 

➡️ Check prices and book cable car tickets

Explore Vila Nova de Gaia

It isn’t really super clear when you’re in Porto, that the other side of the river is technically a second city but apparently it is. Many people visit this side to explore the port wine cellars and  WOW Porto.

📍 WOW (World of Wine) is an area of museums, bars and wine cellars that together tell the story of Porto’s port wine history. We walked around it (the views are nice) but didn’t go inside anywhere because honestly, the kids wouldn’t have enjoyed it at all and we already know we like drinking port (!).

Instead, when exploring Vila Nova de Gaia we recommend you:

📌 Find the Half Rabbit

Porto has some incredible street art and this particular piece is breathtaking. The kids will be amazed when they get up close and see that it is made out of waste products. The artist, Bordallo II, uses his art as a critique on the state of society’s wastefulness.

📍 Corners of Rua Guilherme Gomes Fernandes and Rua R. Dom Afonso III 

➕ Keep your eyes open for other stunning murals while you’re in Porto. Even if you’re only in Porto for 1 day you won’t be able to miss the awesome street art here.

📌 Visit The Fantastic World of Portuguese Can 

This is a store selling nothing but cans of sardines. I know, right?? It sounds like a very odd recommendation but you’re going to have to trust me on this one. My kids loved it. The Portuguese love sardines and here, they’ve made a tourist attraction out of cans of them. 

📍 Av. de Diogo Leite 122, 4400-174 Vila Nova de Gaia

➕ Bonus: Next door is the similarly wacky Casa Portuguesa do Pastel De Bacalhau. This is a huge building decked out like an old library that sells cod cakes (another delicacy) and cheese filled wafers. 

➕ There is also a food market over here but we’ll deal with that later. For smaller kids, there is a playground on this side of the river. 

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📌 Boat Trip on the Douro River

If you have kids who will enjoy it, you could take a boat ride through the Douro Valley. Most short cruises focus on visiting the six bridges over the river. My kids did not think this sounded fun and since it was extremely cold when we visited, we decided not to do it. 

However, earlier in the year I took a two day Douro Valley cruise from Porto. My personal view is that the scenery starts to get interesting long after you’ve left the bridges of Porto behind. I was actually told by a local that the truly excellent scenery starts at Régua so next time I feel like a river cruise that’ll be where I’ll be heading.

➕ In the warmer months there are extreme boat rides from Porto – my kids were both keen on this but they don’t run in winter. 

➡️ Book your 6 Bridge Douro River cruise now!

➡️ Book your Douro River speedboat tour now!

📌 The Cais de Ribeira

The mediaeval streets and alleyways of the Ribeira district are just fabulous to explore and the highlight of this area have to be the Cais de Ribeira  and the Praça da Ribeira. No matter what time of day or night you’re down here on the quayside, you’ll find gorgeous views of the river the bridge, Gaia, the traditional boats and the incredible colourful and tall houses. In fact, this part of Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

💲While walking around here is an integral part of your time in Porto, be warned that the cafes, bars and restaurants down here have prices to match the beauty of the views. Better to come down here with full tummies and empty bladders (my son’s need for a bathroom down here cost us as we had to sit down in a cafe so he could use the bathroom!).

⭐️ Nearby Rua das Flores is one of the main pedestrianised tourist streets in Porto. If your kids enjoy souvenir shopping, this is a good place to take them.

📌 Sao Bento Station

The main train station in Porto is famous for its incredible hand painted murals in the entrance hall. There are over 20,000 azulejo tiles used in the murals that represent historical moments from Portuguese history as well as rural scenes from around the country. 

📌 Livraria Lello – the “Harry Potter” Bookshop

This isn’t an official Harry Potter site but many people believe that it’s the inspiration for the bookshop in the movies because of its gorgeous staircase. Before the Harry Potter thing got ahold of it, this was just a small bookshop that was quietly on lists of the world’s most beautiful bookshops. And it is, it’s absolutely beautiful. 

However, today, if you wish to visit this bookshop you need a ticket (bought in advance) and you need to be there at a set time to queue for your turn. There are two different tickets, costing 8 euros and 16 euros. 

💲 Buy the 8 euro ticket and join the line like everyone else. Your ticket can be used to get an 8 euro discount off the purchase of a book. 

💲💲Buy the 16 euro ticket and skip the line and be given a specific book (according to the website this is either Romeo and Juliet or The Art of War). 

📍 R. das Carmelitas 144, 4050-161

➡️ Book your Livraria Lello tickets

➡️ Book a highly recommended Harry Potter Walking tour of Porto (I wish we’d done this instead of the bookshop)

Museums in Porto

We went to Porto with the plan of only visiting one museum but wound up accidentally exploring all of these. 

📌 Natural History Museum

Porto’s Natural History Museum is actually split into two locations. In the city centre there is a small museum with a replica science laboratory and exhibitions about gem stones and snakes. 

It’s free, which is also lovely.

📍 Campo dos Mártires da Pátria 81, 4050-368

Botanical Gardens & Natural History and Science Museum

About a forty minute walk from the Natural History Museum is its other half, located in a stately home in within the Botanical Gardens.

The Botanical Gardens are very chilled out and relaxed, and if I’m honest, kinda overgrown and rundown but that’s what we really loved about exploring there. We spent ages in an old greenhouse that houses a small exhibition about women in nature. There are chickens roaming free.

The museum here is incredible. It’s a very modern, interactive museums and barely known about by anyone. The staff are incredibly friendly and of course, speak perfect English. 

📍 Rua do Campo Alegre 1191, 4150-181

➕ We walked more or less past the Crystal Palace Gardens (Palácio de Cristal) on our way here. We planned to stop in on the way back but we spent so long in the museum it was dark by the time we left. 

📍 Rua do Campo Alegre 1191, 4150-181 Porto, Portugal

📌 Science Museum (Pavilhao da Agua)

We had planned an entire day around the science museum but it wasn’t open (despite Google, its own website AND signs outside saying it should be). Reviews online are mixed. I’d still try to go again but this was pretty disappointing. I recommend calling before you make the trek to this museum as it isn’t in central Porto.

📍 Estr. da Circunvalação 15443

📌 Museu do Centro Hospitalar do Porto

This is a very small museum that offers a brief history of the hospital. It also has some fairly interesting items on display.

📍 R. Prof. Vicente José de Carvalho 37

📌 Casa Escondida (Hidden House)

This is the narrowest house in Porto. It was built in 1676 to separate both the churches and the monks and nuns living within them. It is a teeny 1.5m wide. Go see if you can find it with the kids.

We visited the “Hidden House” because when we were peering in the door, a guide came out and told us the kids could visit for free and that the ticket included the crypt and climbing on the church’s roof. 

📍 Located between the Igreja do Carmo and Igreja dos Carmelitas)

Awesome Trips From Porto

Of course, if you have a little spare time, you could easily take an excellent day trip from Porto.

📌 Visiting the Beach and the Atlantic Ocean

Porto is a coastal town more or less but it doesn’t actually sit on the beach so if you want to visit the ocean you will need to be willing to take public transport. 

Many go to Foz do Douro for the beach but we went to Praia de Matosinhos because it was closer to the Science Museum (that wasn’t open).

📍 Directions – take the metro in the direction of Matosinhos but get off at the penultimate stop, Matosinhos Sul. It takes around 30 minutes on the metro to get to Matosinhos.

The beach is wide, sandy and beautiful. There are surf schools and beach bars along the beautiful promenade between the port and the fascinating roundabout, Anemona. 

What to do in Matosinhos

Hang out on the beach – we grabbed snacks from the supermarket and had an impromptu picnic but there are beach cafes and plenty of restaurants / fast food options around. 

Visit the Aquarium – perfect for younger kids who love to get up close and personal with sea life. 

Parque da Cidade do Porto – this is a great big park that the kids will love, especially because the Science Museum is housed here so it’s open it’s a must. 

Visit the Forte do Sao Francisco Xavier / Castelo do Queijo – this small fort is open to visitors – we didn’t have time but definitely would have loved to see it.

Piscina das Marés – in the summer this would be a great thing to check out with the kids. This is an open air sea water pool on the edge of the beach. Buy tickets on line to avoid the queues. (closed in 2024 for works but reopening later in the year)

Guindaste Titan – sitting on the pier by the cruise ship terminal is this monumental steam powered crane that was used in the construction of the Port of Leixoes between 1885 and 1895. It’s free for visitors to walk around this incredible feat of engineering and examine it. The crane is around 70 m long and 17 m high (photo above). 

📌 Conímbriga Roman Ruins

You might not believe me when I say that the best preserved Roman city in all of Portugal lies just 90 minutes from Porto but it does and it’s well worth your time if your family is at all interested in history. 

Highlights include the enormous and amazing mosaics that remain, the House of Fountains (pictured above) and the towering city wall. 

⭐️ Cool Fact: Conimbriga was a thriving town long before the Romans arrived in Portugal. The Conii people lived here from around the 9th century BCE. The Romans only took over the city in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. In the 5th century CE, the city was invaded by German tribes (you can still see the city wall that was built to try and prevent the invasion) ⭐️

Other Popular Activities for Kids in Porto 

➡️ Take a Duck Tour of Porto in an amphibious truck (goes on land and water).

➡️ Visit the Serralves Foundation with its contemporary art museum, 18 hectare gardens and world famous tree top walk.

➡️ FC Porto Football tour – older kids who enjoy football may find it exciting to visit the FC Porto stadium and museum. If you don’t fancy a tour, there are plenty of FC Porto stores around town. 

➡️ World of Discoveries – we opted not to visit after reading reviews on Google that allude to a Euro-centric view of Imperialism and state it’s a little run down and out of date. 

➡️ Tuk tuk or vintage car tour of the Porto.

➡️ Zoo Santo Inácio.

➡️ In 2024 they are building a new metro line, which has put the whole tram system out of action for now but generally, riding the tram around Porto is considered a tourist attraction. 

🍽 Eating in Porto with Kids

Porto, in my opinion, is something of a foodie city. I love Portuguese cuisine and I also really appreciate how international the food scene is in Portuguese cities. We actually sometimes drive from Sevilla to Faro or Tavira just to eat Indian food.

These are just a few of my top recommendations for eating with kids in Porto. 

🥮 Pasteis de Nata – obviously you can’t not eat as many pasteis de nata as possible when you’re in Portugal. While every bakery has their own, my kids really loved going to Manteigaria because here you can watch them making large batches of the little cakes of eggy custardy perfection. 

🍦 Ice cream – there are some incredible looking ice cream stores around the city but because we were there in January and were merrily filling up on pastel de nata, we decided not to include ice cream in our Porto diet. 

🍫 Chocolate – You’ll also see excellent chocolate shops as you walk around Porto (as well as the Chocolate Story Museum in WOW). Definitely check out Vinte Vinte as you’re exploring Rua das Flores (one of the main shopping streets). The kids will love the decor as well as the hot chocolate here.

📍 Mercado do Bolhao

This historic building is a great place to start your eating adventures in Porto. The upper level has some fabulous restaurants (we ate in Casa Vegetariana and it was fabulous) and the ground floor is a mix of fresh veg and produce and prepared snacks.

Do Try: Seafood – my kids tried oysters for the first time here. 

Adults can buy a glass of port to sip as they wander around the market, which, of course, helps when the kids are begging for dried fruit or chocolate sardines (just give in and buy the damn sardines, they’re a cool souvenir btw).

📍 Mercado Beira Rio

On the Gaia side of the river is a cool market food court where everyone can get a different dish and all sit together. We had: pizza, a Francesinha (typical Porto cheese and meat toastie covered in sauce), and empanadas. We wish we’d also tried the burgers, fish and pasta dishes but we didn’t have enough time to get back for more. 

📍 McDonald’s Imperial

You actually will want to take the kids to this McDonald’s as it’s located in the most incredible building with art deco stained glass windows. Before McDonald’s opened here it was a famous Porto cafe.

➕ You can grab a McDonald’s pasteis da nata or caldo verde (green soup) if you don’t fancy a burger.

📍 Chapa Quente 

This tiny Brazilian restaurant just outside the city centre serves the most insanely delicious burgers and fries you can imagine. We’re talking about when we can return to Porto just to eat more fries from here. I recommend booking though as it’s small and popular. 

Praça da República 206

📍 Not Italian

My kids loved this tiny pizza restaurant that has neon pink lights and chocolate pizzas for dessert. They asked me to give it a 5* review and tell everyone to eat there.

R. do Alferes Malheiro 12

📍 Domo Japanese

This is one of the best Japanese restaurants I’ve ever found in Europe. Go at lunch time on a week day to get their decently priced menu otherwise this could break the bank if your kids eat sushi like mine do. 

Rua de Fernandes Tomás 928

📍 Flor de Bragança

This small restaurant may not look like much but here you’ll eat with Portuguese people who know where to eat in Porto. Give it a try. Staff are friendly, food is tasty and the portion size is great.

R. Arquitecto Nicolau Nasoni 16

📍Garden Porto 

A great option for an international brunch. I ate here and thought the eggs benedict were superb. 

Rua de Fernandes Tomás 985

Where Else is Excellent to Visit with Kids on the Iberian Peninsula?

➡️ Faro (Algarve with kids)

➡️ Sevilla with Kids

➡️ Malaga with Kids

➡️ Ronda with Kids

➡️ Andalucía with Kids

➡️ Gibraltar, Tarifa and even a day trip to Morocco