£36+ Cheap flights to Porto

Porto climate

Porto has a Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.

Getting around Porto

The public transport system in Porto is cheap and easy, but many tourists enjoy walking or biking, especially in the old section of town, where the sights are close together. Don’t worry about getting lost in the narrow streets, just ask a resident to point you in the right direction. Buses, trams and the metro will get you around the city quickly, and the funiculars can take you from the Ribeira to the city’s centre. Local trains can take you to the outer edges of the city and to the beaches. Avoid travelling during rush hour, as public transport can get very crowded. Look for discount or multiple-trip tickets such as the Passe Turistico, bulhete diario (day pass) and the rechargeable Andante Card to save money. You can hail, call or pick up a taxi from a stand 24 hours a day. 

Driving can be very difficult, due to heavy traffic and a maze of one-way streets. With all the transport system options in Porto, renting a car isn’t worth the hassle.

Getting from the airport

Porto Airport or Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) is 7 miles (11 km) from the centre of Porto. The metro and local buses serve the airport. Taxis and car rental companies are also available, but again it’s advised to book your car early to avoid disappointment, preferably booking your flight to Oporto.

What is good to know if travelling to Porto?

• Porto is the capital of Port, the country’s most famous wine region. A visit to the Port lodges in Vila Nova da Gaia, where the wines are aged, is a must. Vila Nova da Gaialies opposite Oporto, across the river Douro. The city is also known for the “Barcos Rabelos”, the flat-bottomed boats that used to ship the Port from the vineyards. The boats take part in a thrilling race (in June each year), part of the Festival de Sao Joao do Porto (feast of St. John).
• The funicular railway that runs up the hill from the riverside to the Praca da Batalha is a great way to see the city.
• Porto’s historic centre is a Unesco World Heritage site. The Praca da Ribeira is a popular meeting place. Ribeira’s Quay is the original port. The area is charming with cobbled streets, brightly painted houses, small shops, cafes and restaurants. A walk along the Ribeira Quay leads to the Dom Luis Bridge, which links Porto with Vila Nova da Gaia. The bridge was built in the 1880s by Teophile Seyrig, a Belgian engineer who studied with Eiffel. The bridge with its iron structure owes much to the Eiffel Tower.
• Porto Cathedral was started in the 13th century, added to at the end of the 14th (Gothic cloister) and 16th centuries (Chapel of St. Vincent) and the main chapel was added in the 17th century. In 1736, Nicolau Nasoni, the baroque Italian architect added the north facade. The cathedral is located on the hill above the grand Sao Bento train station. The views from the cathedral of the old quarter are beautiful.
• The Sao Francisco Church is one of Porto’s last remaining medieval buildings, and the only Gothic church in the city.

Porto airport overview

Often known as Porto Airport, Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport is the main airfield for the northern Portuguese city. It is named for Francisco Sa Carneiro, a former prime minister who died in a plane crash while on his way to the airport.

Third busiest (after Lisbon and Faro) it welcomes more than five million passengers each year. It’s a base for Ryanair, Europe’s biggest budget airline. Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport is spacious and modern with curving lines reminiscent of Gaudi, although the terminal’s lack of natural light can be hard on your eyes after a few hours.

Almost half of flights to Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport come from Germany and France, but there are flights available to many other destinations worldwide, including London, Zurich, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan, Casablanca, Luanda, Toronto, Montreal, and Caracas.