Porto flights and travel guide

Located in the middle of the Algarve, Porto is Portugal’s second largest city and home to many of Portugal’s most important exports. It’s where port wine was first stored, where travelers can find the best pottery in Portugal, and home to some of the best seafood markets in the country. Porto’s historic city center is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and arguably one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal. Wine cellars are lined up along the river banks and restaurants and bars are strategically placed along the riverfront.

Walk through the city center and pay close attention to Porto’s buildings. They may look faded, but their colored tiles and murals add to their authentic beauty. Exquisite hand-painted tiles can be found on church walls and inside many of Porto’s buildings. Travelers in the UK can book direct flights to Porto, but many international travelers will fly to neighboring Faro and drive to Porto.

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Porto climate

The dry, hot summers in Porto make up for the chilly, wet winters. Thanks to its location at the mouth of the River Douro, Porto cools down from the winds wafting off the Atlantic Ocean. The chances of an unexpected heat wave or snowstorm occurring in the transitional seasons of spring and fall are unlikely, as both seasons tend to segue gradually into the sunny summer or the damp days of winter.

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Best Time to Fly to Porto

Glasses of Port should be enjoyed no matter what season you plan to fly to Porto. The city’s medieval streets, fascinating museums, and scenic daytrips appeal to visitors booking Porto flights year-round.

Peak Season: Flights to Porto during the summertime are packed with beachcombers, golfers and wine aficionados hoping to capture the beautiful weather that settles in the northern Iberian Peninsula during the months of May through October.

Off-peak Season: Catching the sea breezes in the autumn and spring make for pleasant vacations, either before the summer rush hits or after high season has concluded. The beaches, restaurants and resorts are far less crowded, meaning cheap rates and cheap flights to Porto are far easier to come by.

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Getting around Porto

The public transportation 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 center. Local trains can take you to the outer edges of the city and to the beaches. Avoid traveling during rush hour, as public transportation can get very crowded. Look for discount or multiple-trip tickets like 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, thanks to heavy traffic and a maze of one-way streets. With all the transportation options in Porto, renting a car isn’t worth the hassle.

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Porto Travel Information

• Your cheap flight to Porto won’t be the only thing you’ll save on. Be sure to pick up a Porto Card soon after your flight to Porto lands so that you can enjoy all the city has to offer.. The Porto Card, available for sale at the Municipal Tourist Offices (Postos de Turismo Municipais), will score you a discount on everything from metro fares to cheap entry into Porto’s most popular museums to guided tours on the River Douro.
• Porto’s most popular export is undeniably Port wine, which can be enjoyed on cultural tours, pub-crawls and at taverns all over the city. You’ll find the highest concentration of wineries and lodges in Vila Nova da Gaia. Just remember to check the TSA Safety Rules and Regulations if you want to bring back a bottle or two of Port wine on your return Porto flight: It might be a safer bet to have the maker ship your Port wine home instead of risking the chance of having to hand it over at security when you board your Porto flight home.
• Porto’s celebrations during the Festival of São João will surely get you in the mood to sample some of the regional culinary traditions. If you scored a cheap flight to Porto during the last week in June, you’re in luck: the festival usually takes place this week. If you get bopped on the head by a clove of garlic or a squeaky toy hammer, don’t panic: This tradition is embraced by the rowdy street crowds in good fun, so laugh it off and head over to Ribeira for the fireworks display at midnight.
• Make sure your camera battery is charged and ready once you hit the town after your Porto flight. This city is one that’ll keep snap-happy tourists clicking their shutters constantly. Ribeira is the beautifully preserved medieval center of town, with cobblestone streets and breathtaking waterfront views complete with bobbing sailboats. Ribeira is the place to be on New Year’s Eve or for the Festival of São João, and it’s the perfect place for a charming stroll before crossing the Ponte de Dom Luis I over to Vila Nova da Gaia for a glass of Port.
• The best beaches of northern Portugal are located on Costa Verde in Espinho, just over 10 miles away from the center of Porto. The area offers a sandy spread of gorgeous beach that’s covered in tanning tourists during the summer. For those looking to improve their golf game while vacationing in Porto, Espinho is also home to Portugal’s oldest and most respected golf course, Penina.

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Porto airports

Porto Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport (OPO): Porto flights touch down at Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport, which is located 6 miles from the center of the city.

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