Lisbon or Porto: Which Portuguese City To Choose?

Lisbon or Porto — Por que não ambos? (Why not both?)

If we’re telling the truth, we loved Lisbon and Porto so much that it’s hard to choose. The best outcome is getting both into your Portugal travel itinerary, but if you’re tight on time and have to choose between the two gorgeous cities of Lisbon and Porto then this Lisbon vs Porto guide is for you.

We spent more than a week exploring both Lisbon and Porto on our month-long trip to Portugal, so we know the ins and outs of both cities from a traveller’s perspective. We’ll compare all the important bits: sights and activities, accessibility and ease of getting around, food and drink, fun-feel, day trips and budget.

Sights and Activities

Lisbon wins when it comes to sights and activities in the city. You won’t find yourself running around either city to try and cram in all the sights like you might in Barcelona, as neither city has too many sights. This is part of their charm. Once you’ve seen the sights listed below, you’ll find yourself free to relax, slow travel and soak up the city. Out of the two, Lisbon definitely has a bit more to do and Alfama is such a great district in comparison to the Ribeira in our opinion.

Lisbon
Porto
Alfama — Alfama is the oldest neighbourhood of Lisbon and it was our favourite place to be in Lisbon. Cobbled streets, nice cafes, stunning sunsets from the miradouros and lovely wine bars, as well as a feel-good vibe. Ribeira — Porto’s riverside district is a favourite with tourists and locals. The river is lined with restaurants and wine bars though they were a bit too busy for our liking. Cycle down the river to the west to reach a row of little beaches and rocky viewpoints.
Belem — Belem is a half hour train or tram ride from the centre of Lisbon and it’ll take a full day-trip to see all the sights. You’ll find the gorgeous Jerónimos Monastery, the Belem Tower and the Culture Centre and art gallery. The other reason to come out here is Pastéis de Belém, Lisbon’s best pastel de nata shop. Porto Cathedral — Head up to Porto Cathedral for the best views over the river and the city with the Gothic-style cathedral behind. If you can arrive at golden hour, all the better.
São Jorge Castle — Lisbon’s castle is set up on a hill with great city views. The €10 ticket cost is a little steep but the castle and the grounds as a wonderful place to wander. São Bento Station — This 20th century train station is famous in the city for it’s ornate blue and white tilework. You won’t need long here but it’s worth a stop by and a photo.

Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon

São Bento Station in Porto

Accessibility and Getting Around

Which city is better when it comes to accessibility and getting around — Lisbon or Porto? Getting to both Lisbon and Porto from the UK is easy. Direct flights run daily from London airports and we were able to get very reasonably priced flights between London Gatwick and Lisbon and Porto.

Lisbon and Porto are both hilly cities, but Lisbon is hillier. If you have trouble walking, then Porto is the flatter option and is also a much smaller city so you can see more on-foot or in a short time. Lisbon and Porto both have good tram systems, and Lisbon’s #28 tram will take you up and down the steepest hillside of Alfama district.

Alfama district in Lisbon

Food and Drink

The Lisbon vs Porto food contest is a close one. If you’re a sucker for sweets then Lisbon is going to be a clear winner, but as I don’t have much of a sweet-tooth I think Porto squeaks it for me.

In Lisbon, it’s often said the city has a more light and delicate cuisine. That might be because of pasteis de nata, the delicious egg custard tart. However, bread, cheese and olives were also the staple food here for vegetarians, just as in Porto. When we visited, many of the tabernas in Bairro Alto were closed due to Covid, so we can’t comment on those.

We can confirm that Lisbon comes top for vegan pizza at newcomer Plant Base. Our top foodie choices for Lisbon were Copenhagen Coffee Lab (there are a few in the city), O Gambuzino (book ahead!) and Cafe O Corvo (the best salads and good house wines).

Pastel de nata (egg custard tarts)

Porto’s cuisine is said to be heartier, but as we’re not meat-eaters we can’t say we found that for the vegetarian fare. The famous dish in Porto is the francesinha, a local sandwich speciality cooked sandwich that usually contains steak, sausage and ham, and is smothered in melted cheese and a tomato and beer sauce. Luke had a vegetarian version and confirmed my suspicion that these sandwiches are as disgusting as they look (sorry, Porto!)

That said, most of the best food we ate was in Porto which is full of brilliant cafes and restaurants. Our top choices were Manna Cafe, Kind Kitchen (their Thai bowl is the bomb), Taberna Folias de Baco and Esporão No Porto (we highly recommend their Esporão Colheita red wine).

Fun-Feel and Friendliness

Of the two cities, we have to say Lisbon had the most ‘fun-feel.’ There were no parties going on during our September 2020 visit due to lockdown restrictions on nightlife in the cities, but Lisbon still had the better evening atmosphere. We enjoyed evenings tucked away in lovely wine bars in both cities, but there’s just some kind of evening and night time magic Lisbon has that Porto doesn’t.

Porto is said to be the friendlier of the two cities and we’d agree that, by a whisker, it is. However, during our trip to Lisbon we found everyone there to be extremely friendly too. Perhaps this was because there were so few tourists due to the UK removing Portugal from the safe travel list during our time in Portugal, and the locals had more patience for British tourists!

Most Beautiful Views

A good city break isn’t complete without beautiful views, and Lisbon wins hands down in the department. Lisbon is studded with miradouros (viewpoints) that become enveloped in the golden glow of sunset every evening. Most of Lisbon’s miradouros also have a cute al fresco wine bar outside. Our favourites were Miradouro de Graca and Miradouro das Portas do Sol.

Sunset over Lisbon

In comparison, Porto has very few miradouros as it’s less hilly than Lisbon. In Porto, most people go to the Ribeira (riverside) for sunset, though this can often be marred by heavy cloud in the city.

Ribeira district in Porto

Day Trips and Weekend Trips

When it comes to day-trips and weekend trips in the Lisbon or Porto question, we’d have to side with Porto. Lisbon has some great trips, but the Douro Valley (the wine region next to Porto) won mine and Luke’s hearts. There is nothing quite like the feeling of taking a scooter ride through a valley amongst rolling vineyards and spending the evenings tasting delicious local wines.

Lisbon
Porto
Cascais — The top destination for a beach day-trip for Lisboetas, this small fishing village turned beach town is blessed with eternal sunshine and sandy bays. Douro Valley — The Douro Valley is the best weekend trip we’ve ever had — and that’s some high praise! We rented a scooter from Vieguini in Porto and followed the winding road along the river for 4-hours to a gorgeous guesthouse called Quinta do Fojo nestled in the vineyards. We drank delicious wines, ate local bread, cheese and tomatoes, and relaxed.
Sintra — As a Portuguese friend told me, “Sintra is magic.” This small town in the Sintra foothills feels like you’re in a fairy tale. Take the long wooded walk to the Moorish castle on the hilltop, look out over the National Palace of Pena and marvel at Sintra National Palace. Coimbra — This historic university city is a short train ride from Porto and balances its traditional beauty with modern student vibes. Expect tapas and music in the streets, and see fado (traditional Portuguese music) at À Capella, a converted chapel, for just 5 euros a head.
Azhenhas do Mar / Cabo da Roca — Our favourite hiking route in Portugal has to be the coastal path from Azhenhas do Mar to Cabo da Roca. Azhenhas do Mar is a gorgeous coastal village built into the cliffside that you really mustn’t miss. Peneda-Gerês National Park — We didn’t make it to this incredible looking National Park in northern Portugal, so it’s still on our travel wish list. You’ll need a weekend to head out here and make the most of the hiking trails.

Azenhas do Mar near Lisbon

Douro Valley wine region near Porto

Budget

Whilst the cost of living is meant to be lower in Porto than Lisbon, as travellers we found costs in Lisbon and Porto to be reasonably equal. We stayed in Alfama district in Lisbon and in the city centre of Porto, which are reasonably comparable areas in terms of accommodation costs. We also felt lunch cafes tended to be more over-priced in Porto and more reasonable for the size of your lunch in Lisbon. Overall, costs in Lisbon and Porto were roughly equal.

Item Lisbon Porto
1 night accommodation in a private apartment (September 2020) €40+ €40+
Meal out in a mid-range restaurant From €8.50 From €8.50
Espresso coffee €2 €2
Beer (tiny 20cl glass) €1 €1
Glass of wine From €3 From €3

Lisbon or Porto?

Why Choose Lisbon Over Porto

  • You love a bustling capital city
  • You like places that feel ‘easy’ as there’s a robust tourism infrastructure
  • You’re a sucker for beautiful sunsets (Lisbon is packed with ‘miradouros’ to watch the sun set)
  • You want to squeeze in some beach time

Why Choose Porto Over Lisbon

  • You prefer lesser known or alternative destinations
  • You’re a wine aficionado (Porto is a stone’s throw from the beautiful Douro Valley wine region)
  • You want a smaller city that you can soak up in a short time

Can I Fit in Both Lisbon and Porto!?

If you have a week or more, then we’d say it’s possible to fit in both Lisbon and Porto. It would be ideal to have longer so you can really absorb both cities and not feel like you’re rushing around.

As both Lisbon and Porto have airports that fly to London and most major European cities, travellers can fly into one city and out of the other. The cities are connected by a train that takes roughly 3.5 hours (though make sure you take the fast train!) If time allows, break up the journey with a night in the delightful Coimbra for a perfect triad of city breaks.