Porto, through the solo lens
- Arriving aloneeasyMetro line E runs from the airport to the centre in about half an hour for about 3 euros, and a Bolt or Uber is about 15 to 25 euros.
- Where to sleepeasyThe centre is compact, so Baixa, Cedofeita or a riverside room in Ribeira all put you within a short walk of everything.
- Getting aroundfineAlmost everything is walkable, but the hills are steep and the cobbles are slippery in rain, and the historic trams cost about 6 euros a ride.
- Eating aloneeasyCounters, cafés and lunch menus for one are everywhere, and eating on your own at lunch is completely ordinary.
- Things to do aloneeasyPort cellars, viewpoints, the riverside walk, bookshops and gardens all work well on your own.
- Feeling at easeeasyA calm city for walking alone; watch your bag on the busy riverside and the trams, and stick to lit streets late at night.
- Meeting people, if you wantfinePort tastings, food tours and walking tours make it easy to talk to people if you want to, and easy to skip if you don't.
- Solo moneyeasyA good room for one is about 70 to 90 euros a night, and a lunch menu with a drink is often under 12 euros.
- When to go alonefineMay, June and September are the sweet spot; winter is cheap but wet, and July and August are busy.
- The wow factorlovelySunset over the Douro from the Gaia side, a port tasting with stories and tiled churches. Lovely rather than jaw-dropping, and very easy to enjoy on your own.
The solo verdict
Porto is one of the easiest cities in Europe for a first trip on your own, because it’s small enough to understand in a day, cheap enough that a wrong turn costs very little, and full of places where eating alone is completely normal. The one thing to plan around is the hills, since the old town drops steeply to the river and the cobbles get slippery when it rains, so comfortable shoes matter more here than almost anywhere else. If you only have a weekend, Porto works well with two nights, and if you have longer, it’s an easy base for day trips along the coast or up the Douro valley.
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