9 to 9: Porto

A destination best experienced mid-climb, one café at a time.

Ah, Porto.

A city of impeccable views, a lot of uphill climbs, and a sunny yellow hue that envelops pretty much everything. We can confirm: the postcard version of this city is real. Azulejo tiles, great wine, impressive river views. But Porto doesn’t just hand you that version. You have to climb for it, sweat a little for it. So, it’s imperative that you have a great list of coffee (and port) checkpoints, some killer food destinations, and an award-winning spa experience to get you through.

If we had just one day in Porto, Portugal here’s how we’d spend it.

9:00 — A Bread-y Breakfast

Your first stop: Bicho for breakfast. You’ll find smiley staff, bright interiors, great coffee, and a super unique menu full of minimal-but-umami vegetarian creations. Their bread specials are thick-cut, sourdough-powered, and probably our recommendation given all the walking you’re about to do.

11:00 — Vintage Shops and Markets

Round the corner from Bicho, you’ll find Comum, a punchy coffee spot and a place to grab your first pastel de nata. From there, head down Rua do Rosário and stop along the vintage and design shops on the way. Check out Earlymade (beautifully crafted cotton pieces). You’ll also pass Ohana Market, full of genuinely excellent makers and practitioners selling handmade clothing and accessories. Hopefully you left some room in the case.

Noon — A Very Good Burger (You Earned It)

You’re probably at about 9,000 steps now. That’s good. Lunch is here. Head to Time Out Market and venture upstairs to try Brusco Burger (vegan options also available!). This is one of the smashiest smash burgers you’ll get, and it’s fantastic. Make sure to try the smoky secret sauce with it.

3:00 — A Riverside Garden Apéro

Post-burger, you’re going to want a sit down and a drink. Head for an apéro at Bosco—a beautiful garden overlooking the Douro River toward Gaia. You’ll be surrounded by birds, trees, a breathtaking river view, and a great cocktail menu. Grab a cold Superbock or an ice cold spritz.

5:00 — Some R&R

Make your way back to The Rebello. You have the spa booked at 6pm. It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s a good one across the Dom Luís Bridge. The Rebello spa is both a beautiful architectural and design feat, and a genuinely relaxing experience.

Side note: a 5-euro pineapple piña colada refill on the way back might set you up well for the evening ahead. We wouldn’t judge.

8:00 — Dinner at Provável

Head back into town for Provável — a small, intimate, and highly rated restaurant serving creative, contemporary Portuguese cuisine and tapas-style sharing plates crafted with seasonal local ingredients in a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

9:30 — Full Circle

Back across the Dom Luís Bridge, this time from the top (if you don’t like heights, prepare to close your eyes for a 10 meter stretch), you’ll find a vibey wine bar called Casa Tão Longe. It’s a local spot, and one with a fantastic view, almost directly opposite where you sat earlier at Bosco. A full-circle moment, one would say. Oh, and you’re at 24,000 steps! Grab a natural wine. You earned it.

What Porto Gets Right

Porto is built on a hill, and the good hospitality lives in its corners — a vintage shop one street off the path, a market stall someone's run for decades, a hidden garden bar that overlooks an expansive river scene.

Every corner here has its own incredible view, and each one plays with light a little differently… you just have to climb to find them. That's our day in Porto. Not one perfect shot, but nine or ten smaller ones, each worth the steps to get there.