CAIS DA RIBEIRA
Porto’s picture-perfect riverside walkway is a veritable hive of activity. Pastel-hued houses sit above bustling tabernas and tascas that spill out on to the promenade, where locals enjoy their nightly passeio and buskers serenade the crowds. Flat-bottomed tour boats depart from here, while the enormous steel structure of the iconic Ponte Dom Luís I soars overhead. Spectacular views across the River Douro can be enjoyed from both the Cais and the bridge.
Map of Cais da Ribeira
NEED TO KNOW
Museu do Vinho do Porto: Rua da Reboleira 37; www.museudodouro.pt; open 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sat, 10am–12:30pm & 2–5:30pm Sun, closed public holidays; adm €2.20
Casa do Infante: Rua Alfândega 10; 222 060 435; open 9:30am–1pm & 2–5:30pm Tue–Sun, last admission 30 min before closing; adm €2.20
- Boat tours depart daily from the Cais da Ribeira near Praça da Ribeira, or on the opposite bank in Vila Nova de Gaia. Prices start at €10 for a 50-minute tour of the bridges. Evening and dinner cruises are also available, although bookings must be made in advance. A reduced service runs between November and February.
1. Museu do Vinho do Porto
Housed in a former 18th-century warehouse, this small museum is dedicated to the region’s most celebrated export: port wine. Exhibits cover wine production, bottling and transportation, as well as discussing the trade’s transformative impact on the city itself.
2. Barco Rabelo River Trips
Douro boat tours allow visitors the chance to view the city and its bridges from a new perspective. The six bridges cruise is one of the most popular. Book ahead during summer.
Beautiful vistas of Porto from the banks of the Barco Rabelo River
3. Alminhas da Ponte
This bronze relief by sculptor António Teixeira Lopes pays tribute to those who lost their lives when the Barcas bridge, formed by 20 tied barges, collapsed while thousands fled Napoleon’s troops (see 1809: Ponte das Barcas Disaster) in 1809.
4. Casa do Infante
According to legend, this townhouse was birthplace to Henry the Navigator, son of King John I. Today, it is a small and interesting museum.
5. Ponte Dom Luís I
It seems unfair that the avenue below this iron bridge is named after Gustave Eiffel, while its actual architect, his partner Theophil Seyrig, is almost forgotten. Seyrig’s bridge however, is his monument, and as much a symbol of Porto as Eiffel’s eponymous tower is of Paris.
Ponte Dom Luís I
6. Monumento ao Duque da Ribeira
This monument honours local boatman Duque da Ribeira who saved many from drowning in the river during the Barcas bridge disaster.
7. Praça da Ribeira
Two fountains occupy this square. The modern Fonte do Cubo, designed by José Rodrigues in 1970, sits in the centre, while the 18th-century Fonte Ribeira next to it is dedicated to São João, the patron saint of Porto.
8. Rua da Fonte Taurina
To the west of the Praça da Ribeira, this narrow street, claims to be one of the oldest in Porto. Lined with bars and restaurants it is a vibrant part of the city, and a great lunch spot.
Al fresco dining at Rua da Fonte Taurina
9. Pilares da Antiga Ponte Pensil
Not far from the iconic Ponte Dom Luís I, the remnants of the old suspension bridge that once connected Ribeira and Vila Nova de Gaia between 1842 and 1887 can still be seen.
10. Elevador da Ribeira
The Elevador da Ribeira, also known as the Ascensor da Ribeira, carries weary pedestrians to the middle slope of Ribeira for some impressive views of the River Douro. President Soares opened it in 1994.
Elevador da Ribeira
PORTO’S SIX BRIDGES
The Ponte Dona Maria Pia, designed by Gustave Eiffel and built in 1877, was the city’s first official crossing of the River Douro. The Ponte Dom Luís I that looms over the Cais da Ribeira remains one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Today trains cross on the nearby São João Bridge. Less notable are the more modern Freixo and Infante Dom Henrique bridges. For a unique experience climb the 1963 Ponte da Arrábida.
