Family-friendly Porto: top things to do with young kids
Soulful Porto, with its soaring bridges, baroque churches and increasingly fashionable food scene, has exploded in popularity recently, welcoming more than 3 million tourists last year.
Known for its riverbank port houses and cobbled hills, this UNESCO World Heritage Site might not be an obvious choice for young children, but its charming, lively metropolis makes for a surprisingly fun city break for families.
Getting there: find great value breaks to Porto with TUI*, which offers family-friendly holidays departing from airports across the UK.
Sample the wine
First things first: Porto's enduring legacy lies in the great casks of fortified port wine it has been shipping to the rest of the world since 1678, and no visit would be complete without sampling a glass or two.
Across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia, which is technically its own separate city, the terracotta-tiled roofs of historic port houses line the waterfront, offering tours and tastings of varying levels of formality.
If you have little ones in tow, Taylor's is a good place to start. One of the world's oldest port houses, it offers a relaxed, self-guided audio tour through its 300-year-old cellars, meaning you can explore the dusty barrels and accompanying exhibits at your own pace.
Tasting takes place in the restaurant, which also features a leafy garden ideal for restless kids. Its excellent cheese selection should also help to keep everyone happy.
Further along the river lies World of Wine (WoW), a multi-use cultural district whose museums include The Pink Palace, a playful celebration of all things rosé that should be high on your list.
This immersive experience explores the history of pink wine through a series of fun installations, including a hopscotch game, a ball pit and a gleaming Cadillac that visitors are encouraged to climb into. While adults discover the wines, children are served grape juice resembling the real thing in the museum's saloon bar. After all, someone has to be the designated driver.
Ride the trams
Thankfully, given its unforgiving hills, Porto* is served by an extensive and efficient modern tram system, whose sleek carriages shuttle across its grand bridges, offering spectacular bird's-eye views over the hillside and the Douro River.
But the city's historic tram network is where the real charm lies. Transport-obsessed toddlers will love hopping aboard one of Porto's vintage eléctrico trams, whose polished wood interiors and gleaming brass fittings evoke a bygone era.
Running along three scenic riverside and inner-city routes, these beautifully preserved vehicles typically date from the 1920s and 30s but now function largely as a tourist attraction, operating separately from the main network and offering a wonderfully slow-paced (if occasionally bumpy) way to enjoy the city.
Need more? Stop at the Museu do Carro Eléctrico (Porto Tram Museum) to check out more of these restored carriages, as well as interactive exhibits charting the evolution of the city's transport network.
Get some vitamin sea
A well-timed beach break is always a good idea when travelling with kids, and Porto's coastal location provides plenty of options. The easiest day trip is to Foz do Douro, a breezy seaside district with a flat promenade that is ideal for scooters and prams.
Some of its most family-friendly beaches are Praia do Homem do Leme, which features a playground overlooking the ocean, and Praia dos Ingleses, where the soft sand and rock pools will keep curious kids busy for hours.
Getting there is part of the fun; the historic tram Line 1 rattles its way out from the city centre, making the journey an experience in itself. If surfing is your thing, head further north to Matosinhos Beach, where children aged five and over can take lessons.
Porto's Atlantic waters can be chilly, but you can always warm up afterwards in one of the numerous beachside cafes and restaurants, and treat yourself to some delicious fresh seafood to boot.
Fill up on local food
Speaking of food, restaurants in Porto tend to be small, cosy and tricky to navigate with prams. But that doesn't mean good quality traditional cuisine is off the menu.
Opt for casual places such as Casa Guedes, a local chain famed for its roast pork and sheep's cheese sandwiches, or Cervejaria Gazela, where the cheesy cachorrinho hot dogs will almost certainly be a hit with younger diners.
What these spots lack in facilities, they often make up for with warm hospitality; many are happy for prams to be parked outside or for kids to perch on a parent's knee at the counter.
A notable exception is Time Out Market Porto. Located trackside at the beautiful São Bento station, this spacious food hall offers generous indoor and outdoor seating, sparkling-clean baby-changing facilities and even a children's play kitchen.
Food is served all day from 10 am, and the broad culinary offering, with elevated Portuguese classics, plant-based dishes, sustainable seafood and juicy burgers all served under one roof, means there's something for everyone. Children will love watching the trains roll in before settling down to eat, and the central location is a real bonus.
For an even more relaxed pit stop, head to Mercado do Bolhão, Porto's popular historic market. Here you can load up on freshly-baked bread, pastries, fruit and charcuterie, before claiming one of the communal tables for a picnic-style feast.
Seek out green space
Porto, it must be said, doesn't suffer from an overabundance of playgrounds. However, tracking them down offers a great way to explore some of the city's more residential neighbourhoods.
At Quinta do Covelo in the peaceful Marquês district, kids of all ages are catered for with slides, swings and climbing frames, as well as a zipline and a sandpit for more adventurous and messier play.
Meanwhile, the elegant Jardins do Palácio de Cristal in Massarelos features a tucked-away playground among landscaped lawns and fountains. With its lush greenery and occasional wandering peacocks, it also doubles as a shady escape from the city's busier streets.
For something more social, head to Base Porto, an open-air bar that sits on a lawned terrace in the city centre. Come sunset, it's a popular spot featuring DJs and a lively crowd, but by day, families can relax on the grass while drinking in the views.
Climate in Porto
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum daytime temperature °C |  14 |
14 |
 16 |
 18 |
20 |
 23 |
 25 |
25 |
24 |
21 |
17 |
14 |
| Hours of sunshine (daily) | ||||||||||||
| Days with some rainfall |  17 |
16 |
 15 |
14 |
13 |
 9 |
 6 |
5 |
8 |
14 |
15 |
15 |
| Sea temperature °C |  14 |
 13 |
14 |
14 |
15 |
 17 |
17 |
 18 |
18 |
17 |
16 |
14 |
The above guide shows the climate in Porto. Find out more about conditions across the country in our complete guide to the climate in Portugal.
Ready to explore Portugal's second city with your kids? Browse the latest online offers from TUI, with deals on breaks to Porto and across Portugal.
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