Porto is a beautiful city in the North of Portugal. It attracts many international travellers every year that want to check out its beauty and its history, so no surprise that the city of Porto has plenty of free walking tours for you to join.
Whether its your first visit to Porto or one of many, we highly recommend trying out the Porto walking tours and learning more about the city than you would learn if you just went for a stroll on your own.
Please note the ads cover the high costs of running Trip Meets Travel and keeps it free for you to enjoy. We also have affiliate links. If you purchase something we recommend, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases.
What Are City Walking Tours?
Many places around the world have their own city tours. City tours are where you have a guide that will walk you around the city and you will get lots of great information about the history of the city and get to experience the city from the prospective of the local rather than just as a tourist.
You will also find there is many free city walking tours and often the cost of this is covered by the local tourism board in their hope that it will drive more people to the city and get more people visiting the top tourist attractions and spending money.
Most city centres will have someone offering free walking tours and when we visit the city of York there are often plenty there, and the same applies with Porto.
Meet Mariana
Mariana is a Portuguese Expat living in Yorkshire. She made the move from Porto in Northern Portugal to England when she married Jack in early 2023. On a visit back to Porto to visit family she spent 2 days exploring all the tourist hotspots of Porto including many hidden gems for the readers of Trip Meets Travel.
Is There A Free Walking Tour In Porto?
Yes, there is a free walking tour in Porto, in fact there is more than one free walking tour that covers the city of Porto.
You have just in Porto for free:
- Take True Tours
- Guru Walk
- Porto Walkers
- Hi Porto Walking Tours
- Free Tour
Is Porto Good For Walking?
Yes, Porto is very good for walking. Its often referred to by locals as amazing for walking because everything is so close together and it’s a smaller city compared to some other European cities.
You also have a very small walk from attraction to attraction such as Lello Library to and Clérigos Tower which is just 86 metres away from each other.
How Much Do You Tip For A Walking Tour In Porto?
Let’s say you live in the USA where it is normal to tip 20% for most services.
Here in Porto the cost of living is a LOT LESS and so is the wages.
The norm in Porto is to tip between €5 – €20.
Is Tipping Normal In Porto?
Beyond the walking tours tipping in Porto isn’t very common. Portugal doesn’t have a tipping culture like the United States for example, so the best way to go about it is although it’s not mandatory a tip is always appreciated.
Best Free Walking Tour In Porto
Let’s talk first about the most popular and often referred to as best free walking tour in Porto and that is Porto’s Take True Tours.
As part of Porto Take True Tours walking tour expect to learn about the Historical side of the city, about Ribeira, the legends and mysteries of Porto, street art, there’s also a sunset free walking tour and even a Harry Potter free walking tour.
More of what you’ll be able to see on your Street Art Free Walking Tour
Here are a few other free walking tours in Porto:
- Guru Walk – offers a main free tour, free walking tour with local guides, after dark free walking tour
- Porto Walkers – Porto Walkers Free Walking Tours offer a classical Porto free tour where you’ll be able to see all of the most popular tourist attractions, they also offer a Port Wine Free Walking Tour and a food-tasting free walking tour.
- Hi Porto Walking Tours – if you choose Hi Porto Walking Tours you’ll be able to get a free walking tour through all the most important historical buildings Porto has to offer.
- Free Tour – if Free Tour is your Walking Free Tour company of choice you’ll learn all about the history, culture and local life of Porto or perhaps see all of the Portuguese tiles in their Azulejos in Porto Free Walking Tour.
Where To Stay In Porto
Porto has some brilliant places to stay especially for being close to all the major attractions. You also have something for every budget with cheap, mid-range and pure city centre comfort.
I have included below three amazing choices all with great reviews and perfect for city break to Porto.
Luxury Porto: InterContinental Porto Hotel is a five-star hotel in the city of Porto. Located in the Historic Centre region, its architecture bleeds right in with surrounding buildings. The rooms are beautifully decorated and will offer all the comfort you’re looking for. The hotel also offers an indoor sauna that you can take advantage of, as well as massages and body treatments – Click here for more details including loads of photos, reviews and more about the facilities.
City Moderate: The Eurostars Porto Douro Hotel is a four star Hotel in Porto City if you’re looking for a solid mid-range. Located in the Old Town region, makes it perfect for you to explore the historic part of the city while getting a beautiful view of the Douro River right from your window – Click here for photos, more info and to read the glowing reviews.
City Budget: If you’re looking for a more budget friendly hotel then Moov Hotel Porto Centro Hotel will be a great option for you. The hotel offers multiple affordable rooms, and its location makes it easy to explore the Porto city centre, without breaking the bank – You can find out more here about this Porto budget hotel and just check out the photos, it is amazing.
Harry Potter Walking Tour Porto
Many ask about a Harry Potter walking tour in Porto. I am assuming this is because of the JK Rowling rumoured presence at Porto Lello Library and if you wanted to do a Harry Potter tour then look up Porto Take True Tours.
Walking Tour Porto
Then beyond free walking tours Porto there are a few good paid options such as the Douro Valley Tour, Porto: 3-Hour Food and Wine Tasting Tour, Port Wine Lodges Tour and Highlights and Hidden Gems of Porto.
Or if walking is not your thing, then you have the yellow bus tours. These yellow bus tours not only offer a hop on and hop off bus service, but they also do other options with a guide for example the cruise tour and of course the trams.
Or your Plan B if you want the hop on and hop off bus tour but also want to do the walking tour, the sightseeing bus also gives you 25% of the paid walking tours so you can have the best of both worlds.
Free Walking Tours Porto Visitor Information
- Where are the Porto walking tours located? The meeting point will be different depending on what Free Walking Tour you decide to do. But don’t let this scare you as the meeting points tend to be very visible. When you book your Porto Free Walking Tour you’ll be told where to go, which will be most likely by one of the popular attractions, so you can’t miss it.
- What areas do the walking tours cover? The Porto Walking Tours cover the historical part of the city, old town, the vineyards, the Douro River and much, much more.
- Is Porto a walkable city? Yes, Porto is a walkable city, and you don’t have to go too far to get from one place to another. Though it is also nice to ride the city tram for a bit of local culture.
- Does Porto have parking? If you require to take a car or transportation there are a few local parking spots available, just be aware that most charge an hourly rate. The city also offers great public transport services. Do note that most sights in Porto are easily accessible by foot, so if you can we advise you to walk where you can.
- Can you just turn up at the Porto free walking tours? No, you need to book with the preferred company if you’re planning to go on a Porto Free walking tour. This helps the guides/company to know how many people will join the tour and what time, so no issues occur during the tour.
Pin Free Walking Tours Porto For Later!
Well, that’s a wrap, do you have any questions then do ask below and if you want to refer back, to this later for planning your porto visit then don’t forget to pin it to your travel board or days out board on Pinterest.
