☰Day Trips

Porto's position in the north of Portugal puts some of the country's best destinations within easy reach. The Douro Valley, with its terraced vineyards and river cruises, is the most popular day trip and deservedly so. Braga and Guimaraes — one a religious centre, the other the birthplace of Portugal — are each under an hour by train and make for a rewarding day out. For the coast, head to Viana do Castelo, a handsome town at the mouth of the Lima river. And Amarante, straddling the Tamega river with its medieval bridge and monastery, is a quieter option that most visitors miss.