Begin the day with a pastel de nata (egg custard tart) at a local café.

Visit São Bento Station to admire its famous azulejo panels depicting scenes from Portuguese history and daily life. The station provides an introduction to Portugal's tile-making tradition, which continues to inspire many contemporary ceramic and decorative arts products.

While at the station, consider stopping at A Vida Portuguesa, known for its curated collection of traditional Portuguese goods, including ceramics, textiles, stationery, soaps, and food products.

Stroll along Rua das Flores, a lively pedestrian street lined with cafés, artisan boutiques, galleries, and specialty food shops. This area is one of Porto's best places to browse for artisanal crafts, such as hand-painted azulejos, tile-inspired artwork, Portuguese ceramics, cork products, and traditional soaps.

Before leaving the area, consider making a visit to Claus Porto, a historic company celebrated for its luxury soaps and fragrances.

Descend toward Ribeira, Porto’s colorful riverside district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander through narrow medieval streets, admire the traditional buildings overlooking the Douro River, and soak in the lively atmosphere. For lunch, try a francesinha (thick ham, steak, and sausage sandwich with cheese and a tomato-and-beer sauce) or tripas à Moda do Porto (tripe stew, so popular that it gives residents their nickname, Tripeiros).

Ribeira has occasional artisan stalls and souvenir boutiques that feature ceramics, decorative tiles, cork accessories, locally produced foods, wine shops, and handcrafted souvenirs inspired by Porto's maritime and architectural heritage.

Cross into Vila Nova de Gaia and visit one of the region's renowned Port Wine Cellars for a cellar tour and tasting. Learn about the history and production of port wine while sampling different styles ranging from ruby and tawny ports to white and vintage varieties.

Many wine lodges also offer excellent opportunities to purchase port wine, specialty food products, and wine-related gifts.

Optional add-on: Walk across the upper level of the Luís I Bridge and continue to Jardim do Morro for panoramic views of Porto and the Douro River.

Optional add-on: Head to the Chapel of Souls, or Capela das Almas, to admire the exterior, which is covered with thousands of blue-and-white azulejo tiles depicting scenes from the lives of saints, for another striking example of azulejo artwork.

Begin at Mercado do Bolhão, a historic market and one of the city's premier destinations for food lovers. Browse stalls selling fresh produce, seafood, cheeses, cured meats, pastries, conservas (preserved seafood), olive oils, and regional wines. While exploring the market area, sample bolinhos de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), a popular traditional snack.

Consider stopping in at A Pérola do Bolhão, a historic gourmet food shop known for its ornate tiled façade with images from the historic spice route. It stocks excellent Serra cheese, cured meats, conservas, olive oils, chocolates, candies, and other edible souvenirs.

Also consider picking up a treat at Confeitaria do Bolhão, known for its traditional Portuguese pastries, such as tigelinha do Bolhão (almond cake).

Stroll along Rua de Santa Catarina, one of Porto’s principal shopping streets. It features international brands as well as specialty food products, traditional confectionary, and Portuguese fashion and accessories.

Optional add-on: Take a break at Majestic Café, offering Belle Époque atmosphere alongside traditional Portuguese coffee, pastries, and classic desserts.

Optional add-on: Visit Livraria Lello, one of the world's most famous bookstores, admired for its Neo-Gothic architecture and ornate interior.

Travel to Matosinhos Sul, a coastal community renowned for its seafood restaurants. Enjoy a grilled fish lunch along Rua Heróis de França, where many restaurants display fresh catches of the day before cooking them over charcoal grills. Depending on the season, look for grilled sardines, sea bass, dourada (gilthead bream), or octopus.

Optional add-on: Follow the coastal promenade south toward Foz do Douro, enjoying ocean views and beaches along the way.

Spend the evening in Foz do Douro, known for its beaches, ocean views, and upscale dining. Watch the sunset over the sea before enjoying a fresh seafood dinner at one of the neighborhood’s waterfront restaurants.

Take an early train to Pinhão, one of the Douro Valley’s most picturesque towns. Explore Train Station Pinhão to see the azulejo panels depict vineyard life and scenes from the region’s winemaking heritage and take a walk along the river.

Optional add-on: Take a short boat ride on the Douro River for views of the surrounding vineyards and hillsides.

Enjoy lunch and wine tasting at a local quinta (wine estate), such as Quinta de La Rosa, a family-owned estate where all production is done on site, or Quinta do Bomfim, a historic estate that produces award-winning vintage ports and dry wines. Learn about the cultivation of grapes, the production of port wine, and the traditions that have shaped the Douro Valley for centuries while enjoying panoramic vineyard views.

Take a taxi to Miradouro de Casal de Loivos, where you can admire sweeping panoramas of the Douro River winding through vineyard-covered hills. After enjoying the scenery, return by taxi to Pinhão and take the train back to Porto.