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7 Best Day Trips from Porto by Train (2024)
Porto is a beautiful city with so much to offer, and there’s also so much to explore beyond the city limits. You can do the best day trips from Porto by train.
Taking a day trip from Porto is a great way to experience the culture, history, and natural beauty of Portugal.
I did almost all of the most popular day trips from Porto during my one-month-long stay in the city, and I can tell you that there are plenty of options to choose from! From the stunning beach of Costa Nova to the charming city of Guimarães, there’s something for everyone.
Why take a Day Trip by Train
There are two different kinds of trains in Portugal, the Urban Train only goes short distances and is rather slow but super cheap. The high-speed train is as the name says fast but expensive.
You can do most of the Porto day trips with the Urban Train, as a matter of fact, you can do your whole Portugal itinerary by train.
The Urban Trains are not just cheap with return tickets for under €10, they are also quite frequent and very reliable. There’s also a direct train to every destination, so you don’t need to worry about changing.
Another great thing about the Urban Trains is that they set off at the beautiful São Bento train station in Porto, one of the top attractions in Porto.
You can check all timetables on the official Portuguese railway webpage.
7 Best Day Trips from Porto by train
1. Guimarães: The birthplace of Portugal
Guimarães is considered the birthplace of Portugal because the country’s first king, Afonso Henriques, was born there and the historic town centre is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Guimarães was my favourite day trip from Porto because it’s a great mix of historic sights and a relaxed atmosphere in the pretty town centre.
The train journey takes about an hour and 20 minutes from the beautiful São Bento station. It’s a local train so it’s super cheap but not super fast. Once you arrive in Guimarães the city centre is just a short walk from the train station.
The two main sites of the city are the Ducal Palace and Guimarães Castle, which are just minutes away from each other.
The palace is a museum housing different historic artefacts. At the castle, you can walk on the castle walls which is a great place to take in the views of the old town and surrounding countryside.
After checking out those historic sites, you can stroll through the narrow streets in the historic centre, go for a drink and enjoy the atmosphere before you head back to Porto.
Train journey: 1 hour 20 minutes
Train ticket: 3.25€
🤩 Want to combine a trip to Guimarães and Braga? Take a tour to make the most out of your time
2. Braga: The religious centre of Portugal
Braga is the third-largest city in Portugal. It’s known as the religious capital of Portugal because of the numerous churches in the city.
The train journey from Porto to Braga takes about an hour and the train sets off at the stunning São Bento train station in Porto.
The main attraction in Braga is the Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary. And I recommend getting the bus there right after you arrive in Braga since it’s outside the city centre on top of a hill.
The bus sets off right outside the train station in Braga and you can buy the ticket on the bus from the driver.
Bom Jesus do Monte is a pilgrimage site which is known for its stunning baroque staircase. You can get to the top by walking up the impressive staircase, as I did, or by cable car. From the top of the hill, you have panoramic views of the city and its surroundings.
Another one of the impressive churches in Braga is the cathedral, or Sé de Braga in Portuguese. Braga Cathedral is one of the oldest churches in Portugal and a beautiful example of different architectural styles.
After you visited the city’s main churches you can have a drink next to Jardim de Santa Bárbara, a beautiful garden in the middle of the city.
I had enough time in Porto to do multiple day trips but if I had to choose, I think I liked Braga the least. The staircase leading up to Bom Jesus do Monte was the only truly great thing to do in the city.
So, if you want to see that I recommend combining the trip to Braga and Guimarães. However, this might be difficult by train.
Train journey: 1 hour
Train ticket: 3.25€
🤩 Want to combine a trip to Guimarães and Braga? Check prices and availability of a tour!
3. Aveiro: The Venice of Portugal
Aveiro is called “Venice of Portugal” for its many canals. It’s a great day trip from Porto if you’re looking for a relaxed day out with some time on the beach.
The train ride from Porto to Aveiro takes just over an hour, and the urban trains depart hourly from Porto São Bento and Campanhã station, but I recommend getting on at São Bento.
For one because the train station is way prettier and for another, the train gets very crowded until it arrives at Campanhã station.
Once you arrive in Aveiro, the first thing you’ll see is the beautiful old train station with traditional Portuguese blue tiles decorating the facade, just one of the attractions in Aveiro.
The city centre is a short walk from the train station.
One of the best ways to explore Aveiro is by taking a boat ride on a traditional Moliceiro boat, which is similar to a gondola in Venice. The boat tour is a great way to see the city from a different perspective and learn about its history and culture from a local guide.
From Aveiro, you can catch a bus to the coastal town of Costa Nova. With its colourful striped houses and beautiful, quiet beach it’s worth going there. Just make sure to get back to Aveiro early enough so you don’t miss your train back to Porto.
Overall, Aveiro is worth visiting if you’re looking for a relaxing beach getaway from Porto with a dash of cultural experience.
Train journey: 1 hour 20 minutes
Train ticket: 3.55€
🤩 Want to combine a trip to Aveiro and Coimbra? Take a tour to make the most out of your time
4. Coimbra: The oldest university city in Portugal
A day trip from Porto to Coimbra is the best option if you love history.
Coimbra is home to one of the oldest universities in the world, the first king of Portugal is buried there and the city even used to be the capital of Portugal at one point.
Unfortunately, Coimbra is the furthest away from all the day trips and you can only catch the train from the bigger Campanhã station and not from the pretty São Bento station.
The train arrives in Coimbra-B which is quite a walk from the city centre but you can also take an urban train from Coimbra-B to the city centre.
My highlight in Coimbra was the stunningly beautiful baroque library of the university of Coimbra and the botanical gardens.
Train journey: 1 hour 15 minutes – 2 hours
Train ticket: 8.80€ – 23€
🤩 Want to combine a trip to Coimbra and Aveiro? Check prices and availability of a tour!
5. Matosinhos: The beach town closest to Porto
You can get to the coastal town of Matosinhos by tram from Porto, so technically it’s not a train journey. But since you can just take the tram which is just as cheap as the train I still added it to this list.
Matosinhos is a great place to spend a day at the beach or try your skills at surfing. There are a lot of seaside shops and restaurants, so you have everything you need on your beach day out.
There’s even an all-vegan restaurant in Matosinhos and a few vegetarian ones with great vegan options.
6. Douro Valley: The famous wine region of Portugal
A trip from Porto to Douro Valley is one of the best day trips but unfortunately, it’s the most difficult day trip to do by train. The best town in Douro Valley to reach by train is Pinhão.
Douro Valley is the beautiful region surrounding the Douro River, it’s the home of the traditional Portuguese Port wine. The wine is produced in the valley and shipped to the wine cellars in Porto afterwards.
The best thing you can do in Douro Valley is to go for a hike and have a wine tasting of the local wines.
Train journey: 2 hours 30 minutes
Train ticket: 11.20€
7. Viana do Castelo
I’ll be completely honest with you I didn’t get a chance to visit Viana do Castelo during my time in Porto because I simply didn’t hear about this beautiful coastal town until I had already left Portugal.
Viana do Castelo has a charming medieval town centre, the perfect place to go for a stroll and take in the town’s history.
The most famous attraction in Viana do Castelo is Santuario de Santa Luiza, an impressive monument on top of a hill. You can reach the top by funicular and from there, you have spectacular views of the town and surrounding countryside.
The most beautiful beach in this coastal town is Praia do Cabedelo, which is a popular spot for surfing and sunbathing.
Train journey: 1 hour 15 minutes – 2 hour 15 minutes
Train ticket: 6.90€ – 22.25€
Final thoughts: Day trips from Porto Portugal
There are so many great destinations in Northern Portugal, from towns full of rich history to beautiful beaches. I highly recommend doing a day trip after you have explored Porto by river and by land.
I really enjoyed my time in Porto and can’t wait to get back to Portugal to explore some more areas of this beautiful country.
Read more on what to do in the North of Portugal:
- Top 10 Places to Visit in North Portugal
- Ultimate 3 Day Porto Itinerary
- Best Boat Tours in Porto
- The 5 Best Douro Valley Wine Tours
- One Day In Porto Portugal: Ultimate Itinerary
- 7 Best Day Trips from Porto by Train
- We Tried Out 11 Vegan Restaurants in Porto
- Is Aveiro Worth Visiting? A trip to Portugal’s Venice
- Aveiro Portugal: Things to Do for an Unforgettable Time
- Is Coimbra Worth Visiting? 5 Reasons Why It Is!
- Amazing Day Trip from Porto to Guimarães
- Day Trip to Braga from Porto: Is it Worth it?
- Best Beach Near Porto
- Day Trip To Porto From Lisbon: Is It Worth It?
- Lisbon and Porto Itinerary: 7 Epic Days in Portugal
- Does it Snow in Portugal? Magical Winter in Portugal
- Amazing 10-Day Portugal Itinerary by Train
- Spain and Portugal Itinerary: 14 Unforgettable Days
- Portugal
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