Ocean cruise port for Porto, Portugal

[bethtraxl]

Since ocean cruise ships dock at Leixoes, a distance from the center of Porto, does anyone know whether Viking typically offers a shuttle into the city? I have read that sometimes they provide this service for various ports. 

[OneSixtyToOne]

The time in Porto is very short and I don't believe there is a shuttle. You can also hop off the included tour and meetup at the bus parking lot later.

[Heidi13]

5 minutes ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

The time in Porto is very short and I don't believe there is a shuttle. You can also hop off the included tour and meetup at the bus parking lot later.

Porto isn't always a short call, as we are alongside from 07:30 to 18:00. Not sure about a shuttle, but it's only 5 or 6 miles to downtown.

[lackcreativity]

On our visit to Porto there were shuttles scheduled by Viking. We were planning to remain behind after the included tour to enjoy extra time on our own, but instead decided to sign up for the bridge tour and had to be back at the ship. That was a good chance to see behind the scenes, and worthwhile, but I wish we had found another time. It had rained the entire time we were in Porto, and the beautiful sun finally broke through while we were on the bridge. If our health and our money hold out, I'd like to go back there once we visit all the other places we still hope to see!

[Clay Clayton]

We stayed in n Porto for a month last year and the subway and bus system is easy to use and based on what I can see on Moovit the smartphone app we have used all over the world, you can either walk 2/10s of a mile and take a bus downtown (30 min) or walk 3/10s of a mile and take the subway.  Both will take about 30 minutes. 

 

If you like walking, I would suggest visiting the Matosinhos Market which is a 13 minute walk (according to google maps). The restaurants along the walk heading to the beach walk usually have grills out in the morning getting warmed up for lunch so you may end up deciding to just stay in Matosinhos for grilled sardines or octopus. But if not you can walk the beautiful concrete or wooded walkway all the way into town. We walked from the Market to Foz do Duoro one day and it took us longer than the hour and fifteen that google shows but we stopped for photos and a beverage or too. From Foz you can walk all the way to downtown but it’s on sidewalks near the river. 

 

At almost any point in this walk, if you get tired you can jump on the bus (#500) and it will take you on into the city along the coast and the river. 

 

Have a great time in Portugal!  

Edited August 31, 2019 by Clay Clayton

[philw1776]

Highly recommend the river cruises starting & ending in Porto; they usually start with a night or 2 in Lisbon.  Portugal is a gem.  Quite different.

[deec]

Missed Porto on one cruise... too rough!  But on the WC we had an adequate introduction of the area (enough to know that we want to do the Douro River cruise).  There was NO shuttle for us but really not enough enough time.  The train station was worth seeing, good pastries, a fun wine tasting...