I mentioned yesterday that I revisited a viewing spot in the afternoon that I discovered in 2011, and here it is: Miradouro da Vitória. (You’ll also see it spelled ‘Victória’.) The miradouro (viewpoint) is on private property, but there’s a sign that reads “Access Allowed To Tourists” so don’t be put off by the gate — it’s usually open. There are other viewpoints in the city, but Miradouro da Vitória is the best free one I’ve found on the Porto side that doesn’t come with vertigo.

You can also find spectacular views of Porto from Gaia, just across the bridge. If you’re heading to Gaia and back, take the top deck of the bridge if you can handle heights, because the higher viewpoints are the most scenic, then return on the lower bridge deck for a different view.

Other excellent views of Porto (updated January 2019)

Free:

(Free but guided visits to Câmara Municipal do Porto’s bell tower are few and far between.)

Fee:

Clérigos Tower (currently €5 for tower + church, see website for current prices/schedule)

How to get to Miradouro da Vitória:

South and a bit west of Clérigos Tower, look for the huge building of CPF/Centro Português de Fotografia (Portuguese Centre of Photography), the street behind it is called Rua São Bento da Vitória. The viewpoint is located at the bottom of the street, beside the church Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Vitória. From here you’ll see a panoramic view of the city’s rooftops, Dom Luis I Bridge, the port wine lodges in Gaia, the cathedral, boats along the Douro River, and much more. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Album: Portugal (Winter 2013/2014)

Canadian freelance photographer on 4th expat adventure. Previously: USA, Scotland, and Australia. Portugal became home in late 2013. The content here spans more than 18 years of blogging: 6,090+ posts across 100+ categories so far. Feel free to send a message or connect on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

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