There’s so much more to Porto: Palaces, 3D Art, and the Douro River
We made it back to the palace we tried to visit the day before. The Palácio da Bolsa had an English-speaking tour at 11:00 AM, and we arrived at 10:57. Just in time.
Even before the tour started, our first impressions of the building’s interior were gorgeous. This beautiful government building is still active and used today by the Commercial Association of Porto, which is basically their version of a chamber of commerce.
The palace was originally built in the 1840s and served as Portugal’s first stock exchange. It functioned as the stock exchange until the 1990s when that operation moved to Lisbon, the capital. The interior is incredibly gorgeous, though unfortunately we couldn’t take videos since it’s still an active business building.
The most impressive room is the Arabian Room. Every surface gleams with beautiful gold leaf. Apparently, 18 kilograms of gold leaf were used in that room alone. The room was originally supposed to be built for Queen Mary, but unfortunately she passed away before seeing it completed. Now it hosts dignitaries, presidents, kings, queens, and prime ministers from around the world. Historically, it also served to emphasize Portugal’s business success and encourage international trade.
The tour cost 14 euros and was definitely worth it. The guided tour lasted about 30 minutes, which felt a bit long only because you couldn’t wander around yourself or take the pictures you wanted. Well, even if you were allowed to take pictures, the guided format is a bit restrictive. Still, it’s a beautiful building and you should definitely tour it if you come to Porto.
One bonus tip: at the end of the tour, you can get a coffee and a pastel de nata for 2 euros, or a whole six pack of pastéis de nata for 5 euros in case you need a morning or afternoon pick-me-up!
A Break from History: The 3D Museum
After the palace, we headed somewhere completely different. This destination had no historical value whatsoever, just pure fun. We met up with our friends Krystal and Titus, who already had their bubble tea in hand when we arrived.
The 3D Museum in Porto offers a very interesting optical illusion experience. Entry was 13 euros per person, which felt well worth it if you want a break from the historical side of the city.
We spent over two hours there having an incredible time. The staff, led by Mariana and her team, walked us through each exhibit, showing us how to hold the cameras, take the photos, and pose for the best optical illusions. They even explained different poses we could try. The team really helped us have a lot of fun, and yes, one of us broke an exhibit. Not on purpose!
Even as adults, this was super fun. We found it on TripAdvisor and thought it would be entertaining for everybody, and we had a great time. If you have extra time, especially if you have kids or are just a kid at heart, definitely stop by.
After burning so much energy at the museum, we needed to get down to the Douro River. Walking would take about an hour through Porto’s hilly streets, so we hopped on the metro instead. The metro was super easy and cost about 2 euros per person. We went from north to south, arriving at São Bento station, which we’d visited in our last adventure.
Crossing the Luís I Bridge
We walked onto the Luís I Bridge, one of the top tourist attractions in Porto. This bridge offers sweeping views of the city and the Douro River. The metro line runs across it, connecting the city of Porto with Vila Nova de Gaia. You can walk on the upper level or the lower level, and we even saw people running across it.
As you cross the bridge, you can’t miss the really cool old monastery sitting on top of the hill. It’s now an active military base, so you can’t tour it. Although we think it might be open sometimes, just not when we were there. Google said it was temporarily closed, but you never know with Google.
The walk across to Vila Nova de Gaia was worth the short climb for the views alone.
Once on the Vila Nova de Gaia side, we boarded a river cruise down the Douro River. The cruise lasted about 50 minutes, and there are quite a few companies to choose from. We paid about 18 euros per person for a 50-minute cruise that takes you past six or seven bridges.
Along the shores of the Douro on the Vila Nova de Gaia side, people sell local crafts. We saw a couple of artists painting little houses that look like the colorful buildings of Porto and Gaia. Vila Nova de Gaia is definitely the side of the river to visit if you like wine. There are lots of wineries and wine sellers to choose from, plus the World of Wine experience is located on this side.
The cruise was nice and chilly, which beat being hot any day. Porto is definitely known for its bridges, and we got to see several on this boat ride. The cruise actually took us all the way to the ocean, which we didn’t know beforehand. It turned out to be a beautiful scenic ride and a great way to relax after all the walking we’d been doing, especially since one of us had taken the group in the wrong direction several times.
Right then, there were only four or five other people on the boat besides our group, which made the experience even better. This is definitely a great afternoon or evening excursion to do with anybody.
One More Stop Before Dinner
After the boat ride, we had one more thing to see on the Vila Nova de Gaia side before finding food.
Down one of the alleyways right off the main tourist street of Gaia, we found a half rabbit sculpture. It’s literally just tucked away in an alley, an unexpected piece of art that our friends Krystal and Titus hadn’t known about. It was certainly a cool and interesting piece of art.
Porto has so many incredible things to explore, far more than you’ll have time for in just a few days. Be sure to set some top priorities before you arrive so you can make the most of your visit.
From the golden splendor of the Palácio da Bolsa to the playful optical illusions of the 3D Museum, from the sweeping bridge views to the gentle river cruise, Porto offers such a diverse range of experiences. The city rewards both serious cultural exploration and lighthearted fun. Whether you’re admiring centuries-old architecture or posing for silly photos, there’s something here for every type of traveler.
Want to see the stunning Arabian Room at Palácio da Bolsa and our hilarious 3D Museum photos? Watch our Porto day two adventure on YouTube:
