The Pros and Cons of Porto, Portugal

After we left Ecuador and spent a couple weeks in the U.S. visiting our families, we flew to Porto, Portugal to start our European travel and exploratory trips.

We chose Porto as our starting point because of its proximity to the U.S. (it’s a 7ish hour flight from the east coast) and because it’s a great example of an old European city full of rich history, architecture and delicious food.

Plus, we have a couple of friends and fellow YouTubers in Porto who made a cameo in our video. It was nice to hang out with them and get the inside scoop about living in Port.

Watch Our Video About Porto, Portugal

The Pros of Porto, Portugal

This historical city has a lot of great things going for it, starting with…

Safety and Friendliness

Porto boasts a reputation as one of the safest and most peaceful countries globally, ranking  #7 on the Global Peace Index.

The locals were friendly, helpful, and welcoming. We didn’t experience any anti-foreigner sentiment during our stay there.

Language Accessibility

The minimal language barrier is a significant advantage, as English is widely spoken, and Spanish is common.

We were surprised that we could read Portuguese because many words are similar to Spanish.

The spoken language is much different, however. It sounds like Russian and the pronunciation is different from what we’re used to when speaking Spanish.

Overall we felt comfortable communicating with the locals and we were able to pick up some Portuguese quickly.

Clean and Green

The city is clean. We saw very little litter or graffiti, and the air is clean, thanks in part to all the electric cars and buses.

Drinkable Water

You can drink the tap water, but it does have a strong mineral taste.

We were given bottled water when we asked for water in restaurants. They didn’t offer us tap water at all.

Rich History and Architecture

People have been living in Porto for over 2000 years!

Porto is famous for its bridges. Our favorites are the Ponte da Arrábida which is the white arched bridge close to the ocean and the Ponte Luís I. It was the longest of its type at the time.

Compact and Walkable

When we looked at the map of Porto we thought the city was big and our walks from monument to monument would be long.

The reality is that Porto is a compact city and everything is close and convenient. Most of the places we visited were 5 to 15 minutes on foot.

Public transportation

If you don’t want to walk, Porto has excellent public transportation options, including Uber, Taxis, Metro, and Trains. Getting around the city is quick and easy.

You can also take trains to neighboring cities, such as Braga and Lisbon. The trains will take you all the way to the Algarve region as well.

Wonderful Restaurants

We loved the restaurant scene a little too much; we both put on a few pounds! We couldn’t resist the variety of food and the different ambiance. Plus everything was very affordable.

Affordable Food

There are several small grocery stores around the city as well as specialty stores and mercados.

Groceries are affordable and the prices were similar to those in Ecuador, with some exceptions (tropical fruits are more expensive in Porto).

We were able to buy a wide variety of local and international food, although we did have to shop at a couple of different stores.

Drinking Culture

We were surprised by the drinking culture at first but, because the Portuguese wine is quite good and very inexpensive, in retrospect it is understandable.

We saw people drinking wine at all hours, even in the mornings. People enjoy wine at the mercados as well as the street-side cafes, bars, and restaurants.

Shopping Experience

Porto has a lot of shopping, including outdoor malls, specialty shops, and unique markets.

We especially liked the pedestrian areas since we didn’t have to watch for cars.

There’s a variety of stores including local and international chains. You’ll also find a lot of specialty stores, such as chocolate shops (Amelia’s favorite!), shoe shops (Amelia’s second favorite!), and tourist shops.

The shopping experiences in the pharmacies reminded us of Ecuador. Most of the items are behind the counter. You have to take a number and meet with the pharmacist who will then get you what you need.

The Cons of Porto, Portugal

No place is perfect and Porto is no exception. Here are the drawbacks…

Rainy Season

We knew we were visiting in the rainy season but we weren’t prepared for the amount of rain that fell during our stay. At times, the downpours trapped us under awnings and in restaurants. The intense rain can definitely be a drawback.

Tourists

We were shocked by the amount of tourists and we were there during the shoulder season! At times it was overwhelming.

We wouldn’t want to visit during high season and we wouldn’t want to live in the historic center. There were just too many people for our comfort level.

Construction

There are a lot of big construction projects throughout the city which made it difficult to navigate, especially since the maps weren’t updated and kept trying to send us through closed areas.

NHR Scheme Deadline

The Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) scheme, ending in 2024, presents potential tax consequences that may influence decisions about living in Portugal.

Since we’re not retired and still work online, the tax rates in Portugal on our active income would make living there cost-prohibitive.

Could We Live in Porto?

Despite a few downsides, we had a great time exploring Porto and we could live there. We loved the architecture, the variety of things to do, the walkability, and the public transportation.

We’re glad we stayed in the heart of the historic center but we found some other neighborhoods where we would prefer to live.

We liked Bonfim, an older and less touristy area with lower rents.

We liked Marques and Lapa as well, there is a younger vibe in both areas.

Vila Nova de Gaia is another popular area, especially with expats. It is located south of the river and is less touristy once you get away from the riverfront. We had fun exploring the neighborhood and we saw lots of locals. It is very hilly though, we were out of breath a few times!

Final Thoughts

Overall, we enjoyed our time in Porto, Portugal and we’re glad we chose it as our starting point for our European adventures. Its proximity to the U.S. made the long flight more manageable, while the history, architecture and amazing dining options provided a great introduction for what we could expect in Europe.

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