Even if it weren’t for JK Rowling (who once lived in Porto and credited Livraria Lello with inspiring the Hogwarts library in the Harry Potter books), this would still one of the world’s most famous bookshops. Bang in the city centre, it’s famed above all for its neo-gothic architecture – all carved wood, golden columns and dazzlingly ornate ceilings. But it’s also worth a trip for the epic selection of books, some 300,000 of which fly off the shelves (sadly, not literally) in a normal year.

When it opened in 2005, this mammoth polygon was the first building in Portugal designed from its inception to be dedicated entirely to music. These days, the events programme is as thrilling as ever, spanning everything from classical to avant-garde rock, and there are three resident orchestras: the Orquestra Nacional do Porto, Orquestra Barroca and the Remix Ensemble. Even if you’re not into your tunes, it’s worth hopping on a guided tour of the Rem Koolhas-designed building (€10 per head).

The eight hectares of landscaped gardens that make up the Jardins Palácio de Cristal will no doubt keep all the family happy on a day out. First, there’s all the luxuriant greenery itself: beautiful, neat and home to as many peacocks as visitors. And then you’ve got the palace, which hosts ace exhibitions, book fairs and other cultural events, as well as the brilliant Almeida Garrett library. The whole area also boasts unrivalled views across the Douro and city centre. Itinerary: sorted!

Ó! Galeria may recently have had to close its Lisbon space, but its original Porto gallery remains open. Throughout 2020, the gallery proved a heartening presence on social media, handing over its accounts to illustrators for weekly workshops and other videos. Come to their bricks-and-mortar space to discover the next generation of funny, incisive Portuguese illustrators – and help Ó! Galeria survive this unprecedented storm.

No trip to Porto would be complete without a visit to this monumental bell tower, completed in 1763. Designed in the Baroque style by architect Nicolau Nasoni and inspired by Italian-style campaniles, the tower offers some of the city’s best views, 75 metres up (that’s 240 steps). It’s also worth mooching around the body of the church itself, mainly to check out the remarkable marble altarpiece by Manuel dos Santos Porto which looms over the pews.

Built in the early twentieth century on the site of an abandoned convent – of which only the ghost of a nun supposedly remains – São Bento has a fine, respectable granite exterior. But then you head inside. And... just... wow. The walls and ceilings are decorated with more than 20,000 tiles depicting significant moments in Portuguese history, painted in the blue-and-white ‘azulejo’ style by Jorge Colaço. This must be one of the world’s most spectacular train stations.

You’d struggle find a more scenic spot in Porto than this traditional Portuguese restaurant with a terrace on the stairs leading up to São Nicolau church. From here, you can look out over the river as friendly waiters serve up things like freshly fried cod balls that arrive almost as soon as you’re ordered. The mains of octopus with rice (€15.50) and the house beef stew with peas (€12.50) are unmissable.

With its 83 hectares of green space right on the waterfront, the serene Parque da Cidade is your best bet for a jog, a picnic or just a whiff of fresh sea breeze in central Porto. There are more than 10km of walking and cycling trails here, as well as a large lake where you can feed the ducks. The Soundwich terrace is where to head for tapas or sandwiches ‘ideated’ by an array of top Portuguese chefs, while an organic market takes over the central swath of the park on Sundays.

More than 150,000 visitors pass through the doors of this port cellar every year – and for good reason. Historic brand Sandeman produces some of the finest sweet stuff out there, and now its huge HQ doubles up as museum that tells their story through a remarkable collection of paintings, photographs, ceramics and bottles. Ever wondered about the origins of Don, that mysterious caped figure on the brand’s labels? Head on a tour here and you may well find out.

You’ll want to spend at least a day meandering the historic, hilly streets of Ribeira, and the place to start is here. This square looks directly on to the river, buzzing with traditional rabelo cargo boats ferrying tourists up and down the river, and like much of the surrounding centre, is filled with colourful houses and a gaggle of decent bars and restaurants. Pop over to fourteenth-century customshouse Casa do Infante or the neoclassical Palácio da Bolsa to brush up on the area’s history.

In Porto, you can’t not try the francesinha, quite possibly the city’s most iconic dish. And of all the many traditional cafés that serve this slightly OTT sandwich, Café Santiago may well be best. Tourists and locals alike flock to this unassuming place, whose house francesinha Santiago is packed with high-quality mortadella, steak, ham, then topped with melted cheese, an egg and that all-important francesinha sauce. Chips on the side, of course. Get down early to avoid the queues.

The city’s botanical gardens have moved around the city a lot over the course of their history. They’re now in the grounds of a beautiful nineteenth-century mansion, a little out of the centre, and it’s well worth making the detour if you fancy cooling off among their lush mazes, arboretum and immaculate historical gardens. The two ponds are particularly beautiful, and there’s a strong cacti and succulent collection too.

The ‘black tiger’ prawn curry, the jian dui (sesame-covered rice balls), the bao do dragão buns with shrimp... it’s hard to choose a single standout dish at pan-Asian restaurant Boa-Bao, as they’re almost all incredible. Headed up by Belgian chef Chris Gielen, this 100-seater restaurant also offers a huge range of cocktails to accompany its impeccable small and sharing plates from across Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and China. You really must try it all (well, as much as your appetite will allow).

Tucked behind a light, bright, incredibly photogenic storefront in Baixa is the majestic Coração Alecrim, hands down one of the city’s best shops. Owner Rita Dixo specialises in upcycling damaged objects and turning them into second-hand gold, but on the shelves you’ll find all manner of sustainable clothes, accessories, furnishings and decorative objects. Out the back, the Local Food Lab hosts themed dinners and workshops on things like bread-making and fermentation.