Hopelessly touristy, yet wonderfully fun, travelling aboard Porto’s historic (and cute) tram system is a must.
While many travellers associate trams with Lisbon, it was actually in Porto that the first Portuguese tram network was built in 1895. The trams here are amongst the oldest electric transport systems in Europe, and you can still spot the quaint little yellow tram cars trundling along the 3 remaining routes today.
Sadly, the popularity of tram travel dropped away in the ‘60s as cars and buses became a faster and more convenient way to navigate the city.
For travellers, however, the trams remain a scenic and easy way to explore the city.
The #1 tram is probably the most popular tourist route, travelling from the famous, and stunning, Igreja de São Francisco (Church of St Francis) about 20 minutes along the rustic facades of Ribeira to the garden of Passeio Alegre at the mouth of the Douro river in Foz.
We also opted for a lesser-known route and jumped on board the circular #22 tram that takes in the Clérigos area (and the iconic Clérigos tower - buy your tickets for the bell tower here), the bustling Avenida dos Aliados (the Avenue of the Allies), past the beautiful São Bento train station and the vibrant Batalha area with its cafes, museums, shops, and houses.
We definitely recommend this route if you're keen to see a lot of Porto’s best things to do on a tight schedule!
Where | Linha 1 tram runs from Infante to Passeio Alegre Park in the Foz district, Linha 22 runs from Batalha in a one-directional loop of central Porto, Linha 18 runs from Museu do Carro Elétrico through the historic centre loops around the grand Hospital Santo Antonio.
Cost | Single ticket: €3.50, return: €6.00, Two-day pass: €10, child tickets: €5. These tickets are only for the historic trams, no other transport in Porto.