- Category
- History, Excursions and Day Trips, Three Days in Porto
- Duration
- 4.5 hours
- Location
- Porto
From Sao Bento to Guimarães…
Day Trip From Porto
From Palaces to Tiny Romanesque Churches
A King’s Castle
Please note: The steps in the castle are extremely steep and may be difficult to climb for young participants or those with mobility concerns. Please email us to discuss and we will ensure we help you reserve an appropriate itinerary for your group.
Take-Aways
FAQ
The tour meets near Sao Bento train station in Porto. You will take the train to Guimarães with your guide (the ride is about 1 hour). The tour ends in Guimarães. You will have return train tickets that can be used anytime. Most people choose to stay in Guimarães, have lunch, and return to Porto independently.
While this tour is designed to travel by public transport, if you are booking privately we can certainly arrange for a car service. Please add the optional car to your order at check-out.
This tour is not a part of our official family program. That said, we may be able to arrange a visit with a family-friendly guide. It should be noted the the castle in Guimarães has steep and unprotected staircases, which can be very tricky to manage with small children. Please contact us to discuss further if it's a good fit for your group.
We do cover extensive territory on this tour and there are many steep steps to climb at some sites. Please contact us with any questions; we will be happy to advise if this tour will be appropriate for you.

With a background in Architecture (University of Porto) and a postgraduate degree in Sociology (MPhil Cities Programme - London School of Economics and Political Science), Ricardo is particularly interested in change and transformation and how they impact cities, and in urban space as the outcome of socio-historical processes. After living several years in Helsinki, London and Milan, Ricardo returned to his hometown where he enjoys acting as mediator between the visitors and the city’s landscape. In the course of the walks he proposes, participants are encouraged to engage with more in-depth readings, and find new meanings, in the built environment. The aim is also to endow each visitor with an enhanced ability to unravel the multiple identities that make up Porto’s singular character through an understanding of how these identities became embedded in the city’s fabric. Ultimately, Ricardo’s explorations of Porto’s city space throughout the different ages provide equally an opportunity for a broader reflection on the aspects that render places unique, and on the ways places can be improved as to become settings for better forms of public, and private, social life.

Francisco is a docent from Porto. He holds an MA in “Theater and Education” from Vigo University, Spain and a Post-grad in “Theory of Literature and Portuguese Literature” from Minho University, Portugal. He did undergrad studies in Religious Sciences at Porto Catholic University and also has a BA from Porto's University in Languages and Modern Literatures - Variant Portuguese Studies. He has taught various courses on the subject of education and has been responsible for organizing academic seminars and conferences. He enjoys his work as an interpreter and cultural guide in Portugal and is eager to show the array of delights that his city offers.

José was born in Porto where he has lived most of his lifetime. His connection to Porto and Douro wine dates to 2004, when he started working as a tour guide at the Sandeman and Offley Porto Wine Cellars. He has published several papers about Wine History in Northern Portugal. He is a Fellow of the Portuguese Association for the History of Wine. He is a Graduate in History and holds a master in Tourism and Regional Development. He is also a researcher of heritage tourism performed in Portuguese Manor Houses. He has completed his PhD in 2016. Currently he is an Assistant Professor at Polytechnic Institute of Tomar. During his career he teached, among other disciplines, History of Art, General History of Civilization and Portuguese Cultural History. So, alongside with his knowledge of Porto and Douro’s Wine History, he is also an enthusiast of Porto’s historical roots, and he is keen show you the city’s most hidden secrets.
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.