Foz do Douro sits about 15–20 minutes west of Porto's city centre, and it has a pretty different vibe. Where the centre is dense and historic (and busier), Foz opens out. Parts of it, Foz Velha especially, have narrow cobblestone streets that feel unchanged for centuries. But there are also wide avenues lined with 19th-century villas faced in azulejos, and everything eventually leads to the water, either the mouth of the Douro or the Atlantic itself.
It's a neighbourhood where many families know each other for various generations. People from other parts of Porto go to Foz to relax. It's all about the beach bars, really good restaurants, and Serralves, the modern art museum with its extraordinary gardens.
When Condé Nast asked us for our recommendations in Foz, it was easy because like many Foz locals we have our favourites and tend to always go to the same places.
Below you will find our five recommendations, as featured in Condé Nast Traveller with JO&SO.
JO&SO featured in Condé Nast Traveller, May 2018. Photography by Matthew Buck.
Stay: Duas Portas
We were very excited when our friend Luísa told us she was going to open a boutique hotel in Foz. Luísa Souto de Moura is an architect, and she worked with her mother, architect Luísa Penha, on this beautifully pared-back eight-bedroom townhouse overlooking the mouth of the Douro where it meets the sea. The interiors are minimalist, mixing bespoke builds and sleek designer furniture. It's exactly the kind of place to stay that JO&SO looks for.
→ View our report for Duas Portas
Eat: Casa Vasco
When we want to go out somewhere relaxed to share some dishes and have a glass of wine, we go to Casa Vasco. It's a small neighbourhood restaurant with good wines and nice tapas to share, headed by restaurateur Vasco Mourão, who also has restaurant Cafeína (which we also really like) next door.
→ casavasco.pt
Casa Vasco, Rua do Padrão 152, Foz do Douro
Drink: Bonaparte
A Foz institution since 1977. After dinner we love going to Bonaparte — it's quite cluttered, but in a cute way. You feel as if it's been like that since it opened and that's exactly the point. Originally opened by a German and passed on to his daughter, it's stuffed with eclectic curiosities and draws everyone in for after-dinner beers, Caprioskas, and a prego no pão (a traditional steak sandwich).
→ @bonaparte_porto
Shop: Amacau
We grew up with Ana, who ran this interior design shop in Foz, filled with vintage and antique furniture alongside Portuguese ceramics and textiles. The shop has since closed, but Ana still takes on client requests and has vintage pieces for sale. If you're looking for something specific, reach out to her directly. We've called her looking for a mirror, a lamp, a particular kind of chair. She always comes through with something brilliant.
→ amacau.pt
See: Museu Serralves
Serralves is a modern-art museum in Foz, designed by Álvaro Siza Vieira and featuring contemporary art by Portuguese and international artists. It has beautiful gardens with some really interesting sculptures, and those gardens are the reason we love it most. Before the museum opened, it used to be just the gardens, and we remember being little and going there for walks. It felt like a forest in the middle of the city. It's a must-go place.
→ serralves.pt
Porto is our hometown — for more tips see the full JO&SO guide to the best boutique hotels in Porto and Foz do Douro. We have also written a book about Porto, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Porto, available worldwide in English and German.
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Obrigada,
Joana & Sofia
Frequently Asked Questions about Foz do Douro, Porto
Why trust JO&SO's recommendations for Foz do Douro in Porto?
Because we're from Porto. We grew up in Foz do Douro, the exact neighbourhood this guide covers. We launched JO&SO in 2016 because our friends kept asking for recommendations and there was no guide that reflected what we were looking for: hotels with beautiful design, real personality, and a story worth telling. We wanted to visit every property ourselves, get to know the people behind them, and tell their stories, including taking our own photos. Condé Nast Traveller called JO&SO "the most insider online guide to Portugal's coolest hotels." We published our first book - The 500 Hidden Secrets of Porto - in 2021. Every recommendation on joandso.com is one we'd make to a friend.
What is Foz do Douro?
Foz do Douro is a seafront neighbourhood in Porto, sitting where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean, about 15–20 minutes west of the city centre. It has a completely different feel to downtown Porto: quieter, more residential, with 19th-century villas and wide avenues that lead to the sea. It's the part of Porto most visitors miss entirely. People go to Foz to relax: the beach, the beach bars, Serralves, and really good restaurants. No crowds, no tourist trail. Just the city at its most local.
How do you get from Porto to Foz do Douro?
The most atmospheric way is the Number 1 tram, one of Porto's historic trams, running along the Douro riverbank from Infante (near São Francisco Church in Ribeira) all the way to Passeio Alegre in Foz. It takes about 20 minutes and the ride itself is worth it, with the river alongside you the whole way. If you'd rather walk, the riverside route is beautiful: allow around 60–75 minutes on foot at a leisurely pace, or considerably less by bike. Bus 500 is faster and runs more frequently than the tram, and Ubers are widely available across Porto if you'd prefer a direct ride.
Is Foz do Douro worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you've already seen Porto's city centre and want to understand what the city actually feels like to live in. Foz isn't a neighbourhood built around tourists. It's where Porto's families have been going for generations: for Sunday lunch, for evening walks along the promenade, for the beach in summer. JO&SO, two sisters who grew up in Foz, were asked by Condé Nast Traveller to introduce the neighbourhood to their global readership in 2018.
Where should I stay in Foz do Douro?
JO&SO has personally visited and handpicked three places to stay in Foz do Douro.
Duas Portas is a family-run eight-bedroom boutique hotel in a beautifully renovated 19th-century townhouse, located directly in front of the mouth of the Douro, a stone's throw from the beach. The interiors are minimalist, mixing bespoke builds, vintage Portuguese pieces, and designer furniture.
Flattered to be in Porto offers five beautifully designed serviced apartments by the beach, renovated by local architects Barbosa & Guimarães. Design lovers will appreciate the bespoke bookcases, vintage furniture, and designer lighting, and some apartments have sea views.
Vila Foz Hotel & Spa is a five-star 19th-century manor house facing the Atlantic, with 68 rooms and suites, two restaurants by Chef Arnaldo Azevedo, and a spa with indoor pool. One of the most design-led stays in Foz.
See the full JO&SO guide to hotels in Foz do Douro.
What is Museu Serralves?
Serralves is one of Portugal's best contemporary art museums, located in Foz do Douro. The building was designed by Álvaro Siza Vieira and features rotating exhibitions of Portuguese and international contemporary art. What makes it special, especially with children, are the gardens. Before the museum opened, it was just the grounds, and we remember going there for walks as kids. It felt like a forest in the middle of the city. Give it a morning at least, and don't skip the sculptures in the grounds.
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