When my daughter turned 13, I asked her if she wanted a party or to go on a trip with me. She chose a trip, so I took her to Paris, just her and me. We split the week in two and spent half with her best friend from Singapore and the other half with her best friend from the UK. It felt really special.

My son is 13 now, and I wanted to recreate that one-on-one time with him.

I love travelling with both of my kids, but sometimes it’s such a treat to indulge one of them on their own, to give them your full attention and create something that’s just theirs.

A few weeks ago, one of my favourite people from our time in Singapore moved to Porto. I hadn’t seen her since she left four years ago, so I gently persuaded her that a visit from my son and me was exactly what she needed. Her container hadn’t even arrived yet, and anyone who has done an international move knows they are not for the faint-hearted. I think my last one took me over a year to recover from. But I’m so grateful she found space in both her heart and her home for us.

Porto had been on my list for a while. We did Portugal last summer and loved it, and I’m honestly surprised we hadn’t visited sooner. From landscapes filled with eucalyptus trees that reminded me of Australia, to the people, the food, and the wine, there’s a lot to love about Portugal. And Porto, beyond the famous port wine, has so much to discover.

Now, I love to research a trip, but I really struggled to find much about things to do in Porto with a teenager, especially teen boys. So I thought I’d write this to help anyone else planning a family trip to Porto.

I did use my friend ChatGPT for some ideas, and since my friend had only just moved and was buried in admin, I built a Google Map with all our options. (You can read more about how I plan trips, or how I use ChatGPT to plan a holiday.) Essentially, I drop everything into a map so I can see what’s close to each other, and also have a backup plan when we inevitably need food or a break.

I’m lucky that my friend and I have very similar travel styles, and our boys share interests. So here are some of the best things to do in Porto with a teenager, all tried and tested.

Oh, and before I forget, we had sunshine all weekend. Not a drop of rain. Proper, all-day sunshine. I felt completely recharged after four days of it.

Things to do in Porto with a teen

1. WOW Museum (World of Wine), Vila Nova de Gaia

Not strictly Porto, but just across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia, the WOW Museum is a collection of exhibitions, some permanent, others temporary.

We let the kids choose what we did, which resulted in rosé wine tasting (I suspect the ball pit helped persuade them…) and the chocolate exhibition.

The rosé experience was great, five wines to taste, interactive displays, and lots of photo opportunities. The chocolate exhibition was a bit underwhelming for the boys, lots of information and then a small game at the end.

Tips:

• Plan to have lunch here. We ate at Pip next to the Pink Factory, great food and beautiful views across the river to Porto. There are lots of lovely restaurants here.
• Try the cakes at the entrance. They are incredibly pretty and surprisingly well priced.

2. Take a river cruise on the Douro

We did a short Douro River cruise to see Porto’s bridges and timed it just before sunset, golden hour was perfect. It was also a nice way to rest after walking around the city.

3. Wander Porto’s old town

Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Wander the streets, step into churches, browse the little shops, and just soak it all in. Porto is one of those cities where getting lost is part of the experience.

4. Visit the food market

This was so much better than I expected. Clean, well organised, and not too noisy despite being busy. There were lots of great options, especially seafood, and everything felt reasonably priced. We picked up some lovely food to take home too. We went to Mercado do Bolhäo.

5. The “prettiest McDonald’s”

We didn’t eat here, but we did pop inside, and it’s worth a look. Chandeliers, grand interiors… definitely not your average McDonald’s.

6. Matosinhos Beach: surf, football & sunsets

If you’re travelling to Porto with teenagers, Matosinhos Beach is a must.

• Surf lessons, We didn’t get time this trip, but even in February there were loads of people in the water. It’s firmly on the list for next time.

• Beach football at sunset, Take a ball and let the kids burn off energy while you sit with a drink and watch the sun go down.

• Beach combing, Even as they get older, they still loved searching for sea glass and poking around rock pools looking for octopus.

There are also lots of beach cafés, perfect for a relaxed sundowner.

7. Walk along the coast at Praia de Leça da Palmeira

We walked along the coastline and stopped for a drink overlooking one of the sea swimming pools. Not quite as big as the ones in Australia, but still beautiful.

8. All-you-can-eat sushi

With two constantly hungry teenage boys, this was a brilliant idea. They loved ordering endlessly from the iPad, and I was very happy with the hot sake. We ate at Ninki Sushi Bar.

9. Sneaker shopping in Porto

When I took my daughter to Paris, she chose a pair of Jordans that she still wears three years later. So when my son asked for trainers, I said yes.

We spent a couple of hours hunting down the perfect pair, and he settled on Air Force 1s, slightly cheaper than in the UK, which felt like a win. We did Norte shopping mall which beautiful and really well laid out.

Tip: Don’t do what I did and assume you can just show a receipt at the airport. Ask in-store for the proper tax-free paperwork to get your VAT refund.

Travelling Porto with teenagers: keeping it flexible

I very much take each moment as it comes when travelling with my kids, and this trip was no different.

I usually have a loose plan, but I watch how they’re feeling, hungry, tired, full of energy, and adjust. Sometimes that means abandoning a plan for food, swapping sightseeing for a boat ride, or heading home early.

I’ve learnt that flexibility makes everything more enjoyable. Kids don’t care about your itinerary. They care about how they feel in the moment, and if they’re tired or hungry, no amount of “just one more thing” will work.

Luckily, my friend travels the same way.

Final thoughts

My girlfriends are already talking about a girls’ trip to Porto, and I know it will be just as lovely, just a very different itinerary.

But this trip, with my son, was something special. Time to reconnect, just the two of us, in a new place, and to reconnect with friends we hadn’t seen in years.

And I’m incredibly grateful to my husband for holding the fort at home (with all the animals and another teenager!) so I could take this time away.

If you’re planning a trip to Porto with a teenager, my biggest advice is this, keep it simple. Porto isn’t a city that needs over-planning. It’s about wandering, eating well, catching the light at the right moment, and leaving space for whatever the day brings. Add in a bit of beach time, a few good meals, and something that feels special to them (even if that’s just a pair of trainers), and you’ll create a trip that stays with both of you long after you’ve come home.