Many travellers to Portugal would be familiar with the capital Lisbon and its glistering architecture, such as the Cathedral of Lisbon, as well as the landscape of colourful houses on the hills. It is also the center of commerce and food in Portugal, thus being a popular destination for tourists. The second biggest city, Porto is also a rising tourist favourite for its riverside views and relaxing itineraries like wine tasting as well as walking tours. With two rather distinctive cities, it might be a little hard choosing between the two cities for your go-to destination. Fret not, for you will just find your answer by reading through these comparative factors we have listed down about Lisbon and Porto. Ready or not, let’s go!
Accessibility
First up, let’s discuss the accessibility of both places. In terms of flying into both Porto and Lisbon directly, they both have international airports available with lost-cost budget prices for flights. However, Lisbon has an additional terminal to cater to international flights solely as well as more direct flights into Lisbon than Porto.
Lisbon Airport is also situated within the city perimeters, so it is quite accessible to travel straight from landing. Porto Airport is further out from the city, but still convenient by being connected to the metro, which takes an approximate 45min to reach the city.
However, in terms of travelling ground, Porto tops accessibility over Lisbon. Due to its smaller perimeters, Porto is much easier to navigate by foot around and you can cover the city in just a few days. As for Lisbon, the city is has more steeper slopes than Porto as well as bigger in size so it is a bit more challenging to travel solely by foot. Because of this, there is more need to spend money on train and bus fares as well.
Pace of Lifestyle and Activities
Lisbon and Porto are like opposite twins - while Lisbon is the lively and hip spot, Porto more laid back. Lisbon has a more metropolitan vibe than Porto with a good balance between old and the new - as such there are more things to see and more activities to do. Lisbon is famous for its beautiful architecture as well as the trams, so it is definitely an exciting place to catch up with the Portuguese History. Porto has its own defining charm as well! While the size of the city might limit the number of sights to see, Porto definitely has a more authentic and older Portugese feel to it, as not much of the place has changed since the 16th century.
There are still many exciting landmarks to visit and discover, such as the Dom Luis I Bridge, which is inspired by the French student who also designed the famous Eiffel Tower, as well as its enchanting river views. If you are looking for somewhere to take a weekend break or simply enjoy a slower pace of life, Porto is the place for you to sip some good wine by the river and reminisce about the good times.
Cost
Portugal is actually one of the cheapest countries in the whole of Europe, so it wouldn’t be too much of a burn on the wallet to visit the two cities. There is a slight difference in consumer expenditure of course - as of May 2020 by Expastistan’s report, Lisbon is 7% more expensive than Oporto in total. As Lisbon is more international and commercial, the products in food are priced about €3-4 higher than Porto. With more attractions to see in Lisbon, there are more entrance fees to pay as well, whereas Porto only has a few sights that the travellers would need to pay for. As Lisbon is less portable to move around, there will be extra spending on tram and bus fare on top of it. However, as it is a common tourist location, there are many available and cheap accomodations to cater. Porto, on the other end, has limited options for tourist accommodations and they are often hard to find. On the average, a hotel accommodation per person in Lisbon is €43 whereas in Porto, it is €57.
Food Choices
Porto’s food is largely centered around the essence of the city inside - surrounded by ocean and the mountains thus there are many local favourites derived from sardines, codfish, goat cheese. Porto is especially known for their amazing Francesinha (French-inspired Sandwich covered with melty cheese and sauce) which is a must-try coming to Portugal! The Douro valley near Porto produces the sweet Porto Wine, which is valued as one of the best wines in Europe and the world. If you are a Wine lover, you should definitely give Porto a visit!
As for Lisbon, the city’s food scene has evolved into a mix of local and international cuisines, so you will never run out of food options to go to! No wonder Lisbon is nicknamed as the” City of Eating”. Both cities share a few common foods as well, such as Bacalhau (salted cod) and the national pastry, Pastel de Nata, also famously known as the Portugese Tarts.
There we have it - four striking factors that will allow you to see the main differences between Lisbon and Porto. It might still be a tough one to decide between the two as these two cities have so much charisma and uniqueness in them! If time allows in your travel schedule, why not have the best of both worlds by going to both? However, if you have to make a decision, choose the city that fits your personality and interest - if you are into authentic, traditional food and sights, then Porto might be the city to cater to you.
If you like a vibrant location that has lots to offer and you wouldn’t mind travelling more for a great takeaway, then Lisbon will be more appealing! All in all, Portugal is such an enchanting country, either city will leave you amazed and longing to go back again for more :)
