Review: Is the Porto card worth it?
Top of my list, whenever I book a city break, is checking out the city pass. Having tried them in Paris, Amsterdam and Copenhagen among others, I know from experience that it can save a fortune… or be an expensively useless purchase.
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So as I planned our city break in Portugal, the big question was, is the Porto card worth it? I checked out the details of Porto’s own city pass to decide, should you buy a Porto card?
Is the Porto card worth it?
The first thing to know is that unlike a lot of other cities, there are relatively few options included in the Porto card for free – the majority of the benefits are a discount on entry, including restaurants and city tours as well as attractions.
On the plus side, that means the card is comparatively cheap, from 6 Euros for a one day card excluding transport. On the downside, you will be paying more on top for entries, as only 7 museums are completely free, and apart from a dozen at 50% off, the vast majority are a 10-25% discount.
You also need to do your maths in advance or at least have a good idea of what you want to do, as the accompanying brochure tells you the discount you get but not the actual entry price.
To work out what you’ll save, you can check through the individual places on the Porto card site, or look up the specific attraction separately.
That’s worth doing anyway as in some cases you’ll get other discounts direct too – for example the Sea Life Centre, which is 30% off with a Porto Card, has its own online discount if you prebook (you can get one or the other).
Meanwhile the lovely little Museu das Marionetas which we visited has 50% off – but is only 3 Euros full price anyway.
And the port tour we took at Caves Calem is only valid between November and March. Using the Porto card also means you can’t book online in advance, and as the port cellar tours were pretty busy even in February, that could be a drawback.
As with most city passes, there are some places which aren’t included, such as World of Discoveries, one of the main attractions for families (you can get skip-the-queue tickets which are a very good idea in peak season).
Which Porto card to get?
There are several different versions of the Porto card – firstly a ‘pedestrian’ version, which doesn’t include transport. We were sent two two-day versions of these to use on our trip.
You can also get a more expensive option including unlimited transport (excluding the trams), although if you’re getting a one-day Porto card with transport, it works out the same buying a tourist day travel card plus a pedestrian card – you do start saving once you get a two-day card including travel (or longer) although you may find you use public transport less than expected.
There are one, two, three and four-day options of each Porto Card. It’s valid from the time and date written on the card when first used, so if you time it cleverly, you can stretch a two-day card over a three-day period.
The transport tickets need to be validated at the start of each journey, or if you change lines or mode of transport (like the standard Andante card used on public transport).
Porto’s transport system isn’t the most straightforward to explain – although the ticket machines have English translations and there’s plenty of information once you’re there – as the zones depend on how far you’re travelling rather than, for example, a static zone 1, 2, 3 and so on in London.
I thought originally that having transport included would be far more useful. But with a one-day card, you’d need to make three journeys to come out ahead.
If you’re staying somewhere relatively central, you’re unlikely to need to take public transport that much, although you might save some time on buying tickets if queues are worse in peak season than we experienced in February.
If you buy individual tickets, even the journey from the airport to the centre was just over 2 Euros each and the bus journey out to the Sea Life centre in Matosinhos was under 4 Euros for both of us.
For more things to do at Matosinhos, check out my top day trips from Porto
Without the rain, and without a walk up a steep hill at the end of a busy day, I suspect we’d have skipped a few of the Metro journeys we did take as well. So unless you know you’ll be seeing some of the sights further out of the immediate centre – the zoo, perhaps the Casa da Musica, the Sea Life Centre and beaches –  this addition might not pay off.
Does the Porto card save you money?
Our visit in February coincided with some pretty dreadful weather, so we might have done more exploring on a sunny trip – although equally, we probably checked out a few more indoor attractions that wouldn’t have topped the list if we were ambling along in the sunshine between ice creams.
So is the Porto card worth it? Had we bought my own two-day card, and had we paid for entry to every attraction (we were given free entry to Sea Life and the Douro Azul cruise), I’d have saved about two euros.
On a sunny visit, I think we’d have saved a little bit more by choosing other options. Either way, it would have paid to get the card.
The savings for Minnie, at five, were about half as much so would only have made it worth buying a one-day Porto card (assuming we could have fitted everything in within a day), as entry is already discounted (and often free) for under-18s. If you’re travelling with younger children, transport is also free for under-fives.
The short answer?
Maybe….
Unlike some other cities, where you can’t fail to save money if you’re seeing the main sights or where the queue jumping is worth a fee in itself, it really does depend on what you plan to do.
In this lovely city, doing your research pays off – which means cross-checking everything on your must-see list against the Porto card discounts and the best entry deals out there.
So grab a guidebook – we took Lonely Planet’s Pocket Porto – and check out the tourist office website, as well as tour company sites like Get Your Guide which has ideas for independent tours as well as skip-the-queue tickets, before you order.
For more inspiration on the best things to do in Porto with kids, check out my top picks
*First published 2018, last updated 2024*
PIN FOR LATER: IS THE PORTO CARD WORTH IT?
Disclosure: Our Porto cards were courtesy of Visit Porto and the North. All decisions on what to visit and opinions about the Porto card are my own, as is my love of queue jumping where possible. Not very British, I know. This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission
Images copyright MummyTravels
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Oh I love things like this for budgeting purposes but have to be willing to squeeze lots into a few days. Shame about the weather for you guys.
Yes, it’s always a bit of a juggle as to how much you can realistically fit in (or want to!) – with a short break, it’s a bit easier as your time’s limited anyway and Porto is so compact it’s easy to get everywhere. Some cities seem to forget you need time to get from one place to another!
It sounds like the Porto card could get quite complicated. But your post clarifies all that and will help any visitor make an informed decision. And great tip on planning before you get there to make it worthwhile.
Thanks! And absolutely, I think trying to do it while you’re there could mean you don’t get the best from it.
We’ve not really done a city break with our girls yet so I didn’t actually know about citypasses! It’s definitely something I’ll look into when we book our first city break, wherever it may be. They do sound a bit complicated – I think your tip of doing lots of research first is a good one.
They’re definitely worth checking out when you do. The Copenhagen card had a fantastic option online where you could tick the places you wanted to visit, the number of days/people and it told you if you’d save money and how much. SO easy. Wish they all did that 😉
This is a great analysis Cathy, we didn’t have a card for very long so don;t think we got chance to review it properly. Great piece.
Thanks! It’s always a question whether to have one for your whole stay too, or try to fit everything that’s discounted into one day and get the cheaper card.
I didn’t realise there was such a thing, but how incredibly useful! It sounds like if you know roughly why you want to do- it will come in handy!
Some of the city passes out there are just SO useful, especially in the bigger cities when you can skip lines (great with little ones) and don’t need to work out transport as well.
I love a city pass though this sounds more complicated than the ones I’ve used before. Ive never considered visiting Porto but think I should take a look
They all seem to work slightly differently, I think, this one is definitely best with a bit of research.
You do definitely have to do your research before just jumping ahead and buying one. We had one for our weekend in Nantes, France and it definitely saved us money although alot of the attractions were included for ‘free’ and not just discounted.
They do all seem to work slightly differently, don’t they – but they can help save so much money.
This is really helpful, Cathy, as it takes time to put these cards under scrutiny, and not everyone’s able to do that. You’re right about it varying so much from place to place. I know Oslo’s card is very good value, but I haven’t tried any others. I’ll bear this in mind when we get to visit Porto.
Thanks – I have definitely been caught out by great deals which weren’t that great in the past! Useful to know about Oslo’s card – Copenhagen’s was particularly good as well, so perhaps it’s a Scandinavian thing 🙂
I will admit that I have never used one of these cards and they just don’t really seem that worth it in a lot of cases. Having said that, the Munich one was worth it, and I was forever recommending it to visitors! 😀
They really do vary – I know with the Copenhagen card, we saved around 100 Euros (and got free transport). The Paris one definitely had some advantages but some of the benefits weren’t as amazing as they might have looked.
What a handy post! I would have assumed it was always much more cost effective to get a card like this. It shows that research (and having the weather in your favour) always pays off!
Thanks! In some cities, it really is worth having one – but your plans can make such a big difference as to how useful they are. And at least one big city promises a lot, but in reality, you’d find it almost impossible to fit everything in to get the savings!
What a helpful post, thank you! I’m going to Porto in a few months and didn’t even know there was a Porto card. I need to start planning so I can see if we need it.
Have a wonderful time – and definitely worth investigating, depending what you think you might do when you’re there.
We just used the Ghent City Card for the first time and it actually saved us a lot of money, so with our upcoming trip to London, I also did the math and the London Pass is definitely a money saver. I think it’s definitely worth investing in City Cards (now), especially if it includes transportation. I think I would still try the Porto Card though! #CityTripping
Oh that’s good to know about Ghent – they really can be great to save money in some places. I’ve just had a quick look at the London pass and there seem to be some fantastic savings with that (plus fast track entry, which is always good). Slightly tempted to get one and have a tourist weekend in my home city!
This is some really useful information. I am always on the fence as to whether or not to buy the city card wherever I’m visiting. I usually don’t.
#CityTripping
Thanks! In some places, it’s easy to find you don’t save as much as you think you will.
We got the bus, boat and port cellar tour ticket and were given a large book stuffed with discount vouchers which may be a good alternative. Fabulous city. #citytripping
That does sound like a good alternative – and definitely a lovely city to visit, discounts or not.
I remember not getting the card for the exact reasons you mention! We took the vernucular and that granted us entrance to a cellar and we pretty much walked everywhere. It just wasn’t worth it, for us. For some cities (like Rome or Barcelona) a card is a no brainer, but Porto…. not sure.
#CityTripping
It definitely depends what you plan to do, I think – I did find a lot of tickets seemed to give you free or discounted entry to a cellar as well! And in the sun, we’d have walked even more than we did, definitely the best way to enjoy Porto.
I have never used or considered those cards, but now I realise I should look into it next time I citytrip, as you said jumping the queue would be worth it in itself, I don’t like waiting in line 😀 #citytripping
Always worth looking – sometimes there are more benefits than the discounted entry, for sure.
This is interesting to hear – we’re considering Porto, and I’ll have to look into the card and see whether it’s worthwhile or not. Still, a 2 euro saving is better than nothing – that’s a fridge magnet at least! #citytripping
It really is a lovely city, I hope you get there – and two euros buys a glass of wine there, so can be worth every cent!
We haven’t really used any city cards when we travel because all the cities we’ve been to, so far, have had lots of free or inexpensive things that have appealed to us. So it hasn’t been worth it when we look into it. But it’s always an option for us. #CityTripping
Always worth looking into, I think, but there are definitely some cities where you just wouldn’t get the value – especially when the free things are the most tempting.
thanks for clarifying the situation since I plan to visit Porto:) #citytripping
Have a wonderful time – glad it is useful
Great post and very useful. I have used the cards in many places and found it very convenient. I have been wanting to go to Porto. My list is becoming very long , . Happy travelling #citytripping
Thanks! Porto really is lovely – and I know what you mean about the always long list of places to go.
We love a City card, sometimes even being more expensive is made up for by convenience and/or queue jumping. I visited Porto several times many years ago and recall walking everywhere. #CityTripping
I agree – sometimes I’ve found that there’s not much in it in terms of money saved, but if you’re not spending time queueing or puzzling over public transport tickets, it can be a big bonus, especially on a short trip. Although Porto is definitely a very walkable city.
All of the maths involved makes my head hurt, and because of that I usually avoid city passes. Also because I end up making such loose plans and changing them often. So I highly appreciate other people doing the hard work for me. I might start looking into them more. Maybe not in Porto though. #CityTripping
It doesn’t really put you in the holiday mood to sit down with a calculator and start working out discounts, for sure – but every now and then, they’re really useful. And glad it’s useful at least to get the benefit of my working out 😀
I find these cards are usually more trouble than they’re worth. Sure, they have a gazillion discounts and attractions that you can take advantage of, but in reality, there’s no way you can do enough to make it worth getting the card, in my opinion. I’ve gotten one in Singapore, Vienna and Paris – and think that Paris was really the only place where it was worth it (for the queue jumping). #citytripping
In some cases you’re definitely right – I remember the queue jumping was one big benefit in Paris (when time’s short, it pays – literally – to save time on waiting in line). I know that in Copenhagen, we saved around 100 Euros, and I remember finding the Lisbon card fantastic value on my first trip (less so on the second, because we did very different things). But sometimes, you can only get the benefit if you do very specific things, or pack in so much that it’s not a relaxing holiday.
Thanks for explaining the card. Its so handy to see if it is a good benefit for you. #CityTripping
Thanks – I always think they’re worth checking out, but always depends what your plans are.
Hmm, sounds like a lot of effort to save a little money in my opinion. There’s a lot more city cards like these now, but they differ so much you really have to do your research to work out if they’re really worth it…. #citytripping
They really do vary so hugely – I remember working out that we saved about 100 Euros in a couple of days in Copenhagen, and with a toddler, I don’t think we had too manic a schedule
Some good food for thought… I’m not always convinced that these city cards are worth the money and rarely buy them! It all depends on what you want to do. Sometimes these cards can almost make you feel forced to do more than originally planned, just to get value for money. And for me, a trip is as much about relaxing and spontaneity as it is about sightseeing. #citytripping
Absolutely – I’ve come across cards which will save you money, but only if you’re packing in attraction and sight after attraction and sight, plus a few tours, and that’s no fun at all.
Thanks to your post, I now know that I probably would not get the Porto card. Your photos are lovely and lately Porto is toping my list of places to visit, as we really regretted not getting these when last in Portugal. #citytripping
It is such a gorgeous city – I can’t imagine how many photos I’d have taken with blue skies.
I’ve always wondered whether cards like this are actually worth it – useful to see one reviewed especially by someone who has used it for the short of short break they are designed for.
Thanks – and absolutely, I think they work best for short breaks, but the cards vary so wildly, we always seem to have a different experience wherever we visit.
I never knew cards like this existed but definitely handy to know for city trips. This one does sound a bit complicated!#citytripping
Definitely worth checking out.
I always forget to look into city cards when I’m visiting a new city. Thanks for the reminder and review of the Porto card.
Pleasure, hope it’s useful!
To be honest I never really look into city cards, always intimidated by how complicated some of them seem – but I’m visiting Lisbon soon, where I believe they have a city card as well, and this post makes me feel like I should actually take a few minutes to decide whether or not its worth it! Thanks for the heads up and advice 🙂 #citytripping
They do have a city card in Lisbon – the first time I visited, I remember it seemed invaluable as we used it to visit so many places and on public transport. The second time, I picked one up again, but we evidently explored quite differently and it suddenly didn’t seem quite as useful. So definitely depends what you do or want to do, they can be worth a bit of planning and maths!
we are never organised enough to look into anything like this, also we never have a clue really where we will head each day, so I have a feeling we would end up paying more than we saved, however the queue-beating option is certainly an advantage, particularly when its busy. Thanks for making me think about it #citytripping
Sometimes it’s more fun just to be spontaneous – I think they’re best for a short first-time trip to a city where you’re probably going to be trying a lot of what’s included.
I was given the Porto Card by the tourism board last September but hardly used it. That’s because I had planned my stay in Porto to explore food and wine, thus didn’t really need the card for entries to museums, etc. Somehow I felt that the number of free entries to places with the Porto Card were lesser than the Lisboa Card for Lisbon. #Citytripping
Yes, I agree – my first visit to Lisbon, I remember the card seeming to save a lot of money. It is funny how different they all are.
I never really think about checking out City passes so this is a great post, especially as we we’re planning on going back to Porto sometime soon #Citytripping
Thanks! Have a great time when you get there.
Enjoyed reading your blog on the Porto card. Will be visiting Porto in March,2019 for two days and Lisbon for the rest of the vacation. Read somewhere that the Porto card is not worth getting, because you still have to pay to get into several places. Unlike the Roma card and I Amsterdam card which were awesome to use and save, will recommend those two cards to anyone visiting those cities. Was not sure about the Porto card, before reading this blog. Not sure if it’s worth getting it since we like walking around the city we visit and seeing attractions they have to offer. Any tips for two adults visiting Porto will be welcome. Thanks
Thanks Mike – it’s definitely a different model from some of the other city cards which can really cut costs (I agree about the I Amsterdam card in particular) and if you like walking, the transport option isn’t as big a bonus as other places especially as a lot of sights are in the centre. Do take a look at my round-up of things to do for more ideas – it is aimed at families but a lot of the options work for adults as well including sights, activities, tours and the port cellars: https://www.mummytravels.com/things-to-do-in-porto-with-kids/