Ribeira Free Tour: Origins & the Douro River

From ancestral myths to political games worthy of a TV series,  Ribeira Free Tour of Porto tells the story of a people and its intimate relationship with the Douro and the sea.

In our  Ribeira Free Tour of Porto we will talk about the origins of the city of Porto, the conflicts between bishops and merchants, the centuries of Portuguese expansion around the world, the foundation of the Companhia das Vinhas do Alto Douro, fishing and codfish, Port wine, unlikely legends, and unforgettable heroes.

In times gone by the Douro was a brave and stormy river and no less tumultuous is the history of the wonderful Ribeira do Porto and we hope that our Free Tour of the Ribeira will show you this.

Power and trade are part of Porto's genetic code and our Free Tour of the Ribeira begins by recounting this history rich in disputes and quarrels.

From the Cathedral we will descend through the oldest streets of the historic centre, many of them with names closely related to the commercial activities that took place there in medieval times.

When we reach the Largo de São Domingos, leaving the narrow and labyrinthine streets of the Cathedral of Porto, we will talk about one of the most important dates in the history of the city, the day when the long struggle between the clergy and the bourgeoisie came to an end.

Our  Ribeira Free Tour of Porto could not fail to mention another commercial and spiritual relationship, this time the one the Portuguese have with a particular fish, Cod.

The Free Tour of Ribeira will then move on to Miragaia, one of Porto's most typical riverside neighbourhoods.

On its beach, the King's shipyards were located and the Free Tour of Ribeira will take you back in time to remember this important period of Portugal's history.

Near the Museu dos Transportes, the city of Porto opens up to the Douro River and with the river as a witness, the Free Tour of Ribeira will reveal some surprising curiosities about the Douro River and the famous Port Wine.

Do you know which is the rock that contributes most to the richness of the Douro wines? There are answers that only the Free Tour of Ribeira could give you and some of them will surprise you.

And before going up to Praça do Infante, the Ribeira Free Tour of Porto will tell you a curious story of a clandestine wedding in the middle of the Douro River.

At Praça do Infante we will have the opportunity to admire three memorable monuments of the city of Porto: the São Francisco Church, the Stock Exchange Palace and the Ferreira Borges Market. The Gothic church of São Francisco is one of the most beautiful in Porto, with a rich interior of gilded wood carvings.

In the Casa do Infante we will talk about Prince Henry the Navigator, born in the city of Porto, and his relationship with the city.

And back on the banks of the Douro, the  Ribeira Free Tour of Porto will take in one of the most controversial figures in Portuguese history, the Marquis of Pombal. Long before roads existed, the Quintas that produced the prized Port wine were only accessible by the untamed and tempestuous Douro River.

No Ribeira Free Tour of Porto could fail to pay homage to the Rabelo Boats and their intrepid crews who daily tore through the rough and treacherous waters of the Douro, laden with barrels of Port Wine.

We will finish our Free Tour of Ribeira near the Dom Luís Bridge.

The Ribeira Free Tour of Porto is much more than a guided tour of the city of Porto. It's a journey into the soul of Porto.