Porto as a group travel destination for both low budget and high end!
Are you looking for a suitable Southern European destination for a group trip or incentive travel with a limited budget to spend? Or do you want to truly pamper your colleagues or business associates and surprise them with a completely high-end programme in Southern Europe? We recently organised two group trips to the delightful Portuguese city of Porto. Based on our experiences, in this blog we share various group travel possibilities in Porto, for every budget! An incentive trip to Porto means enjoying the atmospheric old town, the vibrant vibe, stunning sights and culinary hotspots!
Beautiful Portuguese city on the Douro river
Porto is, after Lisbon, the second largest city in Portugal and was named European Capital of Culture in 2001. It is a compact city situated on the banks of the River Douro and is divided into two districts: the historic Ribeira quarter, where the streetscape is filled with many historic buildings, and on the other side of the riverbank is the district of Vila Nova de Gaia, the part of the city where the famous port wine cellars are located.
Porto is primarily known as the place of origin of port wine, but also for its bridges and the azulejos (blue tiles) that can be found on many buildings throughout the city.
Discover Porto!
Exclusive Porto city tour
Discover the tiled houses, the charming streets and the beautiful architecture during an exclusive city tour!
- LOW BUDGET: discover the city on foot during a guided walking tour through the cosy streets of Ribeira, past sights such as the magnificent tiled central station, the Church of Saint Francis and Liberty Square (stunning squares) and finish via the well-known Dom Luís I Bridge in Vila Nova. Or choose a more laid-back tour by vintage tram or from the air with a cable car!
- HIGH END: make use of one of the other unique modes of transport that Porto has to offer. From a tour by tuk-tuk or colourful classic cars, to a fully fledged food tour past the city's most exclusive gems!
World of Wine
Visit WOW (World of Wine), Porto's newest hotspot. A cultural district featuring six museums, nine restaurants and shops. The perfect place to spend a morning, afternoon or full day during a group trip or incentive travel!
- LOW BUDGET: visit one (or more) museums to learn and experience more in the fields of wine, cork, chocolate and fashion! Conclude your visit with a drink or lunch on the terrace with a magnificent view over the city.
- HIGH END: Upgrade the visit by stimulating all the senses during a wine experience. Where the group is taken on a voyage of discovery into the world of wine; from the wine-making process to discovering your own taste and preferences. In addition, add a unique chocolate workshop or professional sommelier workshop for a complete experience!
Douro river experience
Naturally, an activity on the Douro cannot be missed! Here too, you can make it as crazy as you like!
- LOW BUDGET: enjoy a sunny canal cruise by traditional Rabello boat and experience the six bridges at their very best!
- HIGH END: Prefer a bit more action? Then choose a speedboat tour and shoot across the Douro at high speed! Or step aboard a luxury dinner party cruise, including a DJ and open bar, and enjoy the atmospheric sunset. An unforgettable experience!
Port wine at its best
Journey to the origin of Portuguese (port) wines: the breath-taking Douro Valley!
- LOW BUDGET: Travel by coach, transfer or boat to the stunning wine region and enjoy the beautiful views of the river, vineyards and villages along the way. Once you arrive in the Douro Valley, a visit to a traditional Portuguese Quinta (wine estate) is an absolute must!
- HIGH END: go back to the origins of Douro (port) wines with an excursion to the stunning Douro Valley! Travel to the valley by rugged 4x4s or by helicopter and also visit a quinta, but upgrade the visit with a grape picking and winemaking workshop! Then travel back to the centre of Porto to [visit] one of the many wine cellars
A taste of Porto
Those who love fish dishes have come to the right place in Porto! The fish here goes straight from the fishing boats into delicious fish dishes on your plate. A classic is salt-dried cod: definitely worth a try.
Further specialities from Porto are bolinhos de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), pastéis de nata (a sweet pastry with custard) and the most famous is the francesinha (the French toasted sandwich given a Porto twist so the Tripeiros (residents of Porto) like it too?).
Restaurants
- BUDGET LUNCH: opt for a simple yet delicious Francesinha lunch at an authentic restaurant in the city centre.
- HIGH-END LUNCH: Prefer a refined gastronomic Portuguese lunch? Then a visit to Restaurant The Escondidinho A must! Known since 1927 for its unique service, refined space and tasteful delicacies.
- LOW BUDGET DINER: In Porto, it is possible for (large) groups to dine in luxury on a reduced budget; for example, choose a dinner cruise with a buffet for this.
- HIGH-END DINERFor a luxury dinner, there are countless possibilities! From a classic-style dinner among the wine barrels or in a palace. Or choose one of the high-end restaurants such as Restaurant FLOW.
Photo source: Restaurant FLOW
Where to stay in Porto?
There are countless hotels located in Porto. The Ribeira district mainly houses small-scale boutique hotels, which are very well suited for small groups. But of course we also know how to find the gems for large groups!
- LOW BUDGET: for large groups on a limited budget, I recommend a stay in the trendy 4-star Yotel Porto.
- HIGH END: for a truly 5-star experience I recommend you The Yeatman hotel to. A world-class hotel with a luxury spa, a Michelin-starred restaurant, panoramic views over Porto and fantastic rooms!
Make your trip to Porto even more complete!
Of course you want your incentive trip to Porto to have a maximum impact on the participants. With our Stretch-method we ensure that we start early with informing, enthusing or activating your employees or relations. Think for example of announcing the trip in a playful way, stimulating sales targets via the goMICE activation app or connecting the target audience with each other on the way to this LIVE moment. Whatever your wishes or ideas may be: our knowledge, creativity and expertise are completely at your disposal. Creation, realisation, or the complete trajectory: goMICE is your partner for creating unique and unforgettable experiences!
Are you also interested in a fantastic travel experience together with your colleagues or business associates? Or a group experience to another beautiful European destination, such as Valencia, Split & Hvar, Milan of AthenaThen please contact us. We'd be happy to brainstorm surprising possibilities with you!