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Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Jardins do Palácio de Cristal: Our most recommended tours and activities

Porto: Downtown Electric Bike Tour

1. Porto: Downtown Electric Bike Tour

Feel like a local and explore Porto’s top highlights, its different neighborhoods, and hidden spots on a guided tour riding an electric bike. Ride in class and comfort on an electric bike which is perfect for discovering hillier parts of the city, such as Clérigos and the Palácio de Cristal gardens. See and feel Porto differently as you cruise along iconic streets like Aliados Avenue towards areas such as Ribeira, Duoro, and Gaia. Along the way, visit many famous sights like São Bento Station, with its breathtaking blue interior, and discover architecture marvels like Luis I bridge and Porto Cathedral.

Porto: Private Charming Sailboat Tour on the Douro River

2. Porto: Private Charming Sailboat Tour on the Douro River

Embark on a private sailboat tour along the riverside of Porto and Gaia. Pass some of the most appreciated attractions in the cities of Porto and Gaia, such as the Dom Luis Bridge, Crystal Palace Gardens, Porto Cathedral, and Clérigos Tower. Starting at the Douro Marina, meet your certified crew and savor a sparkling or Porto wine as a welcome drink before sailing calmly between the Dom Luis Bridge and the mouth of the Douro River. Simply sit back, relax, and listen to music while admiring the sights from the water.

Porto: Private Half-Day as a Local Experience

3. Porto: Private Half-Day as a Local Experience

Your experience begins as your driver picks you up in a modern and comfortable vehicle with a capacity for 4 people. From there, start your tour of up to 5 hours through the Boavista area with a stop in Foz to enjoy beautiful views of the sea and river. Whilst there, choose to spend your first break out on a terrace. Set your own pace with a visit to the Ribeira area, where you can visit a beautiful port wine cellar. Following that, your tour continues to the Monastery of Serra do Pilar where you can enjoy magnificent views over the historic area of the city. Later, pass by the beautiful Avenida dos Aliados, crossing the famous Torre dos Clérigos area on the way. Throughout the day you are free to take breaks wherever you want, but your guides propose a mandatory break in the beautiful Gardens of the Crystal Palace. Following your amazing half-day out, your driver will take you back to your hotel.

Porto: Full-Day Private Tuk Tuk Tour

4. Porto: Full-Day Private Tuk Tuk Tour

Make the most of your time in Porto by exploring it on 3 wheels. This full-day tour mixes riding with some walking to take you to some of the most beautiful sites in and around this Portuguese city. The day starts with a visit to the Sé do Porto, a cathedral that dates back to the city's medieval origins. Admire the cathedral from the outside before venturing into the surrounding Sé district – the oldest in the city – which remains faithful to Porto's traditions and customs. Continue to the São Bento train station, one of the most beautiful in Europe, to appreciate the approximately 20,000 hand-painted tiles lining its interior. Next, pass the commercial Bolhão area, home to a traditional market with local products, shops of all kinds, and the busiest street in town, Rua de Santa Catarina. Here, the guide will point out Café Majestic – the most luxurious café in Porto. Photograph the emblematic Liberdade Square, the Avenida dos Aliados and the Carmo and Carmelite churches. Then, cross the Praça dos Leões to make a brief stop at the Lello bookstore. Built in 1906, this shop is a must-see and is considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. Reach new heights at the Torre dos Clérigos, an 18th-century tower offering 360-degree views of the city center and surroundings. Explore the verdant Cordoaria garden before breaking for a tasty lunch. After the break, head to the Palácio de Cristal Gardens, a botanical garden with unique views of the Douro River. Explore the narrow alleys of the iconic Miragaia and Vitória neighborhoods before proceeding to the Praça do Infante, home to the Palácio da Bolsa, São Francisco church, and the old Ferreira Borges market. Photograph the buildings in the Ribeira neighborhood before crossing the Dom Luis I bridge to enjoy a glass of Port wine with a view at the Serra do Pilar monastery. Continue along the Douro to the Atlantic ocean to see surfers and fishermen enjoying the waves near the Parque da Cidade.

Porto: Mysteries, Legends, and Crimes Walking Tour

5. Porto: Mysteries, Legends, and Crimes Walking Tour

Get off the beaten tourist track and discover a side to Porto that you won't find in guidebooks on this walking tour. Learn about the unsolved crimes, disappearances, and bizarre happenings that have taken place in Porto over the years. Visit the old prison and Miradouro da Vitoria. Start your tour in Rua das Flores, the scene of Porto's most notorious unsolved crime. Help your guide uncover the truth as you learn the background of this horrific crime. Continue your tour with a visit to one of the city's best viewpoints, Miradouro da Vitoria. Not everything is as scenic as it looks here, as the viewpoint is home to one of the darkest periods in Portuguese history. Next, pay a visit to the old prison (if open) and discover some of its bizarre stories. Then head to a beautiful romantic garden that hides a dark past behind its picturesque exterior. Continue to the Carlos Alberto Plaque to learn about the horrors of dictatorship and the heroic actions of the Portuguese Army. Head outside the city center to finish your tour at the Palacio de Cristal Gardens, where you will learn about the violent history behind the name of Vila Nova de Gaia and the meaning of the Portuguese word saudade.

Porto: City Discovery Game

6. Porto: City Discovery Game

Enjoy an interactive city discovery experience that will take you across Porto as you follow a trail of riddles. Use the app on your mobile phone to navigate the city, riddle to riddle, learning about the history of the places you visit as you go. Start at the main entrance of Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, sprawling nineteenth century landscaped gardens ripe for exploration and riddled with fun. Solve a total of 13 riddles that will take you from one location to the next. Each riddle is made up of (cryptic) directions and a question. Take as many chances to answer the riddle as you like, but if you’re stuck, you can ask for a hint or skip a riddle. Curious facts: Get to know more about the city, discover the secrets of the main attractions, and learn about curious facts that you won't read elsewhere. Find monuments and hidden secrets: Our local creator created an interactive walk through the city. Cryptic indications make you wind through the cities streets, inviting you to pay attention to details which you usually won't notice. Once you've arrived at the next stop, you will have to solve a question: open your eyes and mind and use your location to find the right answer! Enjoy: While doing this discovery trail, you will get to know the city from another point of view. Even locals discover new facts while doing secret city trails! Discover spots in Porto that most locals don’t even know as well as the city's most popular sights from a different angle. Unlock local recommendations and fun facts and learn about the history of the city. Encounter gorgeous views, hidden paths, unique statues, and art. Explore at your own pace while still benefitting from a structured tour experience.

Other Sightseeing Options in Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Want to discover all there is to do in Jardins do Palácio de Cristal? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Overall rating

4.9 / 5

based on 73 reviews

This boat experience was absolutely amazing. Ricardo is an incredible guide showing us some of the most beautiful scenes of Porto. We were offered wine and snacks which was a bonus. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone.

Ricardo and Claudio were lovely hosts. The boat was very well appointed. They agreed to meet our desire to sail in the ocean. We had a fabulous time. Highly recommended.

Highly recommend the bicycle tour. 3 hours went like a breeze. Best way to check out Porto with an electric bike. Antonio can never make the tour boring.

Great visit allowing you to get off the beaten track of Porto and discover the city from another angle, I totally recommend :)

excellent, highly recommended to know the city, tour guide Rudolfo was very pleasant & accommodating. Superb experience