Tips for a worry-free trip
Porto is a very safe city to visit. The most common problems are minor and easy to avoid.
👛 Pickpockets
They work wherever there are crowds: heritage trams, Ribeira, São Bento station, the Lello queue and the metro with luggage. Wear your backpack on your front in busy places and keep your phone out of back pockets.
🚩 Situations to avoid
- Street "drug" sellers in Ribeira or Aliados: it's usually fake. Say no and keep walking.
- Unsolicited help at ATMs: don't accept it. Use ATMs inside a bank branch if you can.
- Taxis: insist on the meter, or use Uber or Bolt with the price fixed upfront.
🌙 At night
The centre is lively and calm. Avoid empty stairways and alleys leading down to Ribeira, and the area around Campanhã late at night. To get back late, Uber and Bolt are cheap.
⚠️ The real danger is slipping. Cobblestones and polished granite on the hills get very slippery in the rain. Wear shoes with good grip.
📞 Useful numbers
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Emergencies | 112 |
| Medical advice (SNS 24) | 808 24 24 24 |
112 covers police, ambulance and fire. Pharmacies have a green cross. There's always one on duty, posted on the door of the others.
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