Choosing a Porto tuk tuk tour

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A Porto tuk tuk tour solves the city's main problem, its hills, by putting you in a small open vehicle with a driver who is also the guide. It suits travellers with little time, tired legs or small children, and it reaches viewpoints that take an hour to climb on foot.

Below, the 28 tuk-tuk tours bookable in Porto are compared by length, shared or private format, and what else is included. Their median rating is about 4.7 out of 5, and most of them, 15, are private.

Short and shared tours

The mistake is to expect every tuk-tuk ride to stop at the sights. The short ones pass them.

The quickest rides take 50 minutes through the historic centre, from the Clérigos or from opposite São Bento station. Longer shared tours last about two hours. The most reviewed, rated 4.5 from 6,985 reviews, runs 1 h 45 min past São Bento station, the Clérigos tower and Livraria Lello, and can add a ticket for a river cruise and a voucher for a walking tour the next day. The cruise runs daily from 10:30 to 18:00 from April to September, and from 11:00 to 16:00 from October to March.

Many operators use electric vehicles, and the most common guide languages are English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. A tuktuk tour Porto companies sell as a combination can pack a lot into little time: one 50-minute ride adds a river cruise and a wine tasting, and a two-hour shared tour starts from a shop on Rua Alexandre Herculano.

Note the limits: the most reviewed tour is not suited to wheelchair users, pregnant women or people with medical conditions.

The short rides pass the sights rather than stopping at them.

Private tours and where they meet

The mistake is to book a shared tour for a family or a group. A private tour sets its own route and pace.

A private tuk tuk tour Porto companies offer usually lasts two to four hours. The most flexible lets you choose one, two, three or four hours, stop at the Ribeira, the cathedral and the Serra do Pilar viewpoint in Gaia, and suggest the places to visit; it runs rain or shine, and the driver gives tips on where to try pastéis de nata and francesinha. Others add short walks and wine, or a Port wine tasting on a six-hour version.

For cruise passengers, one private tour starts at the Leixões cruise terminal and covers the historic centre in three and a half hours.

Tuk tuk tours Porto meeting points include the statue of Vímara Peres by the cathedral, the front of Café Batalha, the Clérigos tower and the office opposite São Bento.

Three hours is the most common length, and every tour listed offers free cancellation, useful when rain is forecast. Four companies run most of the tours, with four or five each.

The historic centre they drive through is a UNESCO World Heritage site. For the view without the vehicle, compare the Gaia cable car timetable.

Common questions

How long is a tuk-tuk tour in Porto?

From 50 minutes for a ride through the historic centre to about two hours for a shared tour. Private tours run one to four hours, and one lasts six with a Port tasting.

Where do tuk-tuk tours start in Porto?

Common meeting points are the statue of Vímara Peres by the cathedral, Café Batalha, the Clérigos tower and opposite São Bento station.

Can wheelchair users take a tuk-tuk tour?

The most reviewed shared tour is not suited to wheelchair users. Ask a private operator before booking.