Rua Santa Catarina

The basics

Along with designer shops, Rua Santa Catarina plays host to three of Porto’s top attractions, which secures its place on multiple sightseeing tours. Spend as much time as you like on the street by visiting on a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, or opt for a more in-depth intro to Porto’s history and culture during a walking or tuk-tuk tour. Some packages also include a Douro River cruise, which covers Porto’s famous six bridges

Things to know before you go

• Rua Santa Catarina is a must for travelers looking to shop and admire the historic architecture.

• Appreciate one of Europe’s prettiest cafés during a coffee break at the Majestic Café, halfway down Rua Santa Catalina.

• Rua Catalina is wheelchair and stroller accessible for the most part, but can be steep in parts.

How to get there

Rua Santa Catarina can be reached by taking tram line 22, which stops a couple of minutes from Batalha Square. From the Ribeira, you can ride the funicular train up the hill, which is a nonstop service that takes 5 minutes.

When to get there

Being a public space, Rua Santa Catarina is open 24 hours a day. Most of the stores are open Monday to Saturday, and are closed on Sundays. The Majestic Café stays open late.

Highlights of the Rua Santa Catarina

Rua Santa Catarina begins in Praça da Batalha, which itself is home to the imposing Igreja dos Congregados, embellished with traditional Portuguese tiles, or azulejos. Keep walking downhill and you’ll come across Mercado do Bolhão (Bolhão Market), famous for its fruit and flowers; the Chapel of Souls, where the vivid blue tiles are best displayed; and end at the ornate Praça do Marquês de Pombal.