Exploring Porto in private changes everything. No group of twenty, no microphone headsets, no imposed pace. A guide just for you, adapting the route to your wishes, fitness level and curiosity. Our French- and English-speaking agency based in Porto has been designing bespoke private tours since 2021, with a selected network of local guides, driver-hosts and premium partners. Here are our packages, prices, and tips for choosing the private tour that suits you.

Why choose a private tour in Porto?

A private tour in Porto isn’t a luxury — it’s comfort. For two people, the price difference with a group visit is often €40-60 per person, for an incomparable level of attention and flexibility. You choose the start time (some clients prefer a relaxed 9 am, others 2 pm after a lie-in), duration, stops and restaurants. Want to spend 45 extra minutes inside Livraria Lello or skip the Palácio da Bolsa? No problem.

Our guides are locals by birth or adoption, all certified (Guia Intérprete Nacional), often bilingual EN/PT or EN/FR, and above all selected for their ability to tell the city rather than recite it. A good Porto guide knows the name of the craftsman running the last azulejo workshop in Miragaia, the hour when the light is most beautiful on the Dom Luís bridge, the café where the pastel de nata is truly homemade. That makes all the difference.

Private historic centre tour (half-day)

The essential tour to discover Porto in 3.5 to 4 hours. Departure at 9:30 am or 2:30 pm from the centre, walking route: Avenida dos Aliados, Clérigos Tower, Livraria Lello (tickets included), Igreja São Francisco or Palácio da Bolsa, Sé cathedral, São Bento, Ribeira. Final arrival on the Douro quays. Perfect for a late arrival the night before and a true first day in Porto.

Indicative prices: €120 / person (base 2) · €95 / person (base 4) · €75 / person (base 6). Included: private English-speaking guide, Livraria Lello and Palácio da Bolsa entries, bottle of water. Not included: lunch, public transport (everything walkable).

Private tascas & street-food tour (3.5 h)

For the hungry traveller. Six stops across the centre and Bonfim: pastel de nata at the historic padaria, tasca-style francesinha, Casa Guedes pulled-pork sandwich, Serra cheese and Mirandela charcuterie, dessert and white port as aperitif. Our guide tells the story of northern cuisine, the history of bacalhau, the traditions of local taverns and the addresses where you eat like a local.

Indicative prices: €140 / person (base 2) · €115 / person (base 4). All tastings included, which largely replaces lunch. Available at lunch (12 pm) or dinner (7 pm).

Private port cellars tour in Gaia (half-day)

The reference tour to understand port. Our English-speaking sommelier-guide welcomes you at the Ribeira, crosses via the upper deck of the Dom Luís bridge for the panorama, then visits two outstanding cellars selected for your taste: Taylor’s and Graham’s for tradition, Kopke for rare colheita tawnies, Ferreira for Portuguese history, Cálem for family-run charm. Tastings of 4 to 6 ports commented, including vintages and rare colheitas depending on the package.

Indicative prices: €180 / person (base 2) · €150 / person (base 4). Included: private sommelier-guide, entries and tastings in 2 cellars, optional cheese & charcuterie board (+€25). Duration 4 h.

Private Douro Valley day tour (with driver)

The most spectacular day of your stay. Departure 8:30 am from your hotel in a private 7-seater van with English-speaking driver, drive along the north bank up to Régua and Pinhão. Photo stops at São Leonardo da Galafura and Casal de Loivos viewpoints. Private 1 h cruise on the Douro on rabelo boat or yacht. Lunch in a family quinta (vineyard views, daily special with estate wines). Visit of a historic quinta with tawny and vintage port tastings. Return to Porto 6:30-7 pm.

Indicative prices: €320 / person (base 2) · €270 / person (base 4) · €230 / person (base 6). Included: round-trip private transport, guide, private cruise, 3-course lunch with wines, quinta visit and tastings. Not included: tips.

Private Guimarães & Braga day tour

The birthplace of Portugal and the Baroque capital in one day. Departure 9 am from Porto, arrival Guimarães 9:45 am: castle, São Miguel chapel, Paço dos Duques de Bragança, UNESCO medieval centre. Lunch in a typical downtown tasca. Afternoon in Braga: cathedral, Bom Jesus do Monte (monumental Baroque stairway, stunning view), Santa Bárbara garden. Return Porto 6 pm.

Indicative prices: €280 / person (base 2) · €220 / person (base 4). Included: private transport, guide, main entries. Lunch optional (€30/pers. supplement).

Themed private tours and exclusive experiences

Beyond our signature tours, we craft unique experiences on request:

• Azulejo workshop in the studio of a Miragaia master ceramist (2 h, tile painting, €95/pers.)
• Private fado evening in a confidential casa de fados with dinner (€180/pers.)
• Vertical tasting in a historic Gaia cellar (rare vintages, €250/pers.)
• Sailing on the Douro with sommelier and port tonic (2 h, €160/pers.)
• Morning Bolhão market visit with a chef, followed by a private lunch (3 h, €140/pers.)
• Siza & Souto de Moura architecture tour (half-day, €150/pers.)

For families, we also adapt each tour: slower pace, activities for kids (pastel de nata workshop, Ribeira treasure hunt, playful Douro boat ride).

What makes Secret Porto guides different

The guide is the single most important element of any private tour. A beautiful route with a mediocre guide becomes forgettable; a simple walk through Vitória with the right person becomes the highlight of your trip. We are selective because we believe you deserve more than a walking encyclopedia with a lanyard.

Every guide in our network holds a Guia Intérprete Nacional licence, the official Portuguese certification that requires rigorous training in history, art history, geography and heritage interpretation. But a licence alone is not enough for us. We look for storytellers: people who can stand in front of the Igreja do Carmo and make you feel the rivalry between two brotherhoods, or walk you through Bolhão market and explain why the fishmonger wraps cod in newspaper the same way her grandmother did in 1962.

All our guides live in Porto. This is not a detail. A guide who lives in the city knows which padaria bakes fresh at 7:15 am, which courtyard in Cedofeita hides a street-art mural that appeared last month, and which tasca just changed its lunch menu. They share the places they genuinely love: the off-menu dish at a Bonfim tavern, the terrace where locals watch the sunset without a single tourist, the tiny chapel in Miragaia with extraordinary acoustics that most visitors walk straight past.

We also select for adaptability. Our guides adjust pace and route for guests with limited mobility, for families with young children who need more breaks, and for seasoned travellers who want to skip the obvious landmarks and dive into contemporary Porto. They know which viewpoints to visit at which hour to avoid the crowds, when each neighbourhood is at its liveliest, and which streets to take on a hot afternoon to stay in the shade.

Passion matters as much as knowledge. Our guides are genuinely enthusiastic about the subjects they cover, whether that is food and wine, azulejo craftsmanship, Romanesque and Baroque architecture, or the modern works of Siza Vieira and Souto de Moura. They do not rush through explanations to stick to a script; they respond to your questions and let the conversation shape the tour.

All guides are fluent in English and French. Several also speak Spanish, Italian or German. If you need a less common language, let us know when you book and we will match you with the right person from our extended network.

How to book your private tour in Porto

Easiest way: email us at hello@secret-porto.com or via our contact page with dates, number of guests, hotel and themes you’re interested in. We reply within 48 h with a detailed quote and itinerary proposal. Once validated, a 30% deposit confirms the booking, the balance is paid in Porto (cash, card or transfer).

Our tours are available 7 days a week, year-round. In high season (June-October), we recommend booking at least 2 weeks in advance, especially for the Douro and the most requested cellars. In low season, confirmation 72 h before the tour is enough.

Frequently asked questions about our private tours

Are private tours only for groups?

Not at all. Our private tours also suit couples, solo travellers and small groups of friends. For two, it’s often the most comfortable way to experience Porto.

Can I change the itinerary during the tour?

Yes. Our guides are trained to adapt in real time. Want to linger at a stop, skip a site, swap a museum for a café? Just say so, the guide adjusts.

Are children welcome?

Absolutely. We even offer family-specific tours (pace, fun anecdotes, breaks, hands-on activities). Free for under 6, reduced rate 6-12.

What’s the difference with a regular group tour?

A private tour costs 30-50% more than a group tour, but you get: a dedicated guide, a personalised itinerary, flexible hours, individual attention, tailored breaks, and often access to confidential places inaccessible in a group.

Is the guide really English-speaking?

Yes. All our guides speak English fluently (native or C2 level). Most are also bilingual French. For less common languages (Spanish, Italian, German), let us know: we have a network.

How does payment work?

30% deposit by transfer or card to confirm the booking. Balance paid in Porto in cash, card or transfer, on the day of the tour or at the end of your stay. Full upfront payment also possible if you prefer.

What about cancellation?

Free cancellation up to 7 days before the tour (deposit refunded). Between 7 and 48 h: 50% of the deposit retained. Less than 48 h: deposit non-refundable. In case of force majeure (cancelled flight, illness with proof) we reschedule for free.

Can I combine several private tours during the same stay?

That’s even our recommendation. A 4-day stay in Porto is great with: day 1 historic centre, day 2 cellars, day 3 Douro, day 4 Guimarães-Braga. 10% discount from 3 tours booked together.

Discover Lisbon and Portugal too

Porto is often the starting point of a wider trip across Portugal. If you plan to combine Porto with Lisbon, our sister agency offers guided tours in Lisbon in English and French with passionate local guides. For group celebrations, explore our hen & stag parties in Lisbon and Porto packages with activities, accommodation and full logistics. Looking for a multi-region trip in Portugal combining the Algarve, Alentejo or Azores? We coordinate the entire stay. On the corporate side, we also organise corporate seminars in Porto and Lisbon, from team-building to bespoke conferences.

Related articles and pages

• Things to do in Porto: the complete guide
• Discover the Douro Valley
• Port wine: cellars, tastings, prices
• Porto FAQ
• All our bespoke travel offers