podtour
Miragaia, the River Quarter
Miragaia is five minutes from the Ribeira and feels like another world.
The Palácio de Cristal and Rua de Dom Manuel II: audio walk in Porto
A stroll through Porto's upper town of palaces and quintas: the house where, the story goes, Soult lost his dinner, the museum born of a war, a royal velodrome, the tower behind the legend of the rich man who defied God, the crystal palace that's no longer there and the quinta where an Italian king came to die.
What this walk is about
High up, far from the river, Porto had another life. You start at a bust of Wellington and soon see why: in 1809 the two enemy marshals stayed in the palace opposite, and the story goes that one of them ate the other's dinner. That palace was built by a family who made gold thread, used by a besieged emperor, bought by a king, and today it houses a museum born in the middle of a war. Further on, a fourteenth-century tower carries the legend of Pedro Sem, the man who had it all. You enter the gardens of the great Exhibition of 1865, look for the iron and glass palace pulled down for a hockey world championship, and for the tower that guided ships over the bar. You finish on the street of quintas: one belonged to the merchant who counted birds, the other to King Charles Albert, who arrived defeated and died looking out over the Douro.
- Start
- What's Wellington doing here?
- Finish
- The death of Charles Albert
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for anyone curious about kings and wars and gardens and a gentle stroll.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. The route notes mention stairs or steps on the walk or its approaches.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
What's Wellington doing here?
- 2
Gold thread and a royal guest
- 3
An emperor under fire, a museum born of war
- 4
A cycle track in the king's garden
- 5
Pedro Sem, the man who had everything
- 6
Wax camellias in 1865
- 7
The glass palace and the ruined doctor
- 8
The palace that made way for hockey
- 9
An Italian king's chapel among the lime trees
- 10
The tower that guided the ships
- 11
The merchant who counted birds
- 12
The death of Charles Albert
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Porto, before you go
Tiled façades, steps and pauses with the Douro in view: Porto is made for measured walks. Group nearby places together; the map draws much easier lines than your legs will find.
More walks nearby
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.