Porto Historic Trams

Porto's heritage trams are a simple pleasure: wooden carriages with brass fittings that rattle along the Douro on routes first served by trams more than a century ago. The city's first tram, pulled by mules, ran in 1872 and electric traction arrived in 1895. Most of the network closed in the late 20th century, but the municipal transport company STCP kept a few routes going as heritage lines, now sold as the Porto Tram City Tour.

Line 1 is the classic ride. It runs from Infante, beside the Church of São Francisco in the historic centre, along the north bank of the river through Alfândega and Massarelos to the Jardim do Passeio Alegre in Foz do Douro, where the river meets the Atlantic. The trip gives a changing view of the river, the Arrábida bridge and the Gaia bank, and drops you within reach of the seafront promenade at Foz. Line 18 links Massarelos with the Carmo area and the Clérigos Church, climbing through the historic Massarelos parish. Line 22, a circular route in the centre, has been suspended in recent years because of metro works, so check whether it is running.

Single tickets are sold on board and cover one trip. Two-trip and two-day tickets are also available, the two-day version sold at the Tram Museum, hotels, travel agencies and some kiosks, and STCP and Andante monthly passes are valid on both lines. Services run every day, but timetables vary by season, so check the STCP website before setting out, particularly for the last departures. In summer the trams can fill up, and the first departures of the day are usually the least crowded.

The Museu do Carro Eléctrico, the tram museum, is housed in the old tram power station in Massarelos at Alameda Basílio Teles 51, beside an active STCP depot and on the line 1 route. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry 30 minutes before closing, and displays historic trams and equipment. It suits families and anyone with an interest in transport.

A good half-day plan is to board line 1 at Infante, ride to Passeio Alegre, walk the Foz seafront for an hour and come back by tram, stopping at the museum on the way. Pedro Lemos's Michelin-starred restaurant on Rua do Ouro is along the same riverside.