Porto, Portugal: Where Our Nomad Journey Began
Porto will always be special to us. It’s where we stepped off the plane in January 2022 and said “okay, we actually live in Europe now.” We spent 83 days in our Rua da Boavista apartment through Housing Anywhere, and it set the tone for everything that followed.
First Impressions That Lasted
Porto grabs you immediately. The Douro River with its six bridges, the azulejo-covered buildings, the narrow streets of Ribeira that feel like they were designed by someone who’d never heard of urban planning. It’s gorgeous in a crumbling, imperfect way that feels honest.
What surprised us most was how walkable it is — with a caveat. Porto is built on hills. Serious hills. If you have mobility issues, plan your neighborhood carefully. We lived near Boavista, which is relatively flat and well-connected by metro.
The LGBTQ+ Scene
Portugal is one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly countries in Europe, and Porto reflects that. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2010. We never once hesitated to be openly together. The city is progressive, international, and genuinely welcoming.
There’s a small but real queer scene — nothing like Lisbon, but you’ll find community if you look.
Cost of Living
Porto has gotten more expensive thanks to the digital nomad influx, but it’s still reasonable by Western European standards.
| Category | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Apartment | 900-1,200 |
| Groceries | 250-300 |
| Dining out | 200-250 |
| Transport | 40-50 |
| Wine (essential) | 50-80 |
| Total | ~1,500-1,800 |
The wine situation deserves special mention. A bottle of excellent Portuguese wine costs 3-7 EUR at the supermarket. A glass of port at a riverside bar is 3-5 EUR. This is dangerous information.
Practical Details
- Visa: Schengen zone. 90/180 rule applies for US citizens
- Internet: Solid. Our apartment had 100+ Mbps. Cafes generally have decent wifi
- Language: Portuguese is harder than you’d expect. Everyone under 40 speaks English
- Weather: Mild year-round but rainy in winter. January was grey but rarely below 10°C
- Best area: Cedofeita for a local feel, Ribeira for tourists, Boavista for convenience
What We’d Do Differently
If we went back (and we plan to — we have a Spotahome reservation for summer 2026), we’d skip the first month of figuring things out and go straight to the Mercado do Bolhão for groceries, the Majestic Café for a splurge coffee, and Gazela Cachorrinhos for the best hot dogs in Europe. Yes, hot dogs. Trust us.
Verdict
Porto is an ideal first stop for anyone starting the nomad life. It’s safe, affordable, beautiful, welcoming to queer travelers, and has enough international infrastructure that the transition from “person with an apartment” to “person living abroad” feels manageable.
We started here for a reason, and we’re ending our current cycle here too. Full circle.