Portugal · Storytelling Tours

Porto Old Town Quest: 1942 Paperboy Adventure

2 Hours Round trip from Porto Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Follow a self-guided 1942 paperboy adventure through Porto’s Old Town
  • 02 Solve story-driven puzzles at real city landmarks
  • 03 Explore sites including São Bento Station, Porto Cathedral, and Avenida dos Aliados
  • 04 Discover lesser-known stories from Porto’s past
  • 05 Start anytime and play at your own pace
  • 06 Family-friendly experience for couples, friends, solo travellers, and curious kids

Step into Porto in 1942 and follow a story-driven walking quest through the city’s historic heart. Playing as Mário, a paperboy with big journalistic ambitions, you’ll explore Old Town streets and landmarks while solving riddles and uncovering hidden details along the way.

This self-guided experience takes you through places such as São Bento Station, Rua das Flores, Porto Cathedral, and Avenida dos Aliados, blending local history, architecture, and storytelling into an interactive city adventure. Ideal for couples, friends, solo travellers, and families with curious kids, it’s a flexible way to discover Porto at your own pace.

This is a lookout where you will see the city from above.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Hours
Tour type Private
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Not included
Transport Not included
Wheelchair access No
City Porto
Languages English, Portuguese

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

This is the starting point of the city game and the city's main train station. Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn the story of this cafe. It's fun. You will love it:)A hundred-year-old goldsmith in a gorgeous building, Ourivesaria Aliança has reinvented itself into an elegant multi-brand store occupying 6 floors.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn the story of this bar. It's fun. You will love it:)Lifted high on a pedestal, the monument depicts Prince Henry the Navigator (1394–1460) – a catalyst in the Age of Discoveries and pioneer of the caravel.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place. It's fun. You will love it:)The Casa do Infante (House of the Prince), or alternately as the Alfândega Velha (Old Customshouse) is a historical house in the civil parish of Cedofeita.

You will pass next to it as we proceed to the next location on our adventure.This medieval building is one of the oldest in town. Five floors’ tower facing two parallel streets, it is an example of the medieval architecture. The typology of the primitive tympanum and the arch side face of one of the first windows, make us believe that the building is from the XIII century.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn its story.The Episcopal Palace (Portuguese: Paço Episcopal) is the former residence of the bishops of Porto, in Portugal. The palace is located on a high elevation.

You will see it as we walk around it to get to our next location.The Igreja de São Lourenço commonly known as the Igreja dos Grilos (Cricket Church) was founded in the seventeenth century in Porto.

We will pass it as we walk to the next location on our adventure.This is a lookout where you will see the city from above. Great spot to take photos.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place. It's fun. You will love it:)The Porto Cathedral (Portuguese: Sé do Porto) is a Roman Catholic church located in the historical centre of the city of Porto, Portugal. It is one of the city's oldest monuments and one of the most important local Romanesque monuments.

You will pass by it as we walk to the next attraction.Vímara Peres was a ninth-century nobleman from the Kingdom of Asturias and the first ruler of the County of Portugal. This is his equestrian statue.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place. It's fun. You will love it:)There are still, in some points of the historic centre, remains of the Primitive Wall, which remounts to the year 400. This wall had four doors or entrances. The main door was the Vandoma Arch that was east of the borough, between the Largo da Sé and the Rua Chã. From here, the wall surrounded the hill following closely the Escadas das Verdades (stairs), where the Mentiras Arch or Door used to be.

You will pass next to it on your way to the next attraction.The São João Theatre is a Portuguese theatre and concert venue in civil parish of Cedofeita.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place. It's fun. You will love it:)Praca da Batalha is a public space where you will find several shops. You will pass around the square as you walk to your next attraction.One of the nicest neighborhoods in Porto where you will walk in search for the next locationThe Coliseum of Porto (Portuguese: Coliseu do Porto) is a Portuguese theatre and concert venue in the municipality of Porto, in northern Portugal, with a capacity for a standing audience of 4000. It's a leading venue for music and cultural events in Porto.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn the story of the attraction.Avenida dos Aliados is generally regarded as Porto's city centre and is, as such, the most grandiose avenue. Flanked by ornate buildings in a range of architectural styles, from neoclassical to French Beaux-arts, this avenue was built to impress. As such it is home to some of the city's most prestigious hotels along with a number of banks.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to advance to the new location and learn its story.The Newspaper Vendor is a beautiful statue. It is symbolic of the hard and amazing work newspaper sellers used to do.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to a question to learn its story and finish the quest.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Porto 1 city · 2 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Self-guided walking quest in 10 chapters across Porto's Old Town
  • Story-driven puzzles, you play Mário, a 1942 paperboy chasing scoops
  • Real Porto landmarks: São Bento Station, Rua das Flores, Avenida dos Aliados
  • Hidden stories most tourists miss: Sousa Mendes, the Siege of Porto, Almeida Garrett
  • Flexible scheduling, start anytime, play at your own pace, pause and resume
  • Couples, friends, families with curious kids, and solo explorers all welcome

What's Not Included

Live tour guide (self-guided via the Questo app, you play through Mário's story yourself)

Know before you go

  • ANIMALS OR PETS ALLOWED
  • PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY
  • STROLLER OR PRAM ACCESSIBLE
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Infant seats unavailable
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • - Unlock your city game in the Questo app using this link:
  • - Download the Questo app using this link (it’s free):
  • - Head to the starting point and enjoy your city game!

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Porto, PT
Tour start
Porto, PT
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 2 hours finish where they began, in Porto.

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