If you’re looking for a crowd of tourists and locals (Portuenses), and you want to do a little shopping while partaking in Porto’s culture at the same time, you can’t beat Rua Santa Catarina. On this street, you’ll come across the same chains you’d expect to find in the malls but the prices tend to be lower and there are cafés and bookstores here you won’t find in the shopping centres.
The street is closed to motor traffic. It’s pedestrians only. After some window browsing, you can swing by the Café Majestic (number 112) for a cup of coffee. It’s a posh café and a mainstay in Porto, popular with tourists. Rua Santa Catarina runs parallel to Avenida dos Aliados, several blocks to the east.