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Historic neighbourhood · Portland, Maine
Old Port
The old port neighborhood of Portland, with cobblestone streets and brick warehouses rebuilt after the 1866 fire, now home to shops, restaurants and the fishing piers.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Old Port
The Old Port is the area between downtown Portland and the waterfront, where the city grew up around maritime trade. On July 4, 1866, a fire destroyed almost the entire commercial center; merchants rebuilt the streets with brick and granite Victorian-style buildings, which now form the neighborhood’s historic district.
After decades of abandonment, the warehouses began to be reused from the 1970s onward by shops, galleries, cafés and restaurants. Exchange, Fore and Wharf Streets—the latter cobblestoned and very narrow—are the liveliest, with bars and sidewalk seating in summer.
Commercial Street runs along the water. Fishmongers, lobster companies and the boats that go to the islands and offer bay tours still operate from the piers. This is where the seafood restaurants are, the stalls that sell lobster rolls, and the Casco Bay ferry terminal.
The neighborhood is flat and compact, easy to explore on foot, and serves as a starting point for the rest of the city: the art museum is a ten-minute walk uphill, and Munjoy Hill is to the east.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
Two to three hours to walk the streets and piers; add time for a meal.
Best time
In the late afternoon and evening in summer, when restaurants spill onto the sidewalks. Early morning shows the fishing-boat activity at the piers.
How to get there
It’s in downtown Portland, between Congress Street and Commercial Street. City buses stop nearby, and the ferry terminal is in the neighborhood. Street parking is limited in summer.
Tip
Wear comfortable shoes for the cobblestones on Wharf Street. Remember that menu prices and tags do not include tax, which is added to the bill.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Old Port
What is Portland’s Old Port?
The historic neighborhood by the waterfront, with cobblestone streets and brick buildings erected after the 1866 fire, now occupied by shops, restaurants and bars.
Where to eat lobster in the Old Port?
Seafood restaurants and the stalls on Commercial Street and the piers serve whole lobster and the lobster roll, most in demand during the summer.
Is the Old Port far from the Portland Museum of Art?
No. The museum is on Congress Square, about a ten-minute walk from the Old Port, uphill along the street.