PortoTour.com
Long rows of oak port casks inside a cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia

Port cellars

Vila Nova de Gaia

Port wine is made in the Douro Valley, but for centuries it has been aged in the lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, directly across the river from Ribeira.

The port lodges

Gaia is a separate city from Porto, but most visitors know it for the riverside lodges where port wine has been aged and blended for centuries. Many of the best-known port houses still have cellars here, and most offer guided tours that end with a tasting.

Visiting a cellar

A typical tour lasts about an hour. You walk through cellars full of oak casks and vats, learn how ruby, tawny and vintage ports are made, and taste two or three wines. Tours run in several languages, and popular times sell out in summer, so booking ahead is a good idea.

More to do in Gaia

  • Walk the riverside promenade for the best view back across to Ribeira.
  • Ride the Gaia cable car from the riverside up towards Jardim do Morro.
  • Watch the sunset from Jardim do Morro or the terrace of the Serra do Pilar monastery.

Getting there

From Ribeira, walk across the lower deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge. It takes about ten minutes. Metro line D also stops at Jardim do Morro, at the top of the hill.

Share this
FacebookXPinterestEmailLinkedIn

Book ahead

Compare all tours

Nearby

Also worth seeing

A metro tram crossing the upper deck of the Dom Luís I Bridge above the Douro Landmark

Dom Luís I Bridge

Two decks of iron over the Douro

The double-deck iron arch bridge between Porto and Gaia, opened in 1886. Walk the upper deck for the classic view over Ribeira.

The colourful houses of Ribeira stacked above the Douro, seen from the Dom Luís I Bridge Old town

Ribeira

Porto’s riverside heart

Colourful houses stacked above the Cais da Ribeira, with restaurants along the quay and rabelo boats on the river. The best place to start, and to end the day.

A wide view of terraced vineyards above the Douro River Day trip

Douro Valley

Terraced vineyards upriver

The UNESCO-listed wine region where port grapes are grown, east of Porto. Visit on a day tour, a river cruise or by train.

Explore all places