Exploring Vila Nova de Gaia in Porto, Portugal!

When I visited Porto I stayed on the north side of the river Douro (at the lovely Menina Colina Guesthouse). My balcony faced south, and looking out across the river, all I could see were orange roofs and brand names of port companies, like miniature Hollywood signs. There didn’t look like much was going on. 

How wrong I was.

South of the river is also known as Gaia, or Vila Nova de Gaia to give it its full name. Given it is literally just across the river I had assumed it was just part of Porto, but it’s actually a city in itself. You can probably spend the best part of a day here, although if you’re planning on visiting a few of the museums on the World of Wine site you might need another half day/ full day depending on how much you want to see. (There will be a forthcoming blog post on WOW, by the way).

Here are some of the things you can get up to in Gaia!

(For full disclosure, if you click and make a purchase through some of the adverts on this page I may earn a small commission. This doesn’t come at any additional cost to you. Many thanks for your support, I really appreciate it!)

 

Visit a Port Cave

As the name suggests, Porto is famous for, well, Port, and it’s here in Gaia that you can visit a real-life port cave, where they make different varieties of port to sell around the world. I spotted at least six different brands as I was wandering around.

I had heard that Sandeman and Cálem were two of the more tourist-friendly ones, so I gave Cálem a go. There are a few different ticket options here. I went for the cheapest option, the Classic Experience (19 Euros) which included two ports to taste, but you could go for three ports; port and chocolate; or even port, chocolate and cheese! If you’re interested in hearing some traditional Fado music along with your port tasting that is also an option too – you can buy tickets on the Cálem website or here if you prefer. 

They had English-language tours every hour, although they do fill up quickly on the day so I would advise booking sooner rather than later. (They also had tours in Portuguese, French and Spanish too). If everything has booked up, you can also try Taylors, which you don’t need to book for (it is self-guided).

 

Start your educational port experience!

We began our tour in a modern self-guided area. This part was very interesting – there were 3D maps and information about the different types of port and their colours. There were some interactive elements too – I had fun trying to guess some of the scents that make up the different port varieties!

You get about 15-20 minutes to look around this section (which is something that would have been good to know before going in, to be honest). Then, you’re taken by your guide to where they store the port. Some of the barrels are huge! Here, you get to learn about the process and how each type is made.

For some reason I had expected the cave to be cold (like a cave I guess?!) but it was actually rather temperate.

 

Tasting time!

Following the tour, which again lasts about 15-20 minutes, you get taken up to the tasting room! Here you’re directed to a seat that reflects the ticket option you purchased, and from there, you’re basically free to enjoy the ports and leave when you’re finished. With the Classic ticket option you get a white and tawny port to try. I think I preferred the white to the tawny personally, but both were delicious!

Once I had finished, it was a quick walk through the gift shop before I emerged out of the darkness and into the bright light of the street outside. 

 

 

Shop for souvenirs or take a boat trip

Along the riverfront there are plenty of tourist shops selling the typical blue and white tiles, cork purses, and colourful pottery. As well as this, when I visited (on a Sunday in July) the entire street was full of market stalls. Here I saw the typical tourist fare, but also some gorgeous jewellery and scarves, too. 

All along the river there are also opportunities to take a boat trip in a rabelo, which is a traditional Portuguese-style boat that was used to carry goods up and down the river. I had taken a boat trip the previous day from the north side of the river and I would recommend getting a boat trip from the Gaia side instead – it was cheaper! 

 

Take the cable car up the hill!

High above the riverfront is a round white building. I wasn’t quite sure what it was, and so as the evening began I thought I would take a trip up the cable car to investigate. As I was feeling slightly sleepy after the port I nearly didn’t bother but I am so glad I did!

A journey on the cable car only takes 5 minutes and it costs 7 Euros one way. Although that seems like a lot for such a short trip, when you realise how much of a trek it would be to get up there otherwise, it suddenly becomes well worth it! 

 

Chill at Jardim do Morro

When I got off the cable car at the top I stepped out into a grassy park with lots of people sitting and drinking. This is Jardim do Morro. This place had such a great vibe. There was a bar selling drinks and playing chilled house music and people were just relaxing and enjoying the views of the Douro. I could have stayed there for hours!

When I visited there was a music festival going on, and as I walked up to the round white building (which turned out to be a monastery) there was a band doing a sound check (Blind Zero). They were really good! I did want to stay until the gig started but as the light was starting to fade I thought it would be best to head back to the hotel.

You can get back to the old town in Porto by crossing the steel bridge from Jardim do Morro, which saves you having to take the cable car/ walk down and also saves you having to hike up the hill on the other side. This is a really cool experience and you get fantastic views of the river. However, you are so high up that it’s also kind of terrifying! You are sharing the bridge with trams that are going by and there are gaps in the flooring through which you can see the bridge and the water below. I was bricking it a bit!  

So yes, maybe not an option if you’ve got vertigo but it’s quite the experience nonetheless.

Travelling to Portugal and thinking of travelling further afield? Read my blog post on what to do in Lisbon here.