Gaia's Port Lodges

Porto is renowned for its port wine production, but Gaia, about 20 minutes south on the other side of the Douro River, is home to the cellars (known as caves) where the massive barrels of port wine are stored. Visit one of the port lodges to tour the storehouses and sample port in their tasting rooms to get a feel for the port culture. Grahams (Rua do Agro 15, ((351)-22-377-6484) is a beautiful lodge with spectacular views of Porto and the bridge that connects Oporto and Gaia. It has a working cellar, tasting room and a museum explaining the history of port. Sandeman (Largo Miguel Bombarda 3, (351)-223-740-533), which has been in business for over 200 years, is housed in a historic building alongside the river. Take a tour of the storehouse to see the casks and conclude with a sampling of ports in their tasting room. There is also a seasonal terrace for cocktails. In its fourth century of port storage, Taylors (Rua do Choupelo 250; (351) 223-772- 956) provides audio tours through the warehouses to learn about the cellar’s history, tastings of their ports and a beautiful terrace for enjoying the wine with tapas.