Porto’s most famous export product is port. The city overflows with it. The right bank of the Douro river is teeming with wine bars. On the other shore, in Vila Nova de Gaia, the port houses have cellars full of expensive bottles, while further upstream lies the delightful landscape dotted with vineyards. Make the most of your port sampling with this 3-step approach – spitting is optional.
The region along the Douro river has been producing port since Roman times, for more than 2,000 years. The grapes for this fortified, slightly sweet wine grow in the Alto Douro, a landscape with beautiful wine terraces that have been designated a World Heritage site. In days of yore, the grapes were packed into wooden boats (barcos rabelos) and shipped to the city where they were processed into port. Today, the port houses welcome visitors with open arms, just like the many wine bars in Porto. Ready for a taste?