Porto's Wine Trail

Vila Nova de Gaia bodegas include such well-known names as Sandeman, Osborne, Cockburn, Kopke, Ferreira, Calém, Taylor's, Barros, Ramos-Pinto, Real Companhia Velha, Fonseca, Rozès, Burmester, Offley, Noval, and Graham's. All are signposted and within a few minutes' walk of the bridge and each other; their names are also displayed in huge white letters across their roofs. Most bodegas offer free guided tours, which always end with a tasting of one or two wines and an opportunity to buy bottles from the on-site shop. Children are usually welcome and are often fascinated by the huge warehouses and clunky old machinery. From April through September, the major lodges are generally open daily 9:30 to 6, taking a break for lunch. The rest of the year, tours start a little later and end a little earlier. The tourist office at Vila Nova de Gaia offers a small map of the main lodges and can advise you on hours of the smaller operations. Some lodges also have restaurants with quite sophisticated menus; a prime example is Taylor’s Barão Fladgate (Rua do Choupelo 250 223 742 800 www.tresseculos.pt), whose location uphill means its garden and terrace afford magnificent views of Porto.