Travel in Oporto this July

[Roman Dashevsky]

Hi,
I need recommendations on places that I can do port tasting an a couple of good restaurants in Oporto
Any input much appreciated

[Andy Velebil]

Hi Roman,

Walking distance across the river in Gaia there is a lot of Lodges where you can walk in, take a tour, and do a tasting of varying levels. Such as Sandeman, Ferreira, Graham's, Dalva, Cockburn's, Croft, Noval, and a host of others.

As far as food goes, for higher end there is DOP, O'paparico, and Artemesia on the Oporto side. Less formal are a couple along the water front in Gaia (they look like mobile buildings). The Taylor Lodge as a very nice restaurant as does the Yeatman Hotel next door.

[Glenn E.]

Walking distance across the river in Gaia there is a lot of Lodges where you can walk in, take a tour, and do a tasting of varying levels. Such as Sandeman, Ferreira, Graham's, Dalva, Cockburn's, Croft, Noval, and a host of others.

As far as food goes, for higher end there is DOP, O'paparico, and Artemesia on the Oporto side. Less formal are a couple along the water front in Gaia (they look like mobile buildings). The Taylor Lodge as a very nice restaurant as does the Yeatman Hotel next door.

+1

I highly recommend the Ramos Pinto tour as well. They have their original headquarters set up as a museum and the guided tour is very good. A couple of the other lodges also have museums, but none are anywhere near the size of the old Ramos Pinto HQ.

Depending on who is working on any given day, you might even get to meet some FTLOP members at some of the lodges. Goncalo Devesas runs the Dalva shop on the waterfront in Vila Nova de Gaia. His brother Gustavo used to be found at the Graham's Port lodge until he changed roles and started travelling much more often. Raul Alex Valle still works at the lodge, I think, so you might meet him there.

Just a block up from the waterfront in Porto is Vinologia, which in the past has been a favorite hangout of many from FTLOP. It is just up the hill from the Pestana Porto which has its own excellent bar downstairs.

As far as restaurants go, I highly recommend the restaurant at the Taylor lodge - the view is simply stunning. I haven't been there myself, but the restaurant at the Graham's lodge is brand new and is supposed to have a similarly magnificent view. And as Andy said, the restaurant at the Yeatman is also superb. I don't remember the names of them either, but those "mobile home"-like buildings on the waterfront in Vila Nova de Gaia are excellent restaurants. Don't pass them by just because they look like fancy taco stands.

[Eric Ifune]

Don't forget the new Burmester Lodge at the foot of the Bridge. Try to make it to Wiese & Krohn as well for the Tawny and Colheitas.

[Roman Dashevsky]

Thank you all for the info!
Roman