This 5-night adventure for four people is set in the heart of one of Europe’s most captivating cities – Porto, Portugal!

Donated by Heritage Museums & Gardens

This Experience Includes:

• 5-night stay in a 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment for 4 people in Porto
• Walking tour of Vila Nova de Gaia
• Tour and tasting at 3 Port cellars
• Douro Valley wineries and lunch
• Portuguese dinner with Fado entertainment

The second largest city in Portugal and one of the most beautiful places in Western Europe, Porto is a dream destination. Surrounded by beautiful beaches dotting the shoreline, the heart of Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it’s a must-see for any history lover. Porto is one of the most walkable cities in Europe. Though its hills will give you a workout, they will also give you a perfect vantage point to take in the panoramic views of the city. But the city’s world-famous Port wine is what really put this place on the map! Enjoy all this city has to offer: stunning vistas, delicious food, hauntingly beautiful fado music, and a delicious wine you won’t find anywhere else.

Vila Nova de Gaia, or ‘Gaia’ to locals, takes you back to the 17th-century beginnings of port-wine production, when British merchants transformed wine into the post-dinner drink of choice by adding a dash of brandy. Enjoy a walking tour of the part of the city renowned for its Port cellars. Visit three incredible cellars to enjoy tours and tastings, including either Sandeman, Graham’s, Taylor or Ferreira (one of the four) and Espaco Porto Cruz, Churchill’s, Vasques De Carvalho or Quinta do Noval (two of the four). Subject to availability of the respective cellars.

Visit the wineries of Quinta do Portal and Quinta do Tedo on a day wine tour through the gorgeous Douro Valley. Quinta do Portal is a unique, family winery whose vines have been grown in the harsh and beautiful land for hundreds of years. Quinta dos Muros Vintage Port 2016 was awarded both The Port Trophy and The Vintage Port Trophy at the International Wine Challenge 2019. You’ll also visit the 18th-century estate, Quinta de Tedo, surrounded by terraced vineyards that climb high above the dramatic confluence of the Douro and Tedo rivers.

The Douro Valley region is probably Portugal’s most famous wine region and one of the most beautiful and oldest ones in the world, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2001. Soon after leaving Porto, you will know you are in the Douro Valley when you start seeing the breathtaking steep slopes covered with vineyards and roads winding up to the peaks. Wine tasting, lunch at Quinta do Portal, and transportation included.

Savor a traditional Portuguese dinner at Casa da Mariquinhas where you’ll be treated to live Fado entertainment. Fado is generally known for how expressive in nature it is, as well as being profoundly melancholic. The combination couldn’t be more sublime: a delicious and typical Portuguese dinner, while the “fadista” sings her stories, accompanied by the smooth melody of the twelve-stringed Portuguese guitar and the six-stringed viola. Just imagine the superb environment that is waiting for you.

Enjoy a 5-night stay in a lovely 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment for four people in Porto. On the slopes above the Douro Estuary, Porto is a historic mercantile city with business and trade written into its very name. The centre is a World Heritage site, and you’ll be struck by how rich and varied this heritage can be: there are medieval walls, gleaming Baroque churches, the compact streets of the Ribeira district, the Romanesque Cathedral, and that’s just the beginning.