Porto: Port Wine Cellar & Food Tasting with Francesinha

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Guide in English10:00, 10:30, 12:30 and 13:00

Guide in English09:30, 10:30 and 12:00

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Inside Porto's Oldest Port Cellar, With the Key in Your Hand

You start at a hilltop viewpoint with a sweet pastry and espresso, then descend into Porto's oldest port wine cellar with the actual key in hand for a four-wine tasting. From there, you move through neighborhood food spots (codfish fritters, tomato rice, the legendary Francesinha sandwich) each paired with local wine or beer. A guide who knows the neighborhood walks you through it all, and by the end you've had seven drinks and tasted the food that makes locals stay. Book with at least one other person, and let them know about any dietary needs when you reserve.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Jardim do Morropass by
2. Portuguese Centre of Photography30m

Port wine tasting and local food sampling

• Start at Jardim do Morro viewpoint
• Enjoy Bishop pastry and espresso
• Unlock vintage room at Real Companhia Velha
• Taste four port wines
• Savor codfish fritter and tomato rice
• Try Francesinha sandwich with Super Bock beer
• Pass by Bordalo II street art

The Experience

"We have the key to the vintage room," the guide said as we stood in front of Real Companhia Velha, and that sentence alone changed how the morning felt. Not a tour where you peer through glass or follow a rope. You're actually going down into the centuries-old cellar, unlocking the room where the oldest Portuguese-owned port wine company keeps its rarest bottles. The tasting that follows is four wines: white, rosé, ruby, and tawny, each one tasting like the years it spent in oak. It's the kind of access that makes you understand why people travel to Porto in the first place.

The day starts earlier, though, at Jardim do Morro in Vila Nova de Gaia, a hilltop park where you can see the whole city spread out below you and the Douro River cutting through it. Breakfast is a Bishop (a puff pastry with sweet egg cream and shredded coconut) paired with espresso strong enough to wake you up properly. After that, the food tour moves through the neighborhood, stopping at places that don't advertise themselves much. Mercearia do Bernardino is one: codfish fritters, tomato rice, a glass of white wine, the kind of meal that tastes like someone's grandmother decided what should be on the menu. Then comes the Francesinha, Porto's legendary sandwich layered with cured meats, steak, melted cheese, all of it drowning in a tomato-beer sauce that shouldn't work but absolutely does. A Super Bock beer on the side, and you understand why locals eat this thing like it's a religion.

Between the food stops, the guide points out things: Bordalo II's street art, where recycled materials become enormous, colorful animal sculptures that somehow make you smile. The pace isn't rushed. You're tasting as you go, which means seven drinks total across the morning: port wine, local wines, Portuguese beer, all paired with the food in front of you. The guide is English-speaking and knows the neighborhood the way someone knows their own kitchen, which restaurant owner is particular about their tomato rice, which wine merchant has been there for thirty years. It's the kind of knowledge that only works if you actually live somewhere.

The minimum is two guests, and if you have dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten-free, or other restrictions). You can email ahead or add a note at booking and they'll work with you. Children under 4 ride free but don't get food included. From 4 up, they get a ticket with tastings. The tour moves on foot through Vila Nova de Gaia, so it's manageable for most fitness levels, and if you need a stroller, that works too. Public transport is nearby if you want to get back on your own.

What’s included

• Behind-the-scenes access to Real Companhia Velha, Portugal's oldest port wine cellar, with a key to the vintage room and a curated tasting of four port wines.
• An English-speaking guide who shares insider tips about the neighborhood.
• Seven tastings and drinks across the morning: a Bishop pastry with espresso at Jardim do Morro, codfish fritters and tomato rice at Mercearia do Bernardino, a Francesinha sandwich with Super Bock beer, plus local wines and additional port tastings.
• Stops at authentic neighborhood eateries and hidden food shops, including a view of Bordalo II's street art.
• Dietary accommodations available with advance notice.

Days and timesMon–Sat · 6 departure times, from 09:30 to 13:00

AgesAges 18+ · 13 to 17 years · 4 to 12 years · Under 4 — No ticket type: can't be added to a booking

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends elsewhereMeeting point, per the operator: “Your guide will be waiting for you on top of the hill, in the center of Jardim do Morro, and wearing our purple Eating Europe bag!”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Eating Europe Food Tours Porto

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to taste port wine the way it's meant to be tasted (in the actual cellar where it's been aging), and eat the food locals eat, guided by someone who knows which restaurant owner cares most about their recipe. The small group size and fixed itinerary mean you're not negotiating stops or timing yourself. The guide handles the route and the pairings.

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Top questions

Can children come?

13 to 17 years; 4 to 12 years. Under 4: no ticket type, they can't be added to a booking.

What exactly is a Francesinha?

Porto's iconic sandwich: layers of cured meats, steak, and melted cheese, covered in a rich tomato-beer sauce. It's usually eaten with a beer on the side.

Do I get to taste the oldest port wines in the cellar?

You taste four port wines (white, rosé, ruby, and tawny) from Real Companhia Velha, the oldest Portuguese-owned port wine company. The vintage room itself is centuries old, but the specific bottles vary.

What if I'm vegetarian or have allergies?

Email ahead or add a note at booking about vegetarian or gluten-free needs, and they'll do their best to accommodate. Severe food allergies that could be life-threatening aren't suitable for this tour due to shared kitchen environments.

Is this a large group tour?

No. The minimum is 2 guests, and the tour is described as small groups with an English-speaking guide who knows the neighborhood personally.

What drinks are included?

Seven drinks total: port wine (4 types in the cellar), local wines, and Portuguese beer, all paired with food stops throughout the tour.

Do I need to be fit to do this?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. It involves walking through Vila Nova de Gaia and moving between food stops, but there's no climbing or strenuous activity.

Can I do this tour alone?

The minimum is 2 guests. If you're traveling solo, contact them to see if you can join an existing group or be rescheduled.