Vila Nova de Gaia Port Wine Lodges

Across the river from Porto, the south bank is lined with the lodges where port wine has been aged and stored since the 17th century. The names on the warehouses read like a roll call of British merchant families who came to Porto and never left — Taylor's, Graham's, Sandeman, Cockburn's — because port wine was essentially invented by the English, who added brandy to Portuguese wine to survive the sea voyage home and accidentally created something extraordinary.

Most lodges offer tours and tastings, and the experiences range from casual (Sandeman's quick tour with a glass of tawny) to extravagant (Taylor's multi-vintage tasting in a terrace overlooking the city). The cellars are fascinating regardless of which you choose — vast, dark, cool warehouses stacked with barrels that have been sleeping for decades. Some of the oldest vintages have been ageing since the 19th century, and the angel's share — the wine that evaporates through the barrel — has stained the cellar walls and ceilings black with a fungus that feeds on alcohol vapour.

The waterfront along the Gaia side has been transformed from working docks into a promenade of restaurants, bars, and tasting rooms. Walk uphill behind the lodges to the Jardim do Morro for a view back across the river to Porto's skyline that's especially good at sunset. The easiest way to get here is to walk across the upper deck of the Dom Luís I bridge and take the cable car down to the waterfront — a short ride that gives you an aerial view of the lodge rooftops and the river below.