The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, La Rioja, Spain, did not only take me to Spain, but also to Portugal. The conference included 3 pre-conference press trips, including one to the Douro Valley, which started in Porto. The Douro Trip was my top choice and I was very happy when I heard that I had been selected. Off to Porto and the Douro Valley!
We flew to Porto a couple of days before the tour started. The organizers of the DWCC, Ryan and Gabriela Opaz, who are based in Porto, where so nice to arrange an optional food tour of Porto with André Apolinário from Taste Porto Food Tours.
See:
The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja, Spain
A Douro Valley Tour from Porto Upstream to the Upper Douro Region, Portugal
Porto
Porto was built along the hills overlooking the Douro river estuary, and its historical center was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1996.
The city is quite varied architecturally, with medieval as well as modern living side by side. Porto's geography is hard on the feet, but pleasant to the eye, despite the incredible number of dilapidated buildings. Across the river from Porto proper is the City of Vila Nova de Gaia, where you could find the Port Wine Cellars, such as Cálem, Fonseca, Sandemans, and Kopke. The luxury Yeatman Hotel is also in Vila Nova de Gaia.
The Porto Food Tour
This 3 ½ hours tour through Porto with 6 stops was great fun. Guide André Apolinário was an engaging and knowledgeable ambassador for Porto. Each stop featured an interesting food experience - from pastries to sandwiches to coffee to wine. Mix in a little history, architecture and great views and photo opportunities and you have a tour that will remain a top highlight of your trip to Portugal.
Ryan Opaz: “Started by four friends united in their love of Porto they found a niche that wasn’t being filled: food. Porto has tours, tours of port wine lodges, old buildings and on big blue buses; but it was the food element that was missing. In fact, they dedicated so much time and energy into this project that Andre is in the process of leaving his civil engineering job so as to pursue this passion full time. I’m impressed by the effort they have put into planning and strategizing on how to build the best tours for people visiting Porto for the first time.”
6 Stops
Loja dos Pastéis de Chaves
The day begins near Bolhão market with the warm flaky pastry of Chaves, a small city in northern Portugal. A savory and sweet tasting that will provide you with the energy and curiosity to start your exploration of Porto.
Bolhão Wine House
Bolhão Market is a truly unique and magical place for tripeiros. Come and get to know why we got this nickname while enjoying a 'moscatel galego' along with some traditional sardines and a homemade pastry.
Café Christina
Since 1804 Café Christina has provided Porto with the caffeine needed to start its day. Enjoy the subtle hints of the in-house blend, find out the coffee order to place to make you sound like a local, and take a sneak peek behind the curtain.
Flor dos Congregados
Upon entering this third generation, family-run restaurant, the smells of a home-cooked meal fill the air. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind sandwich that brings together freshly baked bread, juicy pork loin roasted in spices, with the sweetness of cured ham.
Leitaria da Quinta do Paço
In life, as on the tour, we can't enjoy the savory without the sweet. And so Leitaria provides us with a sweet counter point on our tour through its famous eclairs. Enjoy the light, fluffiness of the cream and sweetness of the chocolate.
Taberna do Largo
Portugal has far more to offer than just Port wine which is why we end our tour with a final taste of the various wine regions of the country. Explore from north to south the little known beauty of Portuguese wines, cheese, sausages and 'petiscos' with products from small local producers.
Bye-bye
schiller-wine: Related Posting
Meeting Up-and-coming Winemaker Rita Ferreira Marques from the Douro Area in Portugal at Screwtop Winebar in Clarendon, Virginia
Meeting Rupert Symington from the Symington Family - One of the Oldest Families of Port Producers
The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja, Spain
A Douro Valley Tour from Porto Upstream to the Upper Douro Region, Portugal