Porto, Portugal

OK! I know in the Month 2 Abroad Q&A blog I said Lake Como was my favorite destination…well that just changed! Porto is everything! The Douro, the wine, the port, the food, the churches, the city, the sunsets!!! Everything!! And the people couldn’t be nicer! We even took a very special day trip out to the Douro Valley to visit the vineyards that produce the port.

One Port, Two Port, Three Port…Floor!

For a girl who loves wine, I know little to nothing about port wine or table wines from Portugal. So to learn, you might as well go right to the source.

Back in the day, grapes for wine and port were grown up in the Douro Valley and then sent down the river in boats to be stored, aged, and eventually bottled in the lodges and caves down in Porto and Gaia. You can spend days visiting all of the tasting rooms and get tours of their facilities. While we were in Porto we visited Graham’s, one of the most prestigious and awarded port wine brands. We got a full education…and a full “barrel” of giggles after we tasted their lengthy flights.

Im not a convert but I certainly have a deeper appreciation for port. Especially white port, something I didn’t even know existed. It’s rarer to find outside of Portugal but if you come across a 10 yr aged white, get it!

Trust me, stay in Ribeira! Just do it!!

Whatever you do, wherever you stay…make sure this is in your view at all times. I cannot even begin to explain the beauty that is Gaia and the Ponte Luis bridge from the Riberia neighborhood. This picture was taken from our Airbnb and every time I walked past the window I would say to Dave, “Can you believe this view!?!?”. If I said it once, I said it 1,000 times. Even on the day that was misty gray and cloudy, still gorgeous!

Tip: Walk the top of the bridge, it’s pedestrian and tram only (but don’t look down). Once you cross over to Gaia you’ll find all of the Port caves and lodges for your tasting pleasure. And to feed your belly have a sunny lunch on the Douro at UVA by Cálem – it’s not Michelin starred but should be. Bottom line, be prepared to be awe struck by view, a guaranteed good time, and memories to last a lifetime.

Barros Family Port Estate

I have a feeling that when our year abroad comes to an end, our time in Douro Valley at Quinta São Luiz will be the most memorable experience by far. My cousins, Lindsay and Meghan are Barros which just so happens to be one of the oldest Portuguese wine families in the country dating back to over 100 years ago. The estate was kind enough to roll out the red carpet for us to document a private behind the scenes experience and over the top tasting with their most precious and priced ports. We were allowed to tour the families original home that is now being converted into a boutique hotel as well as the family church. Both of these buildings are from the beginning of the 19th century to include the first vine that is 95 years old (seen below). The most heartwarming thing to hear is that the family is the only one in Douro Valley that is committed to hiring Portuguese workers instead of cheaper labor to give locals more opportunity.

Note: I know without a doubt our Grandmother and their Father were looking down on us the day we visited the estate because Meghan went into labor and gave birth her second daughter! We are excited to welcome Baby Rilynn as the newest addition to the Barros family tree.

Douro Valley

If you ever come to Porto and can’t stress enough that taking the 1.5 hr drive out to the the Douro Valley is well worth it. Truth be told, the landscape puts Napa to shame. We went in mid October and the vines were changing from green to vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds. Seeing that color run up and down the huge mountains that rise out of the Douro River was absolutely breathtaking.