Location: Vila Nova de Gaia
Top Things to do in Vila Nova de Gaia
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10 Budget-friendly Things to do in Vila Nova de Gaia That You Shouldn't Miss
Vila Nova de Gaia, or simply Gaia (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvilɐ ˈnɔvɐ ðɨ ˈɣajɐ]; Proto-Celtic: *Cale) is a city and a municipality in Porto District in Norte Region, Portugal. It is located south of the city of Porto on the other side of the Douro River. The city proper had a population of 178,255 in 2001. The municipality has an area of 168.46 km². and a total population of 302,295 inhabitants (2011), making it the most populous municipality in Norte Region. Gaia together with Porto and 12 other municipalities makes up the commonly designated Porto Metropolitan Area.
Restaurants in Vila Nova de Gaia
1. Porto Augusto's
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,396 reviews
Reviewed By Alberto1102002 - Las Rozas, Spain
Fantastic, great experience and highly recommended. Our guide Sandra explained everything very warmly and solved our doubts. Best part is the final taste. The only thing is that Spaniards always like to eat something while drinking
2. Pocas Vinhos
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 184 reviews
Pocas lies in the hands of the 3rd and 4th generation, being one of the very few Port Wine company that was born Portuguese and still belongs to the same Portuguese family. The Old Tawny Ports have built Pocas’ reputation but DOC Douro wines have been proving their own quality over the last 30 years. Recently, Pocas received the award of “Fortified wine producer of the year 2018” by the Portuguese magazine “Revista de Vinhos”. Additionally, welcoming about 28 000 visitors per year, our Visitor Center has been also distinguished with the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence. We have plenty of different reasons for inviting you to be part of a true family atmosphere, to feel the unforgettable aroma of the noblest wines, and to see up close a real day-to-day cellar routine.
Reviewed By johnmodesto - Modesto, United States
Pocas is far from the maddening crowd, located in a non touristy part of the city, you can take a bus there or walk up from the river. The cellars and tasting room are lovely, the guide friendly, with excellent English and willing to answer questions, she provided a detailed explanation of the different Port styles, this house also produces dry wines which you can try. The basic tour and tasting is 8 euros, for my wife and I we upgraded to a 12 and 15 euro tasting, 3 pours each, which meant we could try six different wines by sharing. The highlight was a 20 year old Tawny, but all the wines were tasty. A world class wine tasting visit and experience.
3. Casa Ramos Pinto
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 919 reviews
Reviewed By nwspm - Altrincham, United Kingdom
We enjoyed the variety of experiences in the different Port houses along the river front in Vila Nova de Gaia. The Ramos Pinto tour was distinctive for the walk through the beautiful old offices of the company. Our guide told us interesting anecdotes about the history of the furnishings and the artwork. The tasting room was comfortable and airy ; we enjoy the wines and bought a bottle of white port and a metal sign of one of the iconic adverts.
4. Taylor's Port
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,767 reviews
Taylor’s, accepted by most wine authorities to be the greatest of all port shippers, invites you to a pleasant and informative tour of its famous lodges at Vila Nova de Gaia. During the tour the visitor will be given the opportunity to learn about the fascinating history of Port wine, as well as that of the House of Taylor Fladgate making it one of the oldest Port companies.
Reviewed By 45philips - Crewe, United Kingdom
Super interesting self guided audio tour, done at your own pace. Well laid out with plenty of photos, maps and diagrams to explain the history and process without getting too technical or boring. No need to book just turn up, we arrived around 11 on a Sunday morning and it wasn’t busy. Fantastic value at €15 a per person for the tour and 2 generous samples one red one white Tasting is in a beautiful garden area where you can also purchase a selection of snacks to compliment the ports you are tasting. Helpful and friendly staff throughout our visit. You can’t visit Porto and not come here.
5. Fado in Porto - Caves Calem
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 387 reviews
Fado in Chiado is a live Fado show – an excellent way to discover culture and the city.Fado is Portuguese and was born in Lisbon. It was adopted by Portuguese culture and is now a symbol of Portugal, with a strong tradition in the historic districts of Lisbon.The hour-long Fado in Chiado show features talented artists – a singer and two musicians (Portuguese guitar and classical guitar) – performing Fado and the music that makes it the national song. The live performances are accompanied by images of unique must-visit locations in Lisbon. It is said that Fado combines nostalgia (saudade), Portuguese pride, hope and conformism in a musical style epitomised by Amália Rodrigues. On account of these unique characteristics, Fado has now been declared part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.Fado in Chiado takes place daily* in the very centre of Lisbon. The hour-long show is the ideal suggestion for seeing live Fado and then taking advantage of the night to discover more of the city.
Reviewed By Ramikat
we saw 4 very talented musicians who put on a great show: a Portuguese Guitar player, a classical guitar player, and a male and a female Fado singer. The show was about 40 minutes, I wish it could have gone on longer!
6. Serra do Pilar Viewpoint
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,291 reviews
Reviewed By The_Loup_Garou - Phoenix, United States
While visiting the Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar we took advantage of the Serra do Pilar Viewpoint, looking down on the Lower Douro Valley, and the City of Oporto, from the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the River, and parts of Vila Nova de Gaia, also. While we had specifically come for the Monastery, the Serra do Pilar Viewpoint was an added bonus. From our hotel, The Yeatman, the walk to the viewpoint is not the easiest. Though we started on high ground, to begin with, we were headed to even higher ground. For probably the most commanding view of all of the Lower Douro Valley, this is the spot! It is not to be missed, and one can throw in Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar as an added bonus. A “two-fer” if you will.
7. Estacao Litoral da Aguda
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 55 reviews
The Littoral Station "ELA" opened to the public in July 1999 at Praia da Aguda, a small fishing village on the Portuguese Atlantic coast, located south of the river Douro estuary in the area of Vila Nova de Gaia.The station is divided into:- a Fishery Museum exhibiting ancient and modern equipment;- an Aquarium displaying the local aquatic fauna and flora;- a Department for Education and Research dedicated to marine ecology, aquaculture and fishery.
8. Zoo Santo Inacio
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 558 reviews
Take a walk on the wild side and visit the biggest and greenest zoo in Porto. There are more than 600 animals and 200 different species, all living in spacious and green habitats.
Reviewed By HighWycombeCouple - High Wycombe, United Kingdom
A hidden gem that is not well signposted, but trust in Google Maps and you will be fine. We went in early February, Winter hours mean it is closed on Mondays, so beware. We were blessed with a sunny day albeit windy. Us, son and his fiancée and their 20 month old daughter. Concessions in theory are for over 65s, but being Portugal grey hair was enough. They were buying season tickets as the zoo is but a 20 minute drive for them and as twos and under are free they intend to make full use of the zoo as a regular place to go. Attractions such as penguin feeding, lion feeding etc start as soon as the zoo opens. The zoo is very much like Chester in the UK being very rare breed and conservation centric, though the site is a bit smaller than Chester. The way the enclosures are designed you get very much up close and personal to the animals. Beware of some of the monkeys as they have a habit of relieving themselves through the bars and if you are under it you will smell the rest of the day. On a peak season day the two car parks would be under pressure. It is downhill to the ticket office so, of course, it is uphill back to the car. Catering is by means of numerous cabins and vans around the whole site and a central restaurant. Low season only the restaurant was open. Well priced, but with what may be seen by some as limited choices. Animals can be adopted and your name appears on the side of the enclosure. The emphasis is on communication of issues surrounding the animals in the wild. With everything that is available by way of attractions and exhibitions the zoo caters for all ages from toddlers through to adults. In sum a great day out for all the family and well worth the 15€ admission.
9. Jardim do Morro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 425 reviews
Reviewed By Bozeman-Dublin - Trim, Ireland
A fantastic viewpoint at the upper cablecar station, one of the best views you will get of Porto. They have landscaped a beautiful park here, including an amphitheatre- like set of curved concrete benches for you to sit on and drink in the view. The best time to go is in the evening as the sun sets. There will be musicians and a great vibe as a combination of tourists and chilled locals meet to chat and watch the sun go down over the Douro and Porto . I loved it here, I went back every evening I was in Porto!
10. Graham's Port Lodge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,498 reviews
RESERVATION REQUIRED. Graham’s Port is owned and managed by the Symington family, ten of whom work in the company (four from the 4th generation and six from the 5th generation of Port producers). They and their ancestors have made some of the greatest Port Wines of all. The magnificent Graham’s cellars were built in 1890 and contain a priceless collection of Port ageing in seasoned oak cascks and in bottle. Visits can only be made by prior appointment so that you will be met on arrival and shown around the cellars by a highly trained guide in the language of your preference.
Reviewed By ddkine - Huntington Beach, United States
Educational tour with a view! Prior to our visit, our favorite port was Taylor Fladgate and we visited their distillery as well. But from an interest/educational and overall value standpoint the Graham distillery tour was much better. It was led by a guide (Taylor’s is self guided) who was very informative and fun to listen to. The tour was followed by a guided tasting as well and there were several options to choose from that was included in the tour price. And you could add to your tasting as well. The tasting room/lodge is located in the perfect place on the Gaia side of the Douro River with excellent views of Porto and Gaia and the river.
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