And whereas Gaia’s proximity to Porto earns it additional Brownie factors, it quantities to a lot greater than that. The metropolis spans far additional than its famed wine lodges – and because it’s the third most populous metropolis in Portugal, you’ll end up mingling extra with locals and discovering genuine, untapped gems in case you enterprise out of the vacationer spots.
Where to remain in Vila Nova de Gaia
Tivoli Porto Kopke Gaia
Converted from the previous warehouses of the area’s oldest Port home, the Tivoli Porto Kopke Gaia is maybe Gaia’s most talked-about new opening. Built up from the historic model’s cellars, which have sat alongside the river for the reason that 1600s, it’s the first time Kopke has supplied guests something greater than a small tasting room – now, you’ll be able to stroll above the barrels alongside a lot of the lodge’s corridors. But a cliché wine lodge this isn’t – fashionable artwork fills the halls, and the bedrooms are mid-century impressed with cosy caramel tones. Book a room with a terrace in case you can, to maximise these Douro views.
The Rebello
Just a little additional down the river, you’ll discover The Rebello. Another property capitalising on Gaia’s industrial actual property, the lodge was as soon as a kitchen pan manufacturing unit – now inspiring the title of its in-house restaurant, Pot&Pan, which serves conventional Portuguese dishes with an elevated twist. Here, the rooms are fashionable and multi-functional with tactile textures; every even has a well-stocked kitchenette. Head to the rooftop for bang-on views of the Dom Luis I bridge, the place the lodge hosts sunset periods and barbecues all through the summer time.
Origine Porto Gaia
Gaia’s latest lodge providing is Origine Porto Gaia, a boutique spot with daring interiors and – you guessed it – lovely river views throughout the port caves. Arguably, it has one of many prettiest swimming swimming pools within the space, which, although small, is ideal for dipping on a heat day above the buzzing riverside beneath.
Where to eat in Vila Nova de Gaia
1638
Asturias-born chef Nacho Manzano (of three-star Casa Marcial fame) has formally introduced high quality eating to Vila Nova de Gaia with 1638, the place diners are handled to a sensory multi-course tasting menu combining the chef’s culinary heritage with conventional Portuguese flavours (an Iberian mix, if you’ll). Housed within the aforementioned Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia lodge, you’d be remiss to skip the accompanying wine flight, which options native wines and uncommon Ports from Kopke’s personal cellars.
Porto Ibérico
A 15-minute stroll away from the river (or a brief taxi experience, if Gaia’s slim hilly streets don’t enchantment), the unassuming Porto Ibérico is likely one of the unsung heroes of town’s meals scene. The octopus with chestnut and pistachio risotto is a menu spotlight (although, regardless, you could at all times hunt down octopus when in Portugal), whereas all mains are served with the historically unctuous rice and black beans. For native, cosy fare, you’ll be able to’t go fallacious, although it’s most likely price noting that the restaurant solely accepts money.