Grape Discoveries, Porto

I was in Porto only for the day and did the food and wine tour. I am so happy I did. It was an amazing way to see the city. We walked through much of the center stopping along the way to eat yummy cheese and pastries and taste olive oil and chocolate. Our guide, James, was super knowledgeable and had curated a wonderful mix of stops. We went to a beautiful old pastry shop, a traditional port store where the owner gave us port and a really amazing sheep/goat cheese, a really beautiful cheese shop, a wine shop where we got very generous tasting pours of a red, rosé, and white, an olive oil shop, and a chocolate (the beans come from Sao Tome e Principe) shop. I was with friends and it was a wonderful way to spend time together while seeing Porto and tasting yumminess. The highlight was the olive oil tasting where the olive oil sommelier (yes, this is actually a real thing) taught us everything about the different variations of olive oil, what extra virgin really means, and how to tell the good from the bad. Aside from all the yumminess, I just had a really good time with my friends and felt by the end, that in a limited time, I had a good sense of Porto.

Having a perfect day is a rare thing when you visit a new city. This is exactly what the wine+food tour in Porto was for us: an exciting experience that combined fine tasting and dining with walks among some of the most beautiful streets and places in this city. I felt lucky to enjoy the tourist crowds as well as hidden medieval streets barely marked by a street lamp or a staircase. The treats were appetizing and representative of Portuguese cuisine: local pastries and coffee, cheese, nuts, plentiful wine, olive oil, and fish. If you visit Porto, you can't miss this tour. You get in a few hours what others may get over several days: food, drinks, great company, a fun and knowledgeable tour guide, and incredible photo ops.