Graham’s Port Lodge

On the hill above the quays of Vila Nova de Gaia, the lodge of Graham’s keeps one of the oldest Port houses of the Douro, founded at the beginning of the nineteenth century and owned since 1970 by the Symington family. From its cellars the view runs over the river to the old city of Porto.

Two centuries of Port

The lodges of Gaia exist because the wine came down the river from the Douro vineyards to mature near the sea, and Graham’s cellars hold the rows of oak and the vintages of two centuries. The visit runs from the history room to the tasting, and the house’s museum of bottles keeps vintages of the great years of the region.

On the Gaia hill

The lodge stands a short climb above the quays where the rabelo boats landed, between neighbouring houses like the Caves Sandeman and the cable car that links the river bank to the gardens of the hill. Across the water, the Ribeira and the cathedral close the classic view of the two cities.

What to see

• The cellars of oak vats and old vintages
• The view over Porto from the hill of Gaia
• The history room of the house founded in 1820
• The tastings of Port in the lodge
• The quays and cable car of Vila Nova de Gaia below

Practical information

The lodge stands on the hill of Vila Nova de Gaia, opposite the Ribeira of Porto, reached by the lower bridge deck or the Gaia cable car. Bookings for visits and tastings are recommended; check the official website before travelling.

Image credit: Graham’s Port Lodge by Ewan Munro from London, UK — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.