Porto

Sites to See…Clérigos Tower, Porto (Portugal)

August 12, 2020 By International Lodging Corporation

Clérigos Tower is one of Porto’s most iconic landmarks and one of the most visited monuments in the city. Construction of the bell tower began after the Clérigos Church was completed in 1750. The church and tower were built for the Brotherhood of the Clérigos (Clergy) and were designed by the Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni, who also designed the Porto Cathedral, Episcopal Palace and Church of Mercy (Igreja da Misericórdia). Nasoni is buried in an unmarked tomb in the crypt of the church.

The bell tower measures 76 meters high (249 feet) and is the tallest bell tower in Portugal. It was the tallest building in Portugal when it was completed in 1763. As you ascend the 240 steps to the top you will pass the 49 bells of the tower. The outdoor observation deck at the top of the tower offers panoramic views of all of Porto and the Douro River.

The Clérigos monument includes the Tower, the Church and a Museum located in a space that was the private House of the Brotherhood. All three areas are open daily from 9:00am to 7:00pm, and the Tower is also open from 7:00pm to 11:00pm for visitors who want to enjoy the views of the city at night. For more information on visiting hours and tickets, click here.

For assistance with your travel plans, including hotel and private tour reservations, click here.

Cheers…Graham’s Port Lodge, Porto (Portugal)

September 18, 2019 By International Lodging Corporation

No visit to Porto would be complete without visiting one of the many wine lodges that are located across the Douro River in the Vila Nova de Gaia area. While the grapes are grown in the Douro wine region located to the east of Porto, after the harvest they are transported to Porto and the actual production of wine takes place in the wine lodges located in Porto. So even if you don’t have enough time to take a trip out to the wine region, you don’t have to miss out on doing a wine tasting and learning about the history of Port wine.

One of the lodges that welcomes visitors is Graham’s 1890 Port Lodge. W&J Graham’s was founded in 1890 and continues to be a working wine cellar. Grahams was acquired by the Symington Family and is the only remaining British Port company independently owned by a single family. The building currently houses over 2,000 pipes (oak casks) and 40 tonels and balseiros (large oak vats) of ageing Port wine, as well as extensive cellars of Vintage Port, ageing in bottle.

Visits to the lodge are by reservation only and can be requested online in advance. The hour and a half guided tours are offered in a number of languages (including English) and conclude with a wine tasting. Visitors can choose from a variety of tasting options of Classic, Premium, Vintage or Tawny Ports. If you are interested in a more intimate setting you can book a tasting in the Vintage Room, where a more select group of Super Premium and Luxury wines can be tasted, including rare Vintage Ports and Aged Tawnys. Visitors can sample Port wines in the the wood-paneled room that has the cozy feel of a library in a manor house and order snacks to accompany their wine selections.

Graham’s also has a museum and a shop that offers a wide variety of Graham’s Ports as well as Ports and Douro DOC wines produced at other Symington Family Quintas. Vinum Restaurant & Wine Bar is a highly rated restaurant that offers panoramic views of the river and the historic center of Porto.

Tours of Graham’s 1890 Port Lodge are by advance reservation only.

Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Phone: 22 377 64 90 or 22 377 64 92
Website: Grahams
Click on Visit Graham’s Lodge for the link to book a tour

For assistance with your travel plans, including hotel and private tour reservations, click here.

On the Menu…Tapabento, Porto (Portugal)

August 7, 2019 By International Lodging Corporation

Tucked away on a narrow cobblestone street alongside the São Bento train station is the restaurant Tapabento. This charming tapas restaurant offers a wide variety of home-cooked food, served in a warm and welcoming ambiance. The easiest way to find the restaurant is to look for the crowd of people standing in the street to the left of the train station entrance, as they are most likely waiting for a table to open up at Tapabento.

Tapabento is a family-owned business and a labor of love of the owner Isabel, who will most likely be the one to greet you at the door. Her personality is warm and outgoing, and she welcomes diners to the restaurant as if she were welcoming you into her home. Although the restaurant space is tiny, the same can’t be said for the menu, which is full of a broad range of Portuguese, Spanish and other Mediterranean inspired food. Dishes include a velvety roasted pumpkin soup, classic Spanish tortilla, foie gras toast, citrus marinated tuna toast, sauteed mushrooms and glazed Alentejo black pork cheeks – and those are just the starters! Main dishes include a tasty duck breast, vegetarian wild rice, curried seafood stew, and traditional baked cod. Other daily specials and seasonal dishes are offered, so be sure to ask your server about any additions to the menu.

The one thing you should not miss out on at Tapabento is the Peanut Foam on the dessert menu. The name does not fully do it justice, as it is a heavenly treat made with layers of peanut mousse and ice cream, drizzled with melted caramel sauce, and topped with peanut brittle – it tastes like a sophisticated Snickers candy bar. This dessert is a perfect end to a delicious and comforting meal.

Demand is high for the small number of tables in this cozy restaurant and even the handful of seats at the bar fill up quickly, so reservations are a must.

Rua da Madeira, 222
Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 222 034 115 / 912 881 272
Website: Tapabento

For assistance with your travel plans, including hotel and private tour reservations, click here.