Northern Spain & Portugal September 2025 - Help!
Can someone tell me which Gaia House in Porto Tauck uses for their last night dinner? I want to book a tasting tour and dinner at another port house and want to make sure I don’t book the same one. They are booking up fast and Tauck can’t tell me which they use for dinner - which is weird 7 days out. Also, the two afternoons in your own in Porto, what time are you free for the afternoon so we can make other plans and get tickets for tours, etc? (Tauck can’t tell me that either). Thank you!!
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If you are referring to the Barcelona to Porto tour, I believe Tauck takes you to Vila Nova de Gaia. Gaia is across the river from Porto. On a different tour, we had a delicious meal at Taylor’s which I believe was renamed to Vila Nova. I could be mistaken, however.
Clarification - Vila Nova de Gaia is the name of the city across from Porto. I do not know if Tauck still takes you to Taylor’s.
Thank you! Any recommendations for your free time in Porto? Maybe Douro Valley day trip?
Anyone else know where Tauck takes us in Porto or recommendations to fill free time in Porto? Did anyone do a Fado music night or one with dinner ? Or a trip to Douro Valley wineries? Thank you!
We were on the Spain and Portugal trip last year. Tauck’s took us for a tour of Taylor’s sherry facility and we had a lovely lunch there with a Fado singer and guitarist to entertain.
Following is what we enjoyed doing in Porto on other Tauck trips:
Gondola ride for terrific views. São Bento Train Station for its gorgeous azulejo tiles/murals. Livaria Lello Bookstore for its beautiful interior. It is best to have a ticket in advance. If you purchase an item the nominal admission fee will be reimbursed. Cultura Portuguesa for high quality cork products. The Ribeira area along the riverbank is a great place to wander and eat.
For the best Fado music, go to where it originated—Lisbon.
Enjoy.
It has been a few years since we took this tour. I do recall that after the Tuck touring concluded at the riverfront, we visited the Palacio da Bolsa. The visit required a tour of approximately 45 minutes, and the beautiful Arab Room made it worthwhile. We then walked up to the gothic Cathedral. Very nice views from the square adjacent to it.
We did the Porto to Lisbon tour October 2024. We went to Cockburn's for the Port tour in Gaia, did a tasting there. This was an afternoon affair. I don't know if they do a tasting with dinner, but you can look on-line. As for things to do, depends on what you want. We arrived a day and a half early, engaged "With Locals" for a walking street art tour and hired ViaTour for a Tuk Tuk which took us to the city overlook and got to walk on the beach (strange being on the other side of the Atlantic). Make sure you see the rabbit. We walked on the riverfront on Sunday where they had an outdoor market, also rode the cable car, walked the bridge, wandered streets, ate wonderful pastries and yes, even saw the McDonalds (didn't eat there, just went to see beautiful architecture and design). Enjoy.