Porto Wine ToursTaylor's Port Cellars Tour: Self-Guided Visit With Three Ports
A Taylor's port cellars tour is a self-guided way to get inside one of the founding port houses of Vila Nova de Gaia. The ticket from GetYourGuide costs $28 per person and covers a self-guided walk through the renovated cellars, an audio guide on your own phone in 13 languages, and a tasting of three ports in the garden: Chip Dry Extra Dry White, Late Bottled Vintage and 10 Year Old Tawny. You go at your own pace over two to three hours. There is no live guide, no hotel pickup and no food. This page explains what you get, what the day feels like, and who should book a guided lodge tour instead. To see how this ticket sits against every other option, browse the Porto wine tours on the homepage.
About This Tour
Taylor's was established in 1692 and its 300-year-old cellars are on Rua do Choupelo. The ticket buys you entry to the renovated cellars, an audio guide that plays on your phone after you scan a QR code, and three glasses at the end.
The visit is self-paced. You choose the date and hour when you book, arrive at the cellars, and walk through with your headphones on. The tasting finishes in the garden with views over Porto.
$28 per person on GetYourGuide, with reserve now and pay later available.
2-3 hours, self-paced, at the date and hour you select.
Taylor's Port Cellars, Rua do Choupelo 250, 4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia.
Self-guided. The audio guide runs on your phone via a QR code in 13 languages, so bring headphones and a charged phone.
One lodge, Taylor's, with three ports poured: Chip Dry Extra Dry White, Late Bottled Vintage and 10 Year Old Tawny. Children get a Douro grape juice.
Food is not included. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. A masterclass option needs booking at least 24 hours ahead and is subject to confirmation.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times depend on the date you pick, and the listing flags the ticket as likely to sell out. Opening hours on bank holidays may vary.
Quick answer The short answer
The Taylor's port cellars tour costs $28 per person, lasts 2-3 hours and ends with a tasting of three ports in the garden. It is self-guided: an audio guide in 13 languages plays on your phone after you scan a QR code.
Key takeaways
- Bring headphones and a charged phone. Reviewers say the audio volume is low, and nothing else on the tour makes sound for you.
- There is no live guide. If you want a person answering questions, look at Graham's Port Lodge Tour or the Poças Port Cellar Tour instead.
- The cellars are at Rua do Choupelo 250. See how to get there in Vila Nova de Gaia.
- Not sure between every lodge and cruise? The full port wine tours Porto lists price, duration and pours side by side.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $28 ticket covers one lodge and three glasses. Lunch is not included, and the masterclass is a separate option.
Included and Not Included
The listing is clear about what you buy. The price covers entry to the Taylor's cellars, the audio guide on your phone, and the tasting. It does not cover food, drinks beyond the three glasses, transport to Vila Nova de Gaia, or a live guide.
The masterclass is a separate option with no price in the listing that must be booked at least 24 hours ahead, is subject to confirmation, and runs in English and Portuguese only. If the tasting on an empty stomach worries you, eat before you arrive, because there is no meal on this tour and no snack mentioned in the inclusions.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Self-guided cellar visit | Yes | Renovated cellars, at the date and hour you select |
| Audio guide, 13 languages | Yes | Plays on your phone via a QR code. Headphones recommended |
| Chip Dry Extra Dry White | Yes | 1 glass at the end of the visit |
| Late Bottled Vintage | Yes | 1 glass. The listing notes Taylor's created this style |
| 10 Year Old Tawny | Yes | 1 glass to finish |
| Grape juice for children | Yes | 1 from the Douro Valley |
| Food or lunch | No | Not included. Eat before or after |
| Hotel pickup | No | You make your own way to Rua do Choupelo |
| Masterclass | No | Optional, book 24 hours ahead, English and Portuguese |
What You May Pay on the Day
Nothing is compulsory beyond the ticket. Getting to the cellars costs money if you take the Gaia Cable Car, and the masterclass is a separate option with no price in the listing. Extra glasses or snacks at Taylor's are not described in the listing, so treat any purchase on site as optional and unstated.
Sources: IVDP, Port wine categories, Gaia Cable Car prices and timetable
A giant Taylor's-branded oak tun standing in the Taylor's lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia. Photo: Gilles Messian from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
There is no fixed route with a guide. You arrive at your booked hour and the cellars set the pace.
Arriving on Rua do Choupelo
You make your way to Taylor's Port Cellars, Rua do Choupelo 250, in Vila Nova de Gaia. Because it is a self-guided ticket at a selected hour, there is no guide waiting for you and no group to find. You show the mobile ticket from the GetYourGuide app, which is available immediately after booking with no printing required.
The Cellars, at Your Own Pace
Inside, you scan the QR code and the audio guide plays on your phone. It comes in 13 languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Danish, Chinese, Dutch, Polish, Korean and Russian. The commentary covers the history of port wine, how it is produced, the Douro Valley and the house of Taylor Fladgate.
You also hear how Taylor's pioneered the first Dry White Port presentation and created the Late Bottled Vintage style. The surfaces are uneven and steep in places, and the listing warns the activity may challenge anyone who has difficulty walking. Reviewers say the audio volume is low, so good headphones matter.
Three Glasses in the Garden
The visit ends with the tasting: one glass of Chip Dry Extra Dry White, one of Late Bottled Vintage and one of 10 Year Old Tawny, taken with views over Porto from the garden. Children receive a grape juice from the Douro Valley. After the last glass you are free to leave.
The listing states no return point and no return time, because there is nothing to return to. You can add a second lodge afterwards. The whole thing fits inside the stated 2-3 hours, and you can move faster or slower since nobody is leading you.
Visit Taylor's Cellars and Port Wine Tasting Room
The house's own film of the cellars and the garden tasting room. Third-party video by Taylor's Port. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
This ticket works well for independent travellers, and poorly for anyone who wants a live guide, food or an easy walk from the river.
Check This List Before You Book
Several things are simply absent from this tour. If any of them matter to you, pick a different listing rather than hoping it appears on the day. Children get a Douro grape juice instead of the three ports.
No minimum age is stated for entry.
- No live guide. The audio guide on your phone is the whole commentary. If you want a person, book Graham's Port Lodge Tour or Poças Port Cellar Tour.
- No food. If you want a meal built in, the Porto Food and Wine Tour includes a full meal of petiscos.
- Only one lodge and three pours. To walk three port houses with seven tastings, take the Port Wine Lodges Walking Tour.
- Uneven and steep surfaces. Wheelchair and stroller access is not stated, and anyone with difficulty walking may struggle.
- No hotel pickup. You make your own way to the door.
- The listing mentions a small group option and gives no group size. For a guided visit, see the Cálem Cellar Tour.
- The garden tasting is outdoors, so the weather is yours to wear. No indoor fallback is stated.
A long cool corridor of aged port casks in the Taylor's cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. Photo: Ray in Manila, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There and Adding a Second Lodge
The cellars sit on the Gaia side of the river. Three routes get you there, and several lodges nearby make a good second stop the same afternoon.
Crossing to Rua do Choupelo
From Ribeira, the simplest route is on foot across the lower deck of the Ponte Luís I, which carries pedestrians as well as public transport. From the Gaia end you can ride the Gaia Cable Car down toward the riverside, at €7 one way for an adult and €3.50 for a child aged 5-12, with a round trip at €10. The ride takes 3 min 45 s between Jardim do Morro and Cais de Gaia, and Andante tickets are not valid on it.
Alternatively, take Metro line D across the upper deck to Jardim do Morro and walk down. A Z2 single Metro ticket costs €1.40, plus €0.60 for the Andante card. From any of these points, walk on to Rua do Choupelo 250.
| Route | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| On foot, lower deck of the Ponte Luís I | Free | Pedestrians use the lower deck. On foot to Rua do Choupelo 250 |
| Gaia Cable Car, one way | €7 adult, €3.50 child 5-12 | Jardim do Morro to Cais de Gaia in 3 min 45 s, Andante not valid |
| Metro line D to Jardim do Morro | €1.40 Z2 single, €0.60 card | Stops at the Gaia end of the upper deck, then walk on |
A Second Lodge the Same Afternoon
Taylor's is one of many port cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, so a second visit is easy to add. All of the following sell their own visits, priced on their own sites. Burmester sits right by the bottom of the Ponte Luís I, open 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-19:00, with a Classic Tasting at €22 for 2 ports or a Premium Tasting at €23 for 3 ports with chocolates.
Ferreira on Avenida Ramos Pinto opens 10:00-12:30 and 14:00-18:00, with a 50-minute Porto Ferreira Visit at €23 pouring 3 ports. Ramos Pinto offers a guided visit with Classic Tasting at €20. Quevedo pours a Porto Discovery tasting at €16 per person for 40 minutes, minimum 2 people.
Burmester takes 10% off its tasting options for the 10:15, 10:30, 13:15, 13:30 and 13:45 time slots. For more options, see the full guide to port wine cellars in Porto.
| Lodge | Cheapest listed visit | What it pours |
|---|---|---|
| Burmester | €22 Classic Tasting | 2 Port wines, guided or self-guided cellar tour |
| Ramos Pinto | €20 with Classic Tasting | 3 Ports, museum and cellars |
| Ferreira | €23 Porto Ferreira Visit | 3 Ports, 50 minutes |
| Quevedo | €16 Porto Discovery | 4 Ports, 40 minutes, minimum 2 people |
Step by Step
The listing gives no fixed clock times, because the visit is self-paced at your chosen hour. Here is the shape of the 2-3 hours.
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Start
Arrive at Taylor's Port Cellars
Reach Rua do Choupelo 250 in Vila Nova de Gaia at the hour you selected. Show the mobile ticket in the GetYourGuide app. No printing required.
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Next
Scan the QR code and start the audio guide
The visit runs on your phone. Put in headphones, pick one of 13 languages, and begin the self-guided route through the renovated cellars.
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During the visit
Port history and production
The commentary covers the history of port, the production process, the Douro Valley and the house of Taylor Fladgate, established in 1692, including the Dry White Port first and the creation of the Late Bottled Vintage style.
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End of the visit
Tasting in the garden
Three glasses: Chip Dry Extra Dry White, Late Bottled Vintage and 10 Year Old Tawny. Children receive a grape juice from the Douro Valley. Views over Porto.
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End
Leave when you like
No return point and no return time are stated. You can add a second lodge, since Burmester is by the bridge and Ferreira and Ramos Pinto sit along Avenida Ramos Pinto.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of a $28 self-guided ticket at one of the big Gaia houses.
What we genuinely like
- The price of $28 per person includes the cellar visit, a 13-language audio guide and three ports, with a grape juice for children.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later.
- You set the pace over 2-3 hours, at the date and hour you select, with no group to keep up with.
- Taylor's dates to 1692 and created the Late Bottled Vintage style, so the house story is a real one.
- The mobile ticket is available immediately after booking, with no printing.
The honest downsides
- The audio guide plays on your phone and reviewers say the volume is low. Bring proper headphones and arrive with a charged battery, because a dead phone means no commentary.
- There is no live guide to ask questions, which is exactly why some travellers should book Graham's Port Lodge Tour instead.
- The meeting point is the cellars themselves on Rua do Choupelo, an uphill street with uneven and steep surfaces, and no wheelchair or stroller access is stated.
- Three glasses over 2-3 hours with no food included is a thin afternoon if you want volume. The Port Wine Lodges Walking Tour covers 3 houses with 7 tastings.
- The masterclass needs booking at least 24 hours ahead and confirmation is not guaranteed.
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers who want a live guide, food, several lodges in one outing, or step-free access.
Questions About the Taylor's Port Cellars Tour
How much does the Taylor's port cellars tour cost?
The GetYourGuide ticket is $28 per person and includes the self-guided cellar visit, the audio guide and three ports. Food and transport are not included, and the masterclass is a separate option with no price in the listing. For other price points, compare all Porto wine tours.
Do I need headphones for the Taylor's port cellars tour?
Yes. The visit runs through a QR code on your own phone, and the listing recommends headphones for a better experience. Reviewers say the audio volume is low, so bring a charged phone too. See Vila Nova de Gaia for the route to the cellars.
Which ports do you taste on the Taylor's port cellars tour?
Three glasses: Chip Dry Extra Dry White, Late Bottled Vintage and 10 Year Old Tawny. Children receive a grape juice from the Douro Valley. New to the styles? Start with what is port wine.
How long does the Taylor's port cellars tour take?
The listing states 2-3 hours, self-paced, at the date and hour you select. There is no guide setting a rhythm, so fast walkers finish sooner. The Cálem Cellar Tour is a shorter, fully guided alternative of 1 hour.
Is there a live guide at Taylor's?
No. The audio guide on your phone is the commentary, in 13 languages. If you want a person leading and answering, the Poças Port Cellar Tour is a guided visit with 3 ports for $26.
How do I get to Taylor's cellars from central Porto?
Walk across the lower deck of the Ponte Luís I to Gaia, ride the Gaia Cable Car (€7 one way for an adult), or take Metro line D to Jardim do Morro for a €1.40 Z2 ticket. Rua do Choupelo 250 is the address. More crossings are described under Ponte Luís I.
Can I cancel the Taylor's port cellars tour?
Yes. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. The masterclass option needs booking at least 24 hours ahead and is subject to confirmation. Browse the full port wine tours Porto for the cancellation terms of every listing.
What Travelers Said
Brilliant. The audio guide is very interesting and the tour covered all the stages in Port production. The garden setting for the Port tasting was excellent.
Very detailed and interesting - enjoyable and informative tour and the port tastings, in the lovely, shaded gardens in the company of Erica Maria the resident peacock/peahen (and Paolo, the helpful and personable waiter) was lovely. Recommended
The self guided tour allowed us to view the cellar at our own pace. The facility is very well maintained and the gardens at the end were beautiful and provided a very relaxing area to enjoy the port tastings. There is also a beautiful shop and private rental spaces. Lovely experience.
Lovely visit. Very informative especially in the cellars. Beautiful garden for the tasting which was an experience. The staff were very knowledgeable and fun! It was a great experience.
Great tour. Self guided with audio means you can go at your own pace. Tasting at the end of the tour is in their manicured gardens where you can take your time and enjoy the port. Absolutely one not to miss if you are at all interested in port.
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