Espaço Porto Cruz

The Porto Cruz Space celebrates the culture of Port wine by combining modernity and tradition. It is a place for information, exhibition and leisure that pairs Port with creations in fashion, art and gastronomy, with permanent content and a seasonal programme.

The building faces Porto and the River Douro from a privileged spot on the Gaia riverfront, a meeting point for traders and fishermen since medieval times. Dating back to the 18th century and restored in 1881, it was rehabilitated in 2012, inspired by the "Woman in Black", to pay tribute to Portuguese culture through its artists.

The commercial area offers the PORTO CRUZ wines, wine related objects and books on Port and the Douro, plus four short films free to watch. The permanent exhibition shows, in short films, the vineyard cycle from grape to glass, an aerial journey from the Douro to Porto and Gaia and six questions about Port. It also includes a schist sample to touch, an installation by architect Álvaro Siza Vieira on the terroir and works by sculptor Carlos Barreira.

In the tasting room next to the auditorium, a professional sommelier guides multisensory tastings of different lengths, supported by a multitouch screen.

DeCastro Gaia, under Chef Miguel Castro Silva, serves Portuguese appetizers to share, paired with Porto Cruz wines, in an informal yet refined setting. The rooftop crowns the visit with views over the Douro and the Porto and Gaia riverfronts, and a bar guided by Paul Ramos of the Cocktail Academy offering new ways to taste Port.