Guide to Wine Cellars of Real Companhia Velha: Porto Tour
Embark on a guided Real Companhia Velha Porto Tour and learn about the legendary craft of wine making. Real Companhia Velha is one of the oldest wine companies in Portugal, with a rich history spanning over 260 years. Established in 1756 by a royal charter of King Joseph I, the establishment has an impressive legacy of utmost commitment to the fine art of winemaking.
We visited the Real Companhia Velha Port Wine Cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia and can’t wait to share all the insights from our experience!
Guide to the wine cellars of Real Companhia Velha: Porto Tour
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What is the Real Companhia Velha?
Real Companhia Velha is the most emblematic wine company in Portugal.
This Oporto wine company is owned by the Silva Reis family, who boasts multiple quintas or wine estates in the picturesque Douro Valley – the heart of Portugal’s port wine industry.
As mentioned above, these wine cellars are located in Vila Nova de Gaia, a bustling city located along the River Douro across from Porto. With proximity to the waters of the River Douro and the Atlantic Ocean, the wine cellars of Gaia have long enjoyed an advantageous geographical location and favourable climatic conditions.
A number of these iconic port wine houses offer captivating wine cellar tours along with wine tastings, and we highly recommend visiting at least one of these wine caves to soak in Porto’s distinctive port wine cultural heritage.
When in Porto, we got the opportunity to take a classic tour of the Real Companhia Velha Port Wine Cellars and had a great time walking through the wine caves while learning about the history of port wine, along with the elements that go into producing this sweet nectar.
At the end of the tour, we had an opportunity to savour some of the in-house selected port wine.
A visit to Porto’s famed port wine cellars, particularly to the oldest wine company, is an absolute must during your visit to Portugal.
Real Companhia Velha Port Wine Cellars Guided Tour
Real Companhia Velha offers an immersive experience of traversing through their historic port wine cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia. They have been making port wine for over 260 years.
The location of the main ageing warehouse and cellar is also very unique, and it is situated slightly away from Cais de Gaia, where most of the popular wine cellars of Porto are located.
Although you will find their museum on the promenade, the guided tour of Real Companhia Velha Wine Cellar takes place on Rua Azevedo Magalhães, located a 15-minute walk from Jardim do Morro and the upper level of Dom Luis I Bridge.
It is a 20-minute walk from El Corte Ingles Gaia, and 30-minute walk from Porto Cathedral.
We booked a classic tour of Real Companhia Velha. The duration of this guided wine cellar tour is around 1 hour.
We booked the tour via GetYourGuide, which offers free cancellation in case your plans change. You can also choose a gift voucher option (gift cards) if you are giving this experience.
You can choose from a variety of time slots. Guided tours start at 10:15 am and the last one takes off at 4:45 pm. We recommend checking their available slots and hours of operation prior to your trip!
Our tour started with a short video presentation of Real Companhia Velha’s business realm and the Silva Reis family’s enduring, uninterrupted legacy of producing some of the finest port wines.
After this presentation, we stepped into a wine cellar that houses numerous wooden barrels where wine is aged for a period of time that could range anywhere from a few years to centuries. We spent a lot of time inside the main aging warehouse.
Our guide walked us through the incredible chronicle of the vineyards of Douro Valley and the timeless heritage of wine making, along with the aging process in the cellars of Gaia.
Learning about the factors that influence the quality of port wine – from the type of soil and climatic conditions to the grape harvesting techniques and aging process in wooden casks was quite a revelation to us.
We also saw how the wine resting and aging process takes place in the noble wooden casks, vats, and barrels. This was a unique experience, and very different from the popular brands you see at Cais de Gaia.
From here, as we continued our journey through the wine cellar, we arrived at the private wine cellar of the Silva Reis family, complete with over 16,000 bottles of rare, acclaimed Tawny Ports, with the oldest bottle originating in the year 1765 (which is over 260 years old)!
Tawny Ports typically have a lengthy aging process and are characterized by amber-gold color and a distinct nutty flavor.
The private cellar resembles more like a dungeon with narrow corridors that house bottles of rare vintage ports on its side walls. You are guaranteed to be astonished by the sight of different kinds of fungus growth on the exterior of the bottles, which, believe it or not, is conducive to the aging process!
Although we have undertaken numerous tours in various wine cellars in Porto, this private wine cellar walk-through was undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind experience.
At the end of the guided tour, we had an opportunity to sample a selection of port wines in the tasting room. We also got nuts and crackers to complement the wine tastings.
Wine tastings included 4 glasses of port wine – Lágrima Port, Rosé Port, Ruby Reserve, and 10-year-old Tawny Port – Royal Oporto Wine.
Reserve your spot for the classic Real Companhia Velha Port Wine Cellars Tour here!
Booking Classic, Premium, Founders Tour at Real Companhia Velha: Wine tourism
Which Real Companhia Velha Porto tour should you book – Classic, Premium, or Founders Tour? As mentioned above, we booked the basic or the classic tour, and were pretty satisfied with our overall experience.
All the tours are of 1 hour duration, and take place at the same location (sometimes in the same group with the same guide).
The difference in pricing levels is due to the wine samples offered. There is no food or additional drink offerings in these packages. We hope this comparison table below will be handy for that.
| Tour | Duration | Wines |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Tour | 1 | Lágrima Port, Rosé Port, Ruby Reserve, and 10-year-old Tawny |
| Premium Tour | 1 | White Port, Late Bottled Vintage, Tawny Reserve, and 20-year-old Tawny |
| Founders Tour | 1 | White Port and a 10, 20, and 40-year-old Tawny |
Why You Should Visit the Wine Cellars of Real Companhia Velha
Whether you’re a seasoned wine connoisseur or simply curious about Portugal’s rich wine culture, a visit to the Real Companhia Velha wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia is a must. This is not just a tour—it’s a journey through over 260 years of winemaking tradition, royal heritage, and passionate craftsmanship.
Walking through the atmospheric cellars, you’ll uncover the deep-rooted legacy of one of the oldest wine companies in the world, taste exceptional port wines aged to perfection, and gain a deeper appreciation for the intricate process behind every bottle.
So, if you’re in Porto and looking to experience something authentic, educational, and delicious—a tour of Real Companhia Velha is one you won’t want to miss. It’s the perfect blend of history, heritage, and the world-famous flavor of Portuguese port wine.
Travel tip: If time permits, we also highly recommend visiting the scenic Douro Valley, the heart of port wine production. Douro Valley, the oldest demarcated wine region in the world, offers stunning landscapes encompassing terraced vineyards cultivated on the slopes of the valley.
To help you soak in the splendour of the valley during your visit to Porto, check out our Porto to Douro Valley Itinerary.
We are currently based in Porto and have had the opportunity to visit a few of the celebrated wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia. Check out our posts on Wine Cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia and find out more about our experiences and suggestions to best experience this continuing piece of Portuguese legacy.
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