18 Views
Porto provides a number of the greatest rooftop bars in all of Portugal if not all of Europe. That is thanks partially to town being overloaded with breathtaking views of the Douro River in addition to architectural wonders just like the Dom Luis I Bridge and the Clérigos Tower.
But it’s not simply the incredible views that make the rooftop bars so enticing. The metropolis of Porto can also be residence to most of the greatest wine cellars in Western Europe. This has drawn oenophiles and grasp mixologists to the realm, who provide their elevated takes on traditional cocktails in Porto’s eating places and bars.
If you happen to’re planning a Porto meals tour. I strongly recommend testing a number of of the next rooftop bars.
Douro Sky Lounge
Picture credit score: Glenda
The Douro Sky Lounge sits atop the Vincci Porto Lodge, providing up beautiful river views with the Ponte da Arrábida within the background. It’s recognized for being common with locals in addition to vacationers.
The out of doors décor is an eclectic mixture of bar stools and couch lounges. With spots the place you may sit again to get pleasure from a quiet dialog with a buddy or stand out in a busy throng of individuals.
The Douro Sky Lounge maintains a busy schedule with dwell music and a number of other particular occasions. Together with watch events timed round large match days.
They provide a tasty appetizer menu with loads of fascinating tapas, and elevated burgers. It’s an ideal place to get a light-weight chunk to eat or have a full meal whereas having fun with one in all their fastidiously crafted cocktails.
After I was there, I ordered a refreshing Cattier Blanc sangria, made with white wine, triple sec, watermelon, and strawberry. Strawberries had been in season on the time, and it gave the sangria a beautiful summertime aroma.
Whereas it has an indoor part that is still open all yr lengthy, the out of doors terrace is the place to be from April to October.
Douro Sky Lounge (€€€) – Rua Alameda Basilio Teles, 29-33 Lodge Vincci Porto, Porto, Protugal 4150-127 – Open daily from 1:00 PM to 11:30 PM.
Rooftop Flores
Picture credit score: Rooftop Flores
Rooftop Flores is the right place to get pleasure from a mild glass of wine or a spritzer after having fun with a day touring the Misericórdia Museum. It’s arguably not the type of place that’s going to attract a large crowd, which makes it fitted to slowly having fun with a glass of port wine as you ease into your night.
The environment is relaxed with natural parts that mimic a rooftop backyard. The entire time you’re surrounded by a panoramic view of the guts of Porto, the Luís I Bridge, and the Porto Cathedral.
Rooftop Flores additionally has a comfortable inside space, which might turn out to be useful if the climate takes a flip for the more serious. It’s accessible year-round, whereas the rooftop bar is often solely open from April to October.
The rooftop bar provides a big selection of Portuguese wines, port wine, and artistic cocktails that use fortified port wine as the bottom. I had a port wine spritzer that was surprisingly energetic. Its effervescence added a refreshing lightness to the wealthy, candy port, making it a crisp and invigorating drink.
The best way the port is fortified with grape spirits kills the energetic yeast earlier than fermentation is full, whereas additionally boosting the alcohol content material. The pure grape sugars left within the port carried over in a method that gave the spritzer extra sweetness and fuller physique than a spritzer constructed from an unfortified wine like French burgundy.
Rooftop Flores (€€€) – Rua da Vitória 177, 4050-634 Porto, Portugal – Open daily from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
LIFT Rooftop Through Catarina
Picture credit score: Marcelo Oliveira
The LIFT rooftop bar on the 14th flooring of the Through Catarina boasts a number of the greatest views of Porto. It’s an ideal place to chill out after a day of buying exploring the Bolhão Market, or Through Catarina.
The al fresco ambiance feels slightly bit such as you’re sitting in a fastidiously tended yard backyard. The lounge furnishings and tables are cleverly arrange round residing greenery in a method that’s open sufficient so that you can benefit from the view. But it nonetheless feels personal sufficient to have a heart-to-heart dialog with a detailed buddy.
LIFT operates as a rooftop restaurant & bar through the heat months of the yr. Their menu focuses on gentle meals with flavorful açaí bowls, cheese boards, and seasonal salads.
The mixologists at LIFT have a well-earned fame for artistic cocktails and refined grownup drinks. I attempted a Hawkins cocktail that had a candy-like sweetness, but it wasn’t so candy that it was cloying.
LIFT Rooftop Through Catarina (€€€) – Rua Santa Catarina 312 a 350 – 14 piso, Parque de Estacionamento, 4000-443 Porto – Open Monday to Thursday from midday to 11:00 PM. Open Friday and Saturday from midday to midnight. Open Sunday from midday to 10:00 PM.
The Yeatman
Picture credit score: Yeatman
The Yeatman is arguably the very best resort and restaurant in Vila Nova de Gaia. It additionally hosts a bespoke rooftop bar with a fame for providing luxurious wines from a number of the greatest wine cellars in Portugal. Whereas it’s meant to cater to the Yeatman’s visitors, individuals who aren’t staying on the resort are welcome to benefit from the rooftop bar and restaurant.
The rooftop bar and out of doors pool space are usually open from April to October. Even within the colder months, there’s an indoor bar and lounge that gives the identical high-end wines, and cocktails.
I ordered a wood-aged classic port wine sourced from a Douro Valley winery. The fortified aguardiente brandy used to fortify the port gave it a sturdy physique and heady aroma. It put me completely within the temper to drink within the pretty sundown on the finish of a protracted day.
The Yeatman (€€€€) – Rua do Choupelo, Vila Nova de Gaia, 4400-088, Portugal – Open Sunday to Thursday from 10:00 AM to Midnight. Open Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM.
VINUM Restaurant & Wine Bar
Picture credit score: VINUM
The VINUM restaurant & wine bar is a part of Graham’s Port Lodge which nonetheless maintains its nineteenth century wine cellars. So, I already knew it was an ideal alternative to attempt a few of Portugal’s greatest vintages. I additionally suppose Vinum’s rooftop bar space provides one of many extra charming terrace areas in Porto with a number of the greatest river views of the Douro.
Vinum’s rooftop bar is surrounded by greenery and pure vegetation which supplies it an natural really feel through the peak of summer season. The tables and lounges are thoughtfully arrayed with inexperienced areas and different décor parts to supply a way of privateness.
I used to be impressed with their intensive wine record which has one thing to cater to any second or finances. If you happen to simply wish to take the sting off a protracted day you will get a easy glass of port for as little as 5€. If you would like a very bespoke wine expertise you will get a Forties Single Harvest Port.
I used to be there for one thing to tide me over till supper. I had a glass of Muscadet with some oysters from the Ria Formosa lagoon. The Muscadet had a brilliant acidity and minerality that completely complemented the briny taste and seaside aroma of the oysters.
Vinum (€€€) – Rua do Agro 141, 4400-003 Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto – Open daily from midday to 1:00 AM.
The Auge Porto Palácio Lodge
Picture credit score: Auge
The Auge Lounge serves because the rooftop bar for the Porto Palácio Lodge. It’s additionally a restaurant, with a devoted high-end wine cellar which permits visitors to get pleasure from a glass of wine whereas having fun with views of the metropolis of Porto and the Douro River.
The Auge Lounge can also be an extension of Chef André Silva’s Michelin-starred restaurant. Thus, permitting you to style a number of the greatest Portuguese delicacies within the metropolis.
A lot of the bar space is enclosed by huge floor-to-ceiling home windows. This offers you the sensation of being outdoors, whereas nonetheless having fun with a climate-controlled atmosphere.
On nice days when the wind is low, they open the wood-decked terrace space. It’s an ideal place to chill out and have a cocktail whereas ready in your desk, or to get pleasure from an after-dinner glass of port wine.
Their in-house mixologist Pedro Paulo is thought for his signature cocktails that use fortified port wine as the bottom. Nevertheless, I selected a Lágrima White which is a considerably unusual fortified white port wine from the Douro Valley. The grape spirits gave it a light-weight floral element. The pure sugars within the wine had been completely candy, with out being too candy.
The Auge Porto Palácio Lodge (€€€€) – Av. da Boavista 1269, 4100-130 Porto, Portugal – Open daily from midday to midnight.
Chunk Rooftop Gaia
Nestled within the Ribeira neighborhood of Porto, Chunk Rooftop Gaia is my favourite rooftop bar for watching the sundown. It’s not a extremely popular bar, which makes it nice for getting away from all of the crowds.
The out of doors bar space is cozy, with pure vegetation that give every seating space slightly little bit of a personal really feel. If you would like a late supper with a sundown view, you may order meals from the Chunk Restaurant menu. Even when the formal kitchen is closed, the rooftop bar nonetheless provides an ideal collection of snacks. Most pair properly with their in-house collection of wines and curated cocktails.
The final time I used to be at Chunk Rooftop Gaia, I timed it to have the ability to get pleasure from a drink on a transparent night to observe the sundown with a buddy. We ordered a bottle of Carvalhais Encruzado from the Dão area of Portugal to sip and catch up.
The Encruzado grapes it’s constructed from gave the wine a brilliant citrus taste and acidity. It went completely with the salty, fragrant rosemary fries I ordered as a sundown snack.
Chunk Rooftop Gaia (€€) – Rua De Cabo Simão 10, Vila Nova de Gaia 4430-033, Porto Portugal – Open daily from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Conclusion
There are some nice rooftop bars to contemplate including to your subsequent Porto meals tour. The Douro Sky Lounge is a good place to start out. You possibly can get pleasure from a cocktail, and perhaps even catch a giant match day crowd to get you into the vitality of town.
If you happen to’re in search of one thing extra relaxed, the LIFT Rooftop Through Catarina or the Chunk Rooftop Gaia may be the right rooftop bar to fit your tastes. If you happen to’re an oenophile, otherwise you’d identical to to discover the total spectrum of Portuguese wine, VINUM restaurant & wine bar in Graham’s Port Lodge is a rooftop wine bar worthy of a go to.
