WOW: World of Wine in Porto

The acronym—WOW—is not a coincidence. Porto’s World of Wine is massive in scale, broad in ambition, and opulent in design. Although there are more authentic wine and cultural experiences to be found in the north of Portugal, none has this kind of, well, wow factor.

The project represents a €100 million investment by the Fladgate Partnership, the owners of Port wine brands like Taylor’s, Croft, and Fonseca, and the adjacent Yeatman hotel. The ambitious plan, designated a Project of National Interest by the Portuguese government, transformed 55,000 square meters of old cellars in the heart of the historic wine district in Vila Nova de Gaia into a world-class exhibition, culture and gastronomy center.  

WOW houses no less than six museums, called experiences, with themes like wine, cork, chocolate, fashion (considering that Porto is the heart of Portugal’s garment industry), and the The Bridge Collection, featuring a vast array of centuries-old drinking vessels and glasses..

To dine and sip some wine, WOW has nine restaurants and bars, including 1828 fine dining restaurant the Golden Catch fish restaurant, Root & Vine vegetarian restaurant and the spectacular Angel’s Share wine bar.

The complex also includes event spaces, temporary exhibition space, retail shops, and a wine school.

Not only is WOW a good rainy-day alternative for tourists in Porto, but it’s also aiming to be a cultural district for locals. It certainly has some killer views.

For more information, visit the WOW Porto website.

WOW Porto
Rua do Choupelo 39
Vila Nova de Gaia
Porto

Phone:  +351 220 121 200
Email:  info@wow.pt

Opening Hours:  9:00 to 24:00
Experiences: Monday to Friday – 12:00 to 19:00; Saturday and Sunday – 10:00 to 19:00

Entrance to the WOW cultural center is free