The Disney World of wine for families, Oporto in Portugal was absolutel the top place I reecomend everyone whould visit. It ihas everything.
The Portuguese are keen on visitors, keen on the British. The Port wine facotries had many British founders and traded with England the the UK is still a prime market for Port and Portuguese wines.
The WOW complex is on a steep hillside one one side of Oporto. The public car park is at the bottom of the hill and from the terrace you get a wonderful view over Oporto and the bridges over the river. Porto of course is the city grown up at the estuary. Wines grown on the steep hills inland could be sent by road or rail but the river route was directo and quicker.
The river is wider than the perilous sheer drop roads which snake up and down the inland hillsides even today. You would not want your wines bouncing along the potholed and avalanche prone rock srewn roads road when the barrels could sail smoothly down the river.
The WOW complext has something for everyone including chidlren and non-drinkers.
The shops sell hats, tee-shirts, aprons, socks, chocolates.
You could start at the chocolate museum. Or the cork museum.
The history of wine is equally fasinating.
We booked a gourmet lunch with matching wines.
Outside on the terrace you can order cheaper snacks such as chocolates. Watch the peacocks parade past and display their feathers.
