I've been going to Portugal on average at least annually since 1989. I now have my Portuguese residency card. I love Port. How to explain then that I have been to Porto one time, for less than one day, to see a match at Estadio do Dragao during Euro 2004?
![[shrug.gif]](./images/smilies/shrug.gif "Huh?"){kind=small}
No good answer there, but at least that is about to change.My wife and I are going with two other couples to Porto (and also Lisbon and south of Lisbon, where we spend our time in Portugal) in October. Plan is to be in Porto/VNDG Oct 3-6. Here's where I could use some advice from you all. The group is interested in a cruise up the Douro and seeing some port houses, tasting port, having a meal or two, etc. Ideally, a private tour that we can curate, the less commercial/touristy/pre-baked, the better. Looking online there are tons of boat tours to choose from, which seem pretty canned. (I realize that these start with a drive up to the douro, then some combo of boat time and port house visits, then drive back.)
Can anyone recommend a great private guide/boat, someone to work with to help us make a unique experience (or at least one that is to our preference rather than the stops they have "in the book")? Or, tell me what I'm suggesting isn't the best way to do it...I'm all ears for the input.
We are likely to stay in VNDG, but we're open to suggestions for places to stay, eat, etc. Total novices on Porto after all this time. I know there are lots of threads on here about restaurants, places for port tastings, and have looked at some of those already (Bacchus Vini, e.g.), and no need to recreate those. But any recent views on those topics are welcome as well. We'll have an evening, 2 full days, and a morning, more or less.
Many thanks!
Bryan