Blini

Vila Nova de Gaia

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Overseen by Portuguese star chef José Cordeiro, the Blini is a chic newcomer to Gaia. The reflective cube perches atop a historic town house, its wraparound glass walls affording astonishing views of historic Porto. You might begin with caviar-topped blinis, followed by stunning seafood options, from fresh oysters with lemon butter and samphire to octopus baked in red wine with turnip purée.

With a succinct but special menu and well-edited wine list, insiders are already whispering Michelin star. One to watch.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Decorated interior of church museum of Saint Francis (Igreja de Sao Francisco) in Porto, Portugal. architecture, art, baroque, belief, catholic, church, construction, convent, decoration, destination, district, europe, famous, former, francis, franciscan, francisco, gothic, heritage, historic, historical, igreja, interior, landmark, leading, lines, monument, old, ornamental, orthodox, pattern, porto, portugal, portuguese, religion, ribeira, rich, romantic, saint, sao, site, symmetrical, symmetry, tourism, traditional, travel, urban, view, vintage, wealth, wealthy, world

    Igreja de São Francisco

    0.41 MILES

    Igreja de São Francisco looks from the outside to be an austerely Gothic church, but inside it hides one of Portugal’s most dazzling displays of baroque…

  • PORTO, PORTUGAL - AUGUST 22, 2013: Art deco villa in Serralves Gardens in the city of Porto, Portugal; Shutterstock ID 335447633; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; GL account no.: 56530; Netsuite department name: Online Design; Full Product or Project name including edition: Digital Content/Sights

    Serralves

    2.97 MILES

    This fabulous cultural institution combines a museum, a mansion and extensive gardens. Cutting-edge exhibitions, along with a fine permanent collection…

  • Se Cathedral in Porto, Portugal

    Sé

    0.48 MILES

    From Praça da Ribeira rises a tangle of medieval alleys and stairways that eventually reach the hulking, hilltop fortress of the cathedral. Founded in the…

  • National Museum Soares dos Reis located in the ancient Carrancas Palace, in Porto, Portugal; Shutterstock ID 233117197; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; GL account no.: 56530; Netsuite department name: Online Design; Full Product or Project name including edition: Digital Content/Sights

    Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis

    0.96 MILES

    Porto's best art museum presents a stellar collection ranging from Neolithic carvings to Portugal’s take on modernism, all housed in the formidable…

  • Porto, Portugal - August 25, 2020: Nations Courtyard at Stock Exchange Palace in Porto, Portugal. 1439431854 attraction, building, central, commercial, culture, dome, exchange, historic, historical, indoor, inner, interior, landmark, nations, octagonal, palacio da bolsa, patio das nacoes, porto, portuguese, stock, stock exchange

    Palácio da Bolsa

    0.43 MILES

    This splendid neoclassical monument (built from 1842 to 1910) honours Porto’s past and present money merchants. Just past the entrance is the glass-domed…

  • Jardins do Palacio de Cristal, Porto, Portugal ; Shutterstock ID 233117089; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; GL account no.: 56530; Netsuite department name: Online Design; Full Product or Project name including edition: Digital Content/Sights

    Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

    1.12 MILES

    Sitting atop a bluff, this gorgeous botanical garden is one of Porto's best-loved escapes, with lawns interwoven with sun-dappled paths and dotted with…

  • JUNE 7, 2015: exterior of the House of Music concert hall (Portuguese: Casa da Musica) in Porto, designed by Rem Koolhaas. 1013813857 contemporary, street, blue, sky, architecture, auditorium, building, casa da musica, city, classical, colorful, concert, cultural, culture, design, europe, exterior, hall, house of music, landmark, leisure, modern, music, opera, porto, portugal, portuguese, scene, shape, site, theater, tour, tourism, town, travel, trip, urban, view, vivid

    Casa da Música

    1.87 MILES

    At once minimalist, iconic and daringly imaginative, the Casa da Música is the beating heart of Porto's cultural scene and the home of the Porto National…

  • Detail of Sao Bento Train station in Oporto. The first train arrived here in 1896, but the building (designed with a French Renaissance touch) opened in 1903.; Shutterstock ID 7016608; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; GL account no.: 56530; Netsuite department name: Online Design; Full Product or Project name including edition: Digital Content/Sights

    São Bento Train Station

    0.67 MILES

    One of the world's most beautiful train stations, beaux arts São Bento wings you back to a more graceful age of rail travel. Completed in 1903, it seems…

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Nearby Vila Nova de Gaia attractions

1. Espaço Porto Cruz

0.14 MILES

This swanky port-wine emporium inside a restored 18th-century riverside building celebrates all things port. In addition to a shop where tastings are held…

2. Jardim do Morro

0.16 MILES

The cable car swings up to this hilltop park, which can also be reached by crossing the upper level of Ponte de Dom Luís I. Shaded by palms, these gardens…

3. Igreja de Santa Marinha

0.17 MILES

In the quaint, alley-woven heart of Vila Nova da Gaia sits this whitewashed church. Built in the 14th century, it was given a baroque makeover in the 18th…

4. Teleférico de Gaia

0.18 MILES

Don't miss a ride on this aerial gondola that provides fine views over the Douro and Porto on its short, five-minute jaunt. It runs between the southern…

5. Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar

0.24 MILES

Watching over Gaia is this 17th-century hilltop monastery, with its striking circular cloister, church with gilded altar, and stellar river views from its…

6. Cais da Ribeira

0.33 MILES

This riverfront promenade is postcard Porto, taking in the whole spectacular sweep of the city, from Ribeira's pastel houses stacked like Lego bricks to…

7. Praça da Ribeira

0.34 MILES

Down by the Rio Douro, narrow streets open out onto a plaza framed by austerely grand, tiled town houses overlooking a picturesque stretch of the river…

8. Ponte de Dom Luís I

0.35 MILES

Completed in 1886 by a student of Gustave Eiffel, the bridge’s top deck is now reserved for pedestrians, as well as one of the city’s metro lines; the…