Maria Joao

Sommelier & Chef Extraodinaire

Responds quickly
  • Yo vivo en Porto
  • Hablo English
  • Verificado Anfitrión local
  • Tiempo de respuesta: menos de 5 horas

Hola! Encantado de conocerte

Maria Joao

Maria, 49 years old, born and raised in Porto. I grew up in the city center.

I am a sommelier, international wine taster & judge and also a chef....which basically means I do not complain about my career choices!!!

I will show you Porto's history and traditions through food and wine! Be prepared for curiosities, history, many twerks and an overall good time!

  • Yo vivo en Porto
  • Hablo English
  • Verificado Anfitrión local
  • Tiempo de respuesta: menos de 5 horas

Reserva una de mis ofertas en Porto

Let's explore Porto together! As your local guide, I'll show you the best of Porto on a private & personalized tour for you.

Did you know that I can personalize your experience?

All Withlocals tours are completely customisable to your needs. Just let me know your preferences for a private and personalized experience!

Responds quickly

Reseñas

Suzanne
4 septiembre 2025
We had a wonderful tour! We learned a lot about the people, places and history of Porto from Maria. We enjoyed several tasty treats, and received recommendations for other places to visit and eat during our stay. Learned a lot
Martin
1 septiembre 2025
The tour with Maria made our visit to Porto very special. It was so nice to avoid the generalised museum, church and art gallery visits that so often come with a city tour, and to hear about real life growing up and living in the city. The stop offs to try local food specialities, particularly the fish market, were great, but the wine and cheese tasting (our favourite things!) was the highlight. And to talk to someone so knowledgeable about their subject, but to feel like you are just chatting with a friend, was very comfortable and relaxing. A definite 10/10.
Camila
25 agosto 2025
Our guide mayumi was amazing. She had so much knowledge about the city the history the food and wines. We had many tastings and you can decide yourself what you want and do not want. We leaned a lot and had amazing food and wine. Mayumi was great!!!It was amazing
charlotte
10 agosto 2025
We believe that food is culture, so when we visited Porto for the first time, we were excited to spend a half day with Maria. We tasted traditional Portuguese food and wine at small, family-owned shops and cafes - my favourite was a pantry shop that still runs tabs, where as a child she would pop in for fistfuls of candy after school and ask, "Please just put this on my Grandmother's account" until Grandma put a stop to it! As we wandered through the city, Maria shared Porto's fascinating history often illustrating with personal anecdotes - be sure to walk through the train station and ask how she spent Assumption Day as a child! Savour the city
Peter
6 agosto 2025
Maria is really approachable and open for any conversation. She knows a lot about the places we went to and told about old family stories, the changes in Porto throughout the years. All the tips before the the tour were great and good, and also after the tour she kept advising us when we asked. Most off all during the tour she showed us really nice places, and more then half were visited again by us. Make sure your belly isnt full when you start, because it will be full afterwards. If you are in Porto Maria is the one i would advise to take a tour with on the first day. On a personal note: Maria thanks again, me and Prosnacko had a wonderfull day!
Chris
5 agosto 2025
We had a truly enjoyable food and wine tour of Porto with Maria through Withlocals. From the start, Maria greeted us warmly and instantly made us feel like locals. Our journey began with a visit to a charming neighborhood grocery store that she frequented as a child — a personal and authentic touch that set the tone for the day. We started with a “Romeo and Juliet” tasting — a delightful combination of cheese and jelly — followed by a stop at Ben Bom, where we enjoyed a classic pastel de nata paired with a rich Portuguese coffee. Maria then took us to Minerva for a tasting of premium canned sardines, a local specialty we might have otherwise overlooked. At the Porto Market Hall, we sampled a fresh oyster, followed by a tasting of both red and white local wines. We also tried Ginja, a cherry liqueur served in small edible chocolate cups — fun and flavorful! The experience ended at a cozy bar owned by one of Maria’s childhood friends, where we enjoyed a fish cake, thinly sliced fresh meats, and traditional peasant bread served with refreshing Vinho Verde. Maria was engaging, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about her city. She added a personal touch to each stop, making the experience feel intimate and genuine. This was our first Withlocals tour — recommended by a friend who uses it often when visiting new cities. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, though we felt the food quantity could have been a bit more robust, especially considering the price point of €205 for two people. That said, Maria’s warmth and the local, personal connections made the tour memorable, and we’d happily recommend it to others looking for a more personal, insider’s taste of Afternoon in Porto with Maria
Richard
24 julio 2025
Maria is very knowledgeable about the local town and of the food. We enjoyed talking with her and tasting delicious meat, cheese, port, chocolate and more! Would highly recommmend. We are not big ‘foodies’ and quite picky eaters but still greatly enjoyed it 😉Great experience, well worht it!
Marije
19 julio 2025
Maria is a fantastic guide. She speaks excellent English and introduced us to many Portuguese delicacies – from egg yolk pastries to sardines, oysters, mussels, cured meats, and local wines. Everything was absolutely delicious. We also really appreciated her great sense of humor. A deliciously enriching experience
Aaron
27 junio 2025
Maria did an excellent job guiding us around her neighborhood in Porto. She hit all the things that Porto is known for, pastries, pork sandwiches, cured meats, sardines, etc. and she obviously had relationships with many of the proprietors. Her sommelier background was a great addition. She steered us to some excellent tastings in the Douro Valley the next day.Great experience!
Unknown
11 junio 2025
If you want to have fun, eat good food and wine and get great recommendations, than get a tour with Maria. She gave us a diverse selection of food and places to eat at and we wnjoyed all the food and discussion.A culinary delight in Porto

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