A historic cathedral befitting of beautiful Porto…read more Porto Cathedral was the first historic landmark we visited in the city's downtown. It's located on a hilltop with stunning view across the city's bright orange rooftops. Built in the 12th century, the imposing facade once doubled as a fortress church. €3 provided us entry to the free main nave as well as the picturesque monastery cloisters, terrace and courtyard. Gothic cloister walls showcase biblical art made from elegant azulejo blue tiles. We encountered many tourists posing for photos. From there we explored the interior rooms as well as the above terrace which revealed another view of the city with Clérigos Tower and Douro River in the distance. There is also an opulent treasure house with pink Portuguese marble decor. The central nave is flanked with thick Romanesque columns that led us to a main altarpiece richly adorned with gold leaf Baroque wood carvings surrounded by more pink marble walls and steps. Looking up on the opposite end was a massive rose portal window with intricate stained glass. To the left is a silver altar behind a hanging lamp in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament that was saved from the Napoleonic French invasion. Skip it or hit it? It's worth setting aside an hour to explore this important local landmark.

- - - Review of the Porto Cathedral (Se do Porto) located in Porto, Portugal on Weds., October 1st,…read more2025 - 3pm, Visiting from Austin, Texas USA - - - The Porto Cathedral really is something SPECIAL that I highly recommend as a MUST-SEE when in Porto, Portugal! This historical gem, situated on the highest point in Porto, is a Catholic Cathedral known for its beautiful blue azulejo tiles and stunning architectural structure. I took soooo many pics & videos trying to capture just how stunning it is but despite my best efforts, they really don't do this beauty justice (included w/ this review are those pics & videos). Here are a few additional tidbits I wanted to pass along: - - budget friendly entry fee : see pic included w/ this review of the entry fee(s) on 10/01/2025. We didn't purchase our tickets in advance & instead bought our tickets on the day that we visited. - - very cool blue glowing light in the chapel only captured in pics & videos but no glowing light to the naked eye (see pics & videos included in this review) - - reminder to bring some money to leave an offering in the chapel & please be respectful this is a historic place of worship - - multi- level w/ so much to see so give yourself plenty of time to enjoy your visit - - adjacent to the Porto Cathedral is the Cathedral Square (Terreiro da Se') where you can take in the views of the entire Barredo area, the river Douro, and Vila Nova de Gaia Hope this info helps! Till next time, Rebecca visiting Porto, Portugal from Austin, Texas (USA) , October 2025 in celebration of my 22nd wedding anniversary

Clerigos is a Roman Catholic, Baroque-style church that was built in the 1700s. According to its…read morewebsite, its bell tower has a height of 75 meters, and visitors may climb 225 narrow steps over 6 floors to reach the top and enjoy a view of the surrounding city and river. Clerigos is an active church with a mass schedule, but visitors may purchase tickets either on-site or online for self-tours and guided tours. Admission fees vary based on age. Furthermore, behind the church is a museum that was former housing for the clerics and showcases artwork and furniture. During my husband's and my vacation in Porto, our tour guide dropped us off near this church. The building had a narrow footprint and prominently stood taller than the surrounding buildings. The tall tower and the ornate stone carvings looked beautiful.

We didn't climb the 200+ steps for a view of all of Porto's charming chaos, tiled roofs, crooked…read morealleys, and the Douro just flexing below but she was still the central marking and beautiful there she stood. The church is baroque on baroque. Gold leaf for days. The clock tower is consistent and dramatic. Some towns just need one.

Two churches. One facade. Zero personal space. These side by side beautiful churches are separated…read moreby the world's narrowest house (bless that tenant). The Carmo side is tiled and extra while the Carmelitas side is older and more humble. Legend has it, the tiny house in between was built to keep the monks and nuns from getting... too social if you know what I mean. The drama!

If one church visit isn't enough how about a double-church…read more Igreja dos Carmelitas is one of the unique churches in Porto's historic streets, connected to its adjacent twin, Igreja do Carmo. These two churches nearly blend together. Built in the 17th century, the Carmelitas side on the left for nuns is classic baroque. And unlike the Carmo side on the right for monks, entry was free when we visited making it a convenient pit stop between other historic sites. There is even a 3 ft wide narrow house between both churches that traditionally segregated Carmelite monks from nuns. Before going in, admire the elegant azulejo blue tiled wall on one side and the magnificent bronze Fountain of the Lions nearby, thought to be the inspiration for Harry Potter's Gryffindor crest. Inside the church feels quiet and intimate with decor featuring soft gold accents and traditional woodwork. Everything felt restrained except for the gilded main altar with intricate woodwork and a tiered mantlepiece dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Virgin Mary). Skip it or hit it? It's a quick and free visit in this area of Porto worth exploring.

There are so many beautiful churches in Europe and Porto, Portugal is no exception. The…read morearchitecture in this church is so detailed and amazing. It's a definite must visit on a trip to Porto.

What a beautiful church! I can only speak for the outside, becaue we only peeked inside since there…read morewas a small fee. Thait seemed like what most people were doing, but just the facade is a sight to behold in itself. There's plenty of tilework on the exterior of the church to admire and the blues are so pretty! We came by on a Monday at around 4 PM and it was pretty quiet at that time. Good stop to make while in Porto if you're into unique tilework.

The Church of Saint Ildefonso is really a must when visiting the City of Porto. The beautiful tiled…read moreexterior immediately draws the visitor into its ornate interior and exquisite altar. The visit costs one Euro and it's definitely worth it. We were lucky to have been there when there was music playing adding to the atmosphere. I personally loved it so much that just had to return a second time to purchase a souvenir from the shop where I was well taken care of by a lovely gentleman. I will definitely have to come back next year and take the tour of the museum. Muito obrigado to the staff of the wonderful jewel of a place. Ben Urizar - New York, New York

Two churches. One facade. Zero personal space. These side by side beautiful churches are separated…read moreby the world's narrowest house (bless that tenant). The Carmo side is tiled and extra while the Carmelitas side is older and more humble. Legend has it, the tiny house in between was built to keep the monks and nuns from getting... too social if you know what I mean. The drama!

The Rococo Igreja do Carmo, or " Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel " was built in the mid-18th…read morecentury, houses numerous oil paintings and several elaborate gilt altars. The exterior of the church shows a beautiful tile mosaic, added in the early 20th century, depicting scenes relating to the founding of the Carmelite Order. This is not a well- know church as many other in Porto but it definitely deserves a visit. It was classified as a National Monument on May 3, 2013, together with the adjacent Carmelite Church. In recent years, the Order of Mount Carmel sought to open its vast heritage to the public. Initially he opened the "Casa Escondida", considered by local guides as the "Narrowest House in the city of Porto" , and one of the narrowest in the country. Little by little, new spaces were opened, and nowadays visits to the Order of Carmo Tourist Circuit are available. For €3.5 you can visit the House, Church, Catacombs (small), Noble Hall, Hall of Paraments and Sacristy through Casa Escondida, allowing a glimpse of the heritage of the city. This visit is possible from Tuesday to Sunday between 10 am and 6 pm; on Mondays it starts at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. During mess time such visit cannot be conducted.

When ever there is anything big happening in Porto this square is the center of most activity. From…read moreconcerts to protests and everything in between.

Also known as the " Gold Church " this church is absolutely stunning and imposing with its richness…read moreof the guilted wood carving that supports 200 kilograms of gold on the main altar and another 200kg for the rest of the church. It is of Gothic style and became the refuge for the order of Saint Francis of Assisi. It is also a world UNESCO site so definitely a must see. You can also find the Retable of the Tree of Jesse where the upper portion contains an allegory of the church flanked by the Faith and Wisdom. Christ's genealogy is represented in this tree whose roots unfold from Jesse's body. This theme is an interpretation of the Old Testament. You can also visit the catacombe where some real skulls and bones can be seen. The second floor shows some rich rooms that belongs to some noble and supporters of the church.

From downtown Porto, you can ride the metro or just walk, but there is a ramp/incline from street…read morelevel to the higher ground of the Mosteiro. I would recommend timing your visit for sunset as it is an absolutely spectacular view of Porto from here. On the minus side, later in the evening means that the Mosteiro will be closed. [Review 9902 overall, 1480 of 2018.]