In a country with such a strong catholic influence, religion is bound to play an important role in society. As a result, you will find thousands of churches spread across the country. Even in the remotest of villages, where the nearest hospital is a 2-hour drive away, a church will stand tall and be a matter of pride among locals! In Porto, the second biggest city in Portugal, and particularly in the city centre, churches lure from every corner, and you will bump into a new place of worship every couple of steps or so.
But don’t sweat it! So that you don’t get lost amidst such an extravagant collection, we’re here to help you with our list of the 5 churches in Porto that you absolutely must visit:
São Francisco Church
Photo by: oportoblog
Sparkle, sparkle! At first glance, you might be mistaken by its humbler gothic stone façade, but as soon you set foot inside the Church of São Francisco your jaw will automatically drop, as everything seems to be covered in freakin’ gold! The figures, the altars and even the walls, nothing seems to have escaped the magic touch of Midas. The church is open everyday between 9am and 6pm, but you’ll need a ticket in order to see its interiors. Standard admission price is 4,50€.
Rua do Infante D. Henrique, 4050-297
ALSO: Book A Porto City Center Tour And Discover The Best Of Porto (29€/person)
Capela do Senhor da Pedra
Photo by: oportoblog
If you’re into dark-tourism, then this is a place you’ll want to check out! Built among the rocks of the secluded Miramar beach, this is by far the most scenic church on our list. However, despite how beautiful it looks during the day, this church is popular among locals for what allegedly happens there once the sun sets, as there have been reports of people witnessing acts of witchcraft and other obscure practices. The chapel is open to visitors during the day and admission is free of charge.
Alameda do Sr. da Pedra, Gulpilhares
Porto Cathedral
Photo by: Raphael Alvim
As one of the oldest buildings in Portugal, the Porto Cathedral (aka Sé do Porto) introduces itself as the city’s most important church. Built in the 12th century, the free-to visit cathedral is quite popular among visitors for its outstanding rose window, several chapels and intricate altars, some of which were kept hidden during the French Invasion to avoid looting. Oh, and the fact that it stands right next to one of the city’s most pleasant viewpoints (Terreiro da Sé) doesn’t hurt either! The Cathedral is open everyday between 9am and 7pm.
Lapa Church
<Photo by: Raphael Alvim
Finished in 1863, after 107 long years of wait, this beautiful late baroque church is mostly known for keeping the heart -literally- of one of the city’s biggest heroes, D. Pedro IV. This liberal Portuguese king commanded the city’s troops during the siege organized by his tyrant absolutist brother D. Miguel, who at the time had at his disposal a more numerous and better equipped army. However, and despite being surrounded by enemies for over a year, Porto did not fall under the command of D. Pedro IV, hence earning its eternal moniker “A Invicta” (The Undefeated). You can pay a visit to this church, every day, between 9am and 6pm. Just be careful not to visit during lunch hours, as the church is closed between 12am and 3pm.
Capela das Almas
Photo by: oportoblog
Finally, if 16.000 pieces of Portuguese tile don’t catch your eye, then nothing will! Appropriately located at Rua de Santa Catarina, the patron saint in honour of which this small church was built, the Capela das Almas is famous for the artsy panel made of Portuguese tile that covers pretty much its entire exterior. If you look carefully, you’ll realize the panel is depicting the life story of St. Catherine! The chapel is open everyday between 7h30am and 7pm, tough it’s also closed to visitors during lunch time (1pm-3pm). Last, but certainly not least, this is yet another place of worship where no ticket is required.
So, what is your favourite church in the city? Are there others worth mentioning? Let us know!
