Porto Part 2, May 2026

By Beatrice Wong
June 26, 2026
7:30 pm
No Comments

Porto is filled with churches and monuments and here are some of the ones I visited:

Church of St Ildefonso

Up the hill from Sao Bento train station is the Church of St Ildefonso with blue and white azulejo tiles on its facade. The church has two bell towers and about 11,000 azulejo tiles depicting scenes from the life of St Ildefonso and other religious figures. This charming 18th century church is one of my favorites.

Church of St Ildefonso

Church of St Ildefonso

Capela de Santa Catarina

Capela de Santa Catarina or Chapel of Souls has beautiful azulejo tiles covering its facade and is a favorite spot for tourists and photographers. The azulejo tiles depict different religious stories such as the death of St Francis of Assisi and the martyrdom of St Catherine.

Capela de Santa Catarina or Chapel of Souls

Capela de Santa Catarina or Chapel of Souls

Capela de Santa Catarina or Chapel of Souls

Capela de Santa Catarina or Chapel of Souls

Church of Santa Clara

Church of Santa Clara is a small church built in 1457 replacing a former Franciscan convent. You won’t think much of it looking at its simple and unassuming gothic facade. The opulently beautiful interior woodwork and meticulous gilding really surprised me. The entire interior of the church is covered with ornate rococo and baroque woodwork with angels, saints, cherubs looking down at you. This extravagant update happened in the 18th century in the style known as “Barroco Joanino” during the time when the Portuguese Empire was at its most prosperous.

Church of Santa Clara

Church of Santa Clara

Church of Santa Clara

Church of Santa Clara

Church of Santa Clara

Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Terço e Caridade

Clérigos Church

Sticking out on Porto’s skyline and visible from all over the city, is the 18th century baroque Clérigos Church and its 76-meter bell tower, the Torre dos Clérigos. The church was designed by Nicolau Nasoni based on a Roman scheme with its facade decorated with baroque motifs of garlands and shells. Climb the 240 steps to reach the top of the tower for sweeping views over Porto’s tiled rooftops and the Douro river.

Clérigos Church

Clérigos Church

Clérigos Church

Igreja do Carmo

Another interesting church to visit in Porto is the Igreja do Carmo. The side facade of this Rococo church on Praça de Carlos Alberto is entirely covered with blue and white azulejo tiles that depict the origins of the Carmelite Order and Mount Carmel in Israel. It was built for Carmelite monks in the 18th century. The church looks very large and many people do not know that it is actually made of two churches separated by a 3-foot wide house. The other church is Igreja dos Carmelitas Descalços built in the 17th century for Carmelite nuns. It is said that the house in between serves the old law stipulating that two churches cannot share a wall. Also locals claim that the house serves to keep the nuns and monks apart. The most amazing thing is that people actually used to live in this narrow house until the 1980s!

Igreja do Carmo

Igreja do Carmo

Igreja do Carmo

Igreja do Carmo

Porto Sé Cathedral

Founded in the 12th century and rebuilt and redesigned over time is the Porto Sé Cathedral. The church is built near the original defensive walls and very much resembles a fortress complete with arrow loops and crenellations. Because it was rebuilt over the years, the end result is a mix of a Baroque structure, Romanesque rose window and barrel vaulted nave, and Gothic cloister. This is the most important cathedral in Porto where Dom João I married Philippa of Lancaster in 1387 and where Henry the Navigator was baptised in 1394. Porto Sé Cathedral is also a great place for panoramas over Porto down to the river and across to Gaia.

Porto Sé Cathedral

Porto Sé Cathedral

Porto Sé Cathedral

Igreja dos Grilos

Igreja dos Grilos or Igreja de São Lourenço was founded in the 17th century. Unlike most other churches in Porto, it is stark and simple without any excessive religious decorations. There is a Sacred Art and Archaeology Museum adjacent to the church with its entrance inside the church.

Igreja dos Grilos

Igreja dos Grilos

Church of San Francisco

It is often said that if you were to visit only one church in Porto, it will have to be the Church of San Francisco completed in 1425. The church is one of the oldest in Portugal originally founded by the Franciscan friars. The church has once been a stable during the Napoleonic invasions, then a garrison during the Portuguese Civil War, and then used as a warehouse until the beginning of the 20th century. Now it is also known as the “Gold Church”. The austere Gothic exterior hides a fabulous Baroque interior decorated with intricate panels all covered in gold leaf. The entire inside of the church is filled with cherubs, vines, and all sorts of decorative elements. Especially outstanding are the Manueline-style Chapel of St John the Baptist and the 18th century Tree of Jesse. I thought photography wasn’t allowed but many people were openly taking photos with their phones, so of course I couldn’t resist and took a few with my phone.

Church of San Francisco

Church of San Francisco

Church of San Francisco

Church of San Francisco

Church of San Francisco

Church of San Francisco

Church of San Francisco

Church of San Francisco

Palacio da Bolsa

Right next to the Church of San Francisco is Porto’s neoclassical old stock exchange, Palacio da Bolsa. It was built on the grounds of the cloisters of the St Francis Church after it burnt down in 1832. The interior is impressive and filled with decorative carvings, frescoes, chandeliers, and sculptures. The large central courtyard, Pátio des Nações, is enclosed in glass with a glass roof to let in natural light. Do take the half hour guided tour to visit the Golden Room, the General Assembly Room, and my favorite, the Arab Room decorated in Moorish style inspired by the Alhambra and gilded with gold where official receptions were once held.