What to Visit

The Clérigos Church and Tower 

The Clérigos Church and Tower (18th century) is a notable architectural complex located in the city of Porto, Portugal, and is considered the city's postcard. It integrates three main elements: the Clérigos Church, the Clérigos Tower and the Brotherhood House, which connects the church and the tower and once housed other services of the Clérigos Brotherhood. Designed by architect Nicolau Nasoni, this complex is one of the most notable examples of the late-baroque style in Portuguese territory and has been classified as a National Monument since 1910. It is considered Nasoni's most emblematic work, incorporating, in the granite ornamentation, "a dynamic rococo morphology alongside lines of vernacular, if not epimannerist, continuity". The most striking architectural elements of the complex are characterized by the irregularity and exaggeration of shapes, which create a surprising scenic effect. "The irregular plans, the wavy facades stand out, highlighted by a contrast of projections, balconies and recesses, interrupted arches, and a great profusion of varied windows, complemented by the exuberant bell tower". Nasoni was buried in this church, in which he dedicated a lot of time and dedication, and in the extensive rehabilitation carried out recently, a crypt was revealed where his tomb could be found.

The Palácio da Bolsa 

The Palácio da Bolsa, or Palácio da Associação Comercial do Porto, in the city of Porto, in Portugal, began to be built in October 1842, due to the closure of the Casa da Bolsa do Comércio, which temporarily forced Porto traders to discuss your business on Rua dos Ingleses, in the open air. With a mix of architectural styles, the building presents, in all its splendor, traces of 19th century neoclassical, Tuscan architecture, as well as English neo-Palladian architecture. Nas still inside and covered in gold. Headquarters of the Porto Commercial Association, it now serves the city's most diverse cultural, social and political events. The Arab Room has the greatest prominence of all the rooms in the palace due, as the name suggests, to the 19th century stuccos labeled in gold with Arabic characters that fill the walls and ceiling of the room. It is in this hall that tributes to heads of state who visit the city take place. In the Portrait Room there is a famous table by the carver Zeferino José Pinto that took three years to build, proving to be a "highly qualified example in all the international exhibitions in which he competed".

The Crystal Palace  

The Crystal Palace (1865–1951) was a building that existed in the former Torre da Marca field, in the parish of Massarelos, in the city of Porto, in Portugal. Opened in 1865, the original Crystal Palace ended up being demolished in 1951 to make way for the Sports Pavilion, today the Rosa Mota Pavilion. The Crystal Palace, designed by the English architect Thomas Dillen Jones, was built in granite, iron and glass, using London's Crystal Palace as a model. It measured 150 meters long by 72 meters wide and was divided into three naves. 

Sé do Porto

Its construction began in the first half of the 12th century, and continued until the beginning of the 13th century. This first building, in Romanesque style, underwent many changes over the centuries. The general character of the facade with the towers and the beautiful rose window dates back to the Romanesque period, in addition to the body of the church with three naves covered by a barrel vault. The vault of the central nave is supported by flying buttresses, the Porto Cathedral being one of the first Portuguese buildings in which this architectural element was used. In the Gothic period, around the year 1333, the funerary chapel of João Gordo, knight of the Order of Hospitallers and collaborator of D. Dinis, was built, buried in a tomb with a recumbent. The cloister also dates back to the Gothic period (14th-15th century), built during the reign of D. João I. This king married D. Filipa de Lencastre in the Cathedral of Porto in 1387. The exterior of the Cathedral was greatly modified in the Baroque period. Around 1736, the Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni added a beautiful Baroque galilee to the side facade of the Cathedral. Around 1772, a new portal was built to replace the original Romanesque one. The balustrades and domes of the towers are also baroque. To the left of the chancel, there is a magnificent silver altar, built in the second half of the 17th century by several Portuguese artists. This was saved from French troops in 1807 by means of a hastily constructed plaster wall. Also in this left area, the medieval image of Our Lady of Vandoma (patron saint of the city) is especially notable. In the 17th century, the original Romanesque chancel (which was equipped with an ambulatory) was replaced by a larger one in Baroque style. The main altar, built between 1727-1729, is an important work of the Johannine Baroque, designed by Santos Pacheco and sculpted by Miguel Francisco da Silva. The mural paintings in the main chapel are by Nasoni. The south transept gives access to the 14th century cloisters and the Chapel of São Vicente. A graceful 18th-century staircase by Nasoni leads to the upper floors. The Cathedral includes three beautiful bodies. One of them, in the alto choir, marks a period in Portugal that began organic development. It is an instrument by the builder Jann, the same as the organ in the church of Lapa (Porto), both promoted by the effort and initiative of Cónego Ferreira dos Santos.

Livraria Lello 

Livraria Lello is located at number 144 Rua das Carmelitas, in the Historic Center of the city of Porto, in Portugal. Classified as a Monument of Public Interest, and in the process of becoming a National Monument, Livraria Lello preserves the original beauty of its building. The neo-Gothic façade, the iconic red staircase, the emblematic stained glass window and the shelves full of books from the most diverse eras and in different languages ​​have attracted thousands of visitors. Being one of the oldest Portuguese bookstores, and due to its unique historical and artistic value, Livraria Lello has been recognized as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world by several personalities and entities, cases such as the Spanish writer Enrique Vila-Matas, from the British newspaper The Guardian, the television station CNN, and the Australian travel guide publisher Lonely Planet. Travel + Leisure magazine also placed Livraria Lello at the top of the list of the "coolest" bookstores in the world.

The 516 Arouca Bridge 

The 516 Arouca Bridge, located in the municipality of Arouca (municipality of the Metropolitan Area of ​​Porto, the Northern Region and the district of Aveiro) in Portugal, is the third longest suspended pedestrian bridge in the world with 516 m long, after the suspended Sky Bridge 721 in the Czech Republic[1] and Baglung Parbat (576 m) in Nepal. Its name is a reference to its length in meters (516) and the municipality where it is located (Arouca). The bridge crosses the Paiva River and by 16 m surpasses the Europaweg or Charles Kuonen Bridge, opened on July 29, 2017, with a length of around 500 m and which connects Grächen and Zermatt in Switzerland.