Historic Bridge, Lookout

One of the most famous bridges in Europe, created by Gustave Eiffel's collaborator in 1886, can be found in Porto. It is the Ponte de Dom Luís I, the King Louis I Bridge, which crosses the Douro River between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia on two different levels. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-most] The lower bridge deck connects the banks just a few metres above the…

Cathedral, Lookout

One of the oldest monuments in Porto is the Roman Catholic cathedral on a hill overlooking the Douro River. The first Romanesque building on the site was built in 1147 and, despite the Gothic elements, was completed in Baroque style almost 600 years later in 1737. Search for the cheapest accommodation in Porto The cathedral is the main Catholic church in Porto and is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Architecture and form …

Church, Lookout

The Baroque Church of the Clergy (Igreja dos Clérigos) is famous for its slender, 76-metre-high tower, visible from almost everywhere in Porto. The bell tower is decorated with 49 bells and there is a public observation deck at the top of the tower. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-clerigos] Architecture and history The magnificent Baroque church bears the…

Church

The church of the Franciscan Order from 1245 impresses especially with its interior. More than 300 kg of real gold was used to decorate the three main naves. The statues and richly decorated columns are only a complement to the interior's uniqueness. The exterior, although originally Gothic (especially the rosette window in the front), has been mostly rebuilt in Baroque style. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt…

Church, Monastery, Lookout

The main landmark of Vila Nova de Gaia, which is effectively just a suburb of Porto on the other bank, is undoubtedly the former convent of Serra do Pilar, which stands on a high cliff above the Douro River. [btn "Hotels with the best views of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-serra-pillar] From the terrace in front of the monastery's walls, the best views are of the Douro River, Porto and the…

Sandy beach, Aquarium, Statue

The most popular beach among the locals is in the Matosihnos district. This beach is by far the widest in Porto, without rocky cliffs and protected on one side by a harbour pier, which causes smaller waves. [btn "Book a hotel by the sea" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-matosinhos] Praia de Matosinhos is the liveliest beach in town, with several bars and restaurants, and in summer it acts as a major…

Palace

One of Porto's main landmarks towers over the Douro River near the main cathedral and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-episcopal] The monumental building and former residence of the bishops of Porto, built at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, is currently open to the public on a limited basis. Architecture and history …

Church

The Carmelite Monastery impresses with its unusual church, which is actually made up of two churches, even from completely different periods. Both of them are impressive both in their interior and in their rich interior decoration. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-carmo] These two churches are connected by a façade about 1 metre wide, which is often claimed to…

Palace

The Exchange Palace is one of Porto's most famous landmarks and can be found next to the Convent of St. Francis. [btn "Book a hotel in the centre of Porto" https://www.booking.com/city/pt/porto.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-porto-bolsa] The palace's grey neoclassical façade, dating back to 1850, may not particularly impress visitors at first glance, but it certainly shouldn't deter you from visiting the magnificent inner halls. The…