My Visual Travel Experience: Porto

During our two week trip to Portugal in 2012, my wife and I spent three days in and around Porto. We spent a day in the main city, a day in the Douru Valley just outside the city, and a day visiting the nearby Bom Jesus Do Monte Church. The beautiful churches of Porto, the stunning vineyards around the Douro River and the magnificent Bom Jesus Do Monte Church all left us with wonderful memories of the northern region of the country.

Porto, also called Oporto, is the second largest town in Portugal after the capital Lisbon, and has a population of approximately 235,000. It lies to the north of the country along the Douro River estuary. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the city’s west. In 1996, the historic city centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Porto is famous for its Port wine, which is grown in the vineyards of the nearby Douro Valley.

Porto was a major port during the Roman occupation of the Iberian peninsula. In the 8th century, Porto was occupied by the Moors. In 868, Count Vimara Peres founded the country of Portugal and re-established Christian rule. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Porto was known for its shipbuilding. It was also an integral part of the Portugese Age of Discovery, as many navigators set off from the port of Porto to discover far-off unexplored lands.

In 1809, Napoleon’s troops brought war to the city. The population fled from the city and tried crossing the Douro River across a pontoon bridge. This led to the bridge collapsing. The French forces were eventually driven out of Porto by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.

In 1828, Miguel I took over the throne of Portugal. He reigned as an absolutist monarch. A civil war was fought from 1828 to 1834. Miguel I finally abdicated, and the liberal constitution was re-established. In 1891, there was a revolt against the monarchy which led to the overthrow of the monarchy in 1910 and the setting up of the republic. In 1919, there was a counter revolution in favour of the monarchy and Porto was the capital of the restored kingdom. This did not last beyond a month. No pro monarchy revolution ever took place again.

Porto's Town Hall is a splendid neoclassical building, built between 1920 and 1956. It has a monumental clock tower and is one of the city’s best known landmarks.

Town Hall

Praca de Liberdade is a large square in the heart of Porto. Its history goes back to the early 18th century. The Monument to Pedro IV lies in the centre of the square, showing an equestrian statue of the monarch holding the constitution.

Pedro IV Statue, Praca de Liberdade

Se do Porto was completed in 1737. The cathedral has two bell towers. It has a treasury with valuable religious artefacts. The cathedral also has a grand rose window.

Se Do Porto

High Altar, Se Do Porto

Crucifix in the Treasury, Se Do Porto

Silverware in the Treasury, Se Do Porto

Igreja dos Clerigos was completed in 1763 and has a tower with a height of 75 meters. 240 steps lead visitors to the top of the tower, for stupendous views of the city. The church was built for the Brotherhood of the Clergy. It has a rich baroque interior.

Igreja dos Clerigos

High Altar, Igreja dos Clerigos

View of the Town Hall from the summit of the tower at
Igreja dos Clerigos

Igreja dos Congregados is a church built in 1703. known for its tile panels on the exterior.

Igreja dos Congregados

Pulpit, Igreja dos Congregados

Igreja de Santa Clara is a catholic church whose construction began in the 15th century. The church has been expanded several times subsequently over the next few centuries. The interior of the church is covered in gold and polychrome.

High Altar, Igreja de Santa Clara

Ceiling, Igreja de Santa Clara

San Bento Station was completed in 1916. The main attractions of the station are the tile panels showing scenes from the country’s history and depicting rural scenes.

San Bento Station

Ponte Dom Luis I is a bridge  over the river Douro that was inaugurated in 1886. It is 172 meters long. It stands at a height of 85 meters above the river.

Funicular Track, Ponte Dom Luis I

The Douro Valley lies around the Douro River. The river has a length of 897 km. The Douro Valley is famous for its Port wine. The area has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Douro Valley

Wine Farms, Douro Valley

Fonseca Wine Farm, Douro Valley

Church of Sao Goncalo lies in the small town of Amarante, which has a population of 11,000 and lies about 70 km east of Porto in the Douro Valley. The church is dedicated to Sao Goncalo, a Dominican friar who lived from 1187 to 1259. He settled in the area and was instrumental in developing it, including building the stone bridge over the Tamega River.

Church of Sao Goncalo

Nave, Church of Sao Goncalo

Cloister Corridor, Church of Sao Goncalo

Bom Jesus Do Monte is a church that lies 15 km from the town of Braga and 60 km from Porto. The church was completed in 1725. A staircase that climbs  116 steps leads up to the church. The stairway has a series of chapels dedicated to the Passion of Christ. The stairway also has a zigzag section dedicated to the five senses. As per tradition, pilgrims climb up on their knees. In 2019, the church was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bom Jesus Do Monte

Facade, Bom Jesus Do Monte

Nave, Bom Jesus Do Monte

High Altar, Bom Jesus Do Monte

We had rented a car in Lisbon to drive to Porto, so getting around in the region was not difficult. It is unfortunate that immediately after this leg of our trip, we were robbed of our passports and most of our valuables on a train in Lisbon, as we were on our way to Madrid, and we had to rush back to India. A sad end to a beautiful trip!