Boat ride on the Douro

》Igreja do Corpo Santo de Massarelos (Church of the Holy Body of Massarelos)

Rising above the riverfront with a facade adorned in blue-and-white azulejos (hand-painted tiles), this church was built in 1776 on the site of a chapel that was founded by the Confraria das Almas do Corpo Santo de Massarelos in 1394.

The church belongs to the Congregation of Corpus Christi Souls. This order has existed in Porto since the end of the 14th century and was founded by sailors who miraculously survived the storm at sea and sailed safely to the port. Its member was Prince Henry the Navigator, whose image appears on the tiled panel.

》Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar

The Monastery of Serra do Pilar is a former monastery located in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, on the opposite side of the Douro River from Porto. The monastery is situated on an outcrop overlooking the Dom Luís I Bridge and the historic centre of Porto. Together with these locations, the monastery was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The monastery is notable for its church and cloister, both of which are circular.

Construction of the first monastery at the site began in 1538 by the Order of St. Augustine. The initiative dates back to 1527 under the orders of João III to serve as a larger monastic residence for monks from the Monastery of Grijó, in Grijó, which had been in a state of deterioration. The original monastery was completed in 1564 and the cloisters were finished in 1583. The first monastery was quickly rendered obsolete as the facilities were too small for the number of monks in residence. In 1597, work began on the new church and the monastery was slowly updated in phases over the next several decades. The new circular church was inaugurated on July 17, 1672, and the final phases of the monastery were completed by the end of the 17th century.

Serra do Pilar's military importance first became evidenced during the Peninsular War when it was used by General Arthur Wellesley to launch a surprise attack on the French across the Douro, and retake Porto. The monastery's prominent location acted as the only Liberal stronghold on the south side of the Douro during the Siege of Porto. The monastery was fortified over the course of the 19th century to take advantage of its strategic location. In 1910 the site was declared a National Monument of Portugal. Reconstruction of portions of the monastery that had been destroyed by successive wars began in 1927. In 1947 some of the monastery grounds were converted into a military barracks which remains on the site to this day.

》Gaia Cable Cars

To get one of the most complete and impressive panoramas of Porto you will have to take a tram ride. It is only 5 minutes to reach the Pier of the City of Gaia, at 300 meters of altitude. On the way there, you can contemplate the historic area of ​​Porto, the roofs of the cellars of Gaia, the Ribeira, the Clérigos and the Douro in all their splendor.Lue lisää