Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European centers and its core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, as the "Historic Centre of Porto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar".
Portugal: Porto – Igreja do Carmo
The Igreja do Carmo & Igreja dos Carmelitas are two churches in Porto divided by a narrow, 1m-wide house, built to separate monks and nuns.
The Igreja do Carmo was built between 1756 and 1768 in the Rococo or late Baroque. Its sister church Igreja dos Carmelitas, is the earlier of the two churches and was built in the mid-17th century with the exterior completed in 1628. The church was part of a convent that no longer exists. The two churches are separated by a very narrow (1 metre wide) house that was inhabited until the 1980s.
The church has an outstanding azulejo-covered exterior with the azulejos added in 1912. The tiles were made locally in Vila Nova de Gaia and designed by the artist Silvestro Silvestri. They depict scenes of the founding of the Carmelite Order and Mount Carmel.
We decided to pay the 5€ each entry fee to have a look. The entrance included the church, a museum, the crypt, a small house and a visit to the roof of the church.
The first part of the tour visits the house – which unsurprisingly is the narrowest in Porto.
The 3-storey house Casa Escondida (“Hidden House”) was, according to legend, built so that the two churches would not share a common wall and to prevent any relations between the nuns of Igreja dos Carmelitas and the monks of Igreja do Carmo.
Another, more prosaic reason, and more likely the correct one, is that the building was constructed for purely aesthetic reasons to prevent an unsightly gap between the two churches.
The house served as a residence for chaplains, and it also housed the artists who worked on the interior and exterior decoration of the churches as well as doctors serving at the Igreja do Carmo’s hospital.
Various secret meetings took place at the house during the French invasion of Portugal by Napoleon and the Siege of Porto in 1832-1833.
The house is indeed tiny. There is only one room per floor, and they are not massive. As you would imagine it did not take long for us to explore.
Next, we entered the main church. The interior of the church has a single nave with seven lavish gilt altars, the work of sculptor Francisco Pereira Campanha, as well as several fine oil paintings.
Passing through the church we wound our way through the rooms of the former convent. The crypt was down a narrow set of stairs to a small room at the bottom with a couple of tiny sarcophagi. To get into the room you had to step over the hole in the ground with a skeleton at the bottom – the hole was covered with thick perspex.
The museum was small, with some paintings, ceramics, period furniture and religious paraphernalia associated with the monastery.
The tour of the building ended up on the roof, which was nice, but there were no amazing panoramic views from there.
Planning your visit
Getting to and around Porto
Arriving in Porto
Flying
Porto’s closest airport is Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport. Located about 11 kilometres north of the city centre, and recently considered the best airport in Europe, it is served by about 20 airline companies which operate both business class and low-cost flights. These airline companies establish connections between Porto and several national and international destinations. Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is accessible by both public means of transport (buses and metro) and private means (rented cars and taxis).
Car
Porto is surrounded by motorways, meaning the city enjoys excellent road connections with the entire country. Estradas de Portugal offers complete information on the motorway and national road networks of Portugal.
Train
Getting to Porto by train is a reliable alternative. Porto’s main railway station is Campanhã, located in the eastern part of the city. This railway station includes both national and international services. From here, both light rail and suburban rail services connect to the city centre. The main central station is São Bento Station, in Praça Almeida Garrett, which is itself a notable landmark located in the heart of Porto. This railway station includes suburban and regional services and also offers an international service to Vigo, Spain.
Bus
Rede Nacional de Expressos: Links Porto to nearly the entire country. For complete and updated information please visit Rede Expressos.
InterNorte: Might come in handy for tourists who want to travel between Porto and Lisbon, but also for travellers who want to go from Portugal to Paris, France. For complete and updated information please visit InterNorte website.
Eurolines: Offers the best deals when it comes to international connections between Porto and assorted destinations on the continent.
Getting around
Metro
Much of the subway tracks are at ground level. Despite making it slow, you get to enjoy the views. Connects the airport to the city.
Tramway
Porto is surrounded by motorways, meaning the city enjoys excellent road connections with the entire country. Estradas de Portugal offers complete information on the motorway and national road networks of Portugal.
Buses
A large network of coaches that could work better. Useful if you don’t have a subway station nearby.
Funicular Dos Guindais
Porto is surrounded by motorways, meaning the city enjoys excellent road connections with the entire country. Estradas de Portugal offers complete information on the motorway and national road networks of Portugal.
Gaia Cable Car
A ride over the Port wine cellars, with one of the best views of the city. The ride takes only five minutes.
Andante Card
This is the card used for fare payment in Porto’s subway and buses. You save by charging money on it instead of buying a single ticket on board. You can buy it at the airport or at any subway station.
Porto Card
The Porto tourist card has a version with unlimited access to the city’s public transportation. It is cheap and a good option if you plan to use the subway or buses throughout your visit.
The best time to visit Porto
Sitting along the Douro River in northwest Portugal, Porto enjoys a Mediterranean climate, more specifically defined as a warm summer Mediterranean climate under the Köppen climate classification, marked by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The climate shifts subtly throughout the year, with changes most noticeable in temperature and rainfall patterns.
The best time to visit Porto
Considering Porto’s overall climate and weather data, the best time to visit Porto would be from May to September. During these months, the city experiences ample sunshine hours, ranging from 7.2 hours in April to a peak of 9.9 hours in July. Sea temperatures also become inviting during these months, starting off from a warm 16.5°C (61.7°F) in May and reaching a luxurious 18.2°C (64.8°F) in September. This is coupled with a low level of rainfall, ranging from just 40mm (1.57″) in June to a still considerable 90mm (3.54″) in May.
The worst time to visit Porto
Although Porto doesn’t experience harsh weather extremes, travellers might want to avoid the city in the wintertime, primarily between November and February. Rainfall during these months is high, exceeding 150mm (5.91″) from November to December. Furthermore, sea temperatures moderately drop to between 14.3°C (57.7°F) to 15.6°C (60.1°F) and daylight hours fall to as few as 9 hours in December. During these months, sunshine hours also decrease to between 4 to 4.6 hours per day.
Where to stay in Porto
1. Luxury – GA Palace Hotel & Spa
This 5-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk and room service. The property is a 7-minute walk from Sao Bento Metro Station, and within 500 yards of the city center.
The rooms at the hotel come with air conditioning, a seating area, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a safety deposit box and a private bathroom with a bidet, bathrobes and slippers. Rooms come with a coffee machine, while some rooms include a balcony and others also feature pool views. At GA Palace Hotel & Spa, a XIXth-Century Villa each room has bed linen and towels.
2. Mid-Range – Jardim da Batalha Boutique Hotel
Located in Porto and with Sao Bento Metro Station reachable within a 7-minute walk, Jardim da Batalha Boutique Hotel by Shiadu provides concierge services, non-smoking rooms, a garden, free WiFithroughout the property and a shared lounge. This 3-star hotel offers room service and a tour desk. The property is 400 yards from the city centre and a 6-minute walk from Sao Bento Train Station.
The hotel will provide guests with air-conditioned rooms offering a desk, an electric teapot, a minibar, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a shower. At Jardim da Batalha Boutique Hotel by Shiadu every room includes bed linen and towels.
3. Budget – Porto Spot Hostel
Located in Porto’s city center, Porto Spot Hostel offers comfortable rooms with free WiFi. It is only a 2-minute walk from the Bolhão Metro Station.
Dinners are served every day (subject to minimum participants). Guests can benefit from the fully-equipped kitchen to cook their own meals.
More to Explore
