Portugal has been a very religious country throughout its history (less so now according to my tour…read moremanager). During their ultra-wealthy days from colonialism with gold and gems flooding in from Brazil and Angola, ultra-fancy churches in the scale of compounds, sanctuaries, and more were built. Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga is such an example. The present sanctuary started construction in 1722. Other than the Baroque church at the top, one set of zigzag shaped stairways are dedicated to the Five Senses each represented by a fountain and one set of stairways is dedicated to the Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity, each with its fountain. Chapels on either side of these staircases have sculptures dedicated to the Passion of Christ. In addition, they have a huge garden, a shop, historical items, a funicular (called elevator) and much more. See their website for more than what my photos can convey. https://bomjesus.pt/?lang=en
We visited on a day of pouring rain, and it was still fantastic.
They have different winter vs summer schedules for every location. Best to check their website here: https://bomjesus.pt/informations/?lang=en
The location is about one hour drive from Porto. It is a great day trip from Porto. Be sure to visit Braga, the historical center also.
