I thought I'd have to bribe Jamie W to climb this historic tower, but he surprised me by not…read morewhining about it. I knew from more youthful vloggers on YouTube that the panoramic views were spectacular from the top. At 246 feet, the tower is the highest point in Porto's historic center. However, before we climbed the inevitable 240 steps, the museum beckoned. It was formerly the private quarters of the clerics who founded the church. The space now houses religious artifacts and related art exhibits and extends into the High Church Gallery, a balcony promenade that provides an elevated view of the church's ornate nave (Photo 5). Before entering the stairwell, we had our photos taken in front of a green screen for souvenirs they pitched to us later. The climb wasn't that bad, just a bit claustrophobic in some sections, specially when we had to squeeze by perspiring tourists. They were more spritzing than sprinting. There are two observation floors. The first is about 2/3 of the way up, while the narrower space at the summit provides the ultimate payoff with panoramic cityscape and river views (Video). As usual, the climb down was easier since we knew how long it should take. And yes, there were photos of us standing at the summit in comic poses. I usually bypass them, but for 8€, I couldn't help myself (Photo 7). RELATED - Exploring Porto? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/CzAl-vBlP0

A historic climb for a view of Porto's skyline…read more The Clérigos Tower is a baroque landmark easily spotted from vantage points across historic Porto, and therefore one that's worth climbing for that panoramic view from above. The 75m bell tower monument is connected to a church that was built for the Clergy brotherhood in the 18th century. The ornate church and relic exhibit are also worth sightseeing to gain appreciation of its history. We pre-booked our visit (€10) and were serenaded with a concert taking place in front of the brilliantly lit church altar. From there we were able to head above the nave for a full vantage of the church and dome in its pink & white marble tones. At our exact booking time, we were able to queue in line before taking the steps up the actual tower. The queue was slow-moving because the staircase is narrow and the steps themselves were quite steep making it challenging particularly for those with knee pains. Once we made it to the top, we were rewarded with the 360 panoramic views including the famous bridges connecting to Gaia, and the historical city centre with orange rooftops underneath. It can be a workout getting up and down as the tight staircase has to accommodate the constant two-way flow of visitors. Skip it or hit it? This is one of the prominent sites in Porto but be ready for the stairs.