Don't judge the church by its cover…read more Igreja de Santa Clara in Porto is a true hidden gem with one of the most stunning golden church interiors. We stood in awe by the altarpiece as we soaked in every detail of the gilded woodcarvings from floor-to-ceiling. Porto is a city of many churches and this one represents a pinnacle of Portugal's Golden Age in the 18th century with colonial wealth largely funnelled from Brazil. The entrance is modest with a small Renaissance portal inside a quiet courtyard. The €5 entrance fee is steep to only view the nave & the upper choir but we were blessed with calm reflection away from the bustle of the city. The dazzling Baroque interior is without empty space rather hosting expressive side altars for the worship of Christian figures and a central altar with a painting depicting Santa Clara's miracle in expelling Moorish invaders from this convent. The best viewpoint of the nave is from the upper floor upper choir where nuns traditionally attended mass. Staff were very kind to insist that we climb upstairs as we were about to exit the church just so that we could take in this excellent bird's eye view. Rich decor above the choir seats also contains rare church chinoiserie ornament influenced by Portugal's maritime past. Skip it or hit it? This church off the beaten path is well worth a 45 minute visit.

As part of our tour of the Douro River Valley with Cooltours Oporto we stopped here for a…read moreprearranged lunch. The meal came with a number of traditional starters - all were very good including the cod cakes and the mushrooms. Most of of us tried one of three fish mains they had on the menu - there were thumbs up by all. Of course we also got to sample the local wines and all were good. Overall a pleasant stop.

Came here in between a wine tasting tour. The food was good, but nothing too spectacular. Can't…read morecomment on the prices, since everything was included with the price of the tour, but the food was decent!

Our tour only stopped here for 20 minutes after a long bathroom break - too few booths (two for…read morewomen and one for men) with too many of us, on a rainy afternoon. We missed ton!

Last year when we visited Guimaraes it was a holiday and the castle was closed…read more You have to purchase tickets on line- barcode available at the entrance. Staff check your online tickets and you're allowed in. When my husband was younger, he indicated he was actually able to walk in the castle. The staff stated about 3 years ago, stairs and trail were built to conserve the castle. Great views from the top of the castle. There are huge boulders on the grounds and as part of the castle itself. Street parking.

Getting into this place is a bit of an adventure. The natural place to go to, the nearby church,…read moreis not the right destination to get your ticket (though the church is nice too, and free). Instead, go to a white building across from the church. Entrance to the site isn't at this building either - a security guard will let you into the site where you can wander, with only a pamphlet with a map and a bit of a site overview - there're no information panels. The site is mostly ruined but it is nice to wander around, especially if you have it to yourself. There're 2 chapels whose structures are intact but there's nothing inside. There is an interpretation centre but there is no English except for the headers of each section. On the up side, admission to both the site and interpretation centre is only €3. You may also be accompanied in your visit by a very friendly cat, who followed and rubbed me despite my not doing anything to invite the affection.