If you visit one church in Porto, make it this, one of its few remaining medieval buildings with an astonishing Baroque interior. Founded in the late 1300s as part of a Franciscan monastery, it took centuries to complete, despite its relatively simple architectonic structure. The west façade has a lovely Gothic rose window, but its main portal was given Baroque touches in the 17th century. From about the same time, over several decades, the interior was done out by expert local craftsmen in carved and gilded wood, like the inside of a jewel box.
Your ticket also gives you access to the catacombs.In a well-kept, brightly lit underground space that looks much like a wine cellar, drawers contain human remains dating back to the middle of the 19th century. Note how your steps echo on the worn wooden floor: underneath is a chamber where unidentified monks are buried. In one of the last crypts a grille on the floor (now covered with a glasspanel)reveals the bones packed just below visitors' feet.