Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto)

Porto Cathedral, or Sé do Porto, was founded in the 12th century and retains a fortress-like Romanesque facade that reflects the city's medieval need for defensible religious buildings on its hilltop site above the Ribeira. Visitors enter the nave before moving into the Gothic cloister, lined with 18th-century azulejo tile panels illustrating biblical scenes, and on to the main chapel, which holds a Baroque silver altarpiece. A terrace beside the cathedral offers views down over the Ribeira district and the Douro, framing the same rooftops visible from many other high points in the old town. A visit to the nave and cloister together takes 30 to 45 minutes, short enough to combine easily with a walk down through the historic streets toward the riverfront. The nave is free to enter, with only the cloister requiring a small separate ticket, and mid-morning on weekdays is the quietest time to visit, before tour groups climbing up from the Ribeira reach the cathedral square. As with most active churches in Portugal, modest dress is expected inside, and the terrace beside the building remains free and open even outside the cathedral's opening hours, making it a useful quick stop for river views on the way between other sights.