POINT 1: CAPELA FAROL S.MIGUEL O ANJO
The Lighthouse-Chapel of São Miguel-O-Anjo was the first lighthouse built from scratch in Portugal and one of the first in the world. It was built in 1527 in the area of the Cantareira, by order of D.Miguel da Silva – King’s ambassador to the Pope, Bishop of Viseu and Abbot Commander of the Monastery of Santo Tirso.
The influences brought and lived from his stay in Italy inspired the construction of what is considered the first Portuguese renaissance building. Like the Pantheon in Rome, the lighthouse chapel features a centralized plan where the sacred area lies at the center of the space. Originally, the lighthouse was embedded in the cliffs of the river Douro but in the late nineteenth century it was surrounded by the construction of the new jetty.
Although it is currently closed to the public due to its poor state of conservation, it is worth visiting this monument and its context. To see in the background the sea line, to imagine all the traffic that has passed through it for all these centuries and to read closely the inscription on the stone wall that is resisting the erosion of the times.
The lighthouse now awaits restoration works that will include an exhibition of the history of the monument.
POINT 2: MIRADOURO DE SANTA CATARINA
The viewpoint of Santa Catarina is, simultaneously, the width of the Chapel of Santa Catarina and Senhora dos Anjos, high in the parish of Lordelo do Ouro. The wide, welcoming area is surrounded by a stone wall that protects us from the cliff and invites us to approach.
Here we are invaded by the wide view of the estuary of the river Douro. Within reach is great part of the south bank of the Douro, the garden of the Calém, the bridge of Arrábida, the green Park of the Pasteleira and the house to the sea. As we look over the wall we can contemplate the topography that descends on terraces or peer into the courtyards and gardens of the neighboring families.
The square has recently been renovated and the chapel is also in good condition. In the stripped white façade, the tile figures of Santa Catarina and Senhora dos Anjos stand out. The chapel opens on Saturdays to celebrate Mass at 5pm. The late afternoon visit allows you to admire the beautiful sunset.
One needs to start this journey with their belly lined. Create a wall that is prepared to protect us from the aggressions that we are about to endure. For this, there is no better than a Francesinha. The place? Requinte, still in Matosinhos, which promises to protect all those who venture out in Porto.
Adega Sports, Adega D.Leonor and 77 are the mandatory stops. Also, these places are not eternal and when their closure begins it is time of indecisions: go for a little dance or call it a night. For those who are willing to make their night epic, in my opinion, there is only one place to go: Boo. Refined space, many stories, where we are well served and well received, with the music of vogue and an environment of more or less general madness. However, for the less adventurous, the Rendez Vous or Porto Tónico are always good places to stretch your legs. These never disappoint and are a safe haven of leisurely play.
The journey through the Casa da Irmandade (1754-1758), where the Museum is located, provides a return to the past as you get to explore spaces that once were private and destined for the daily life of the Brotherhood of Clerics.
It will also be a pleasure to revisit Parque da Pasteleira and witness the transformation to which the old water reservoir is being subjected in order to welcome one of the sites of the City Museum. I am curious to know how the history of the City will be cared for inside the successive water cells of the old reservoir.
Living, or being in Porto, on this date makes it mandatory to witness to the way the city lives this significant moment of its spirituality. I venture to say that, at least once in my life, so as not to steal the limelight of other parishes, it is mandatory to participate in the extraordinary Missa do Galo in Lapa. Christmas is also magic, and magic is not incompatible with solemnity. The experience of the Missa do Golo in Lapa is just that, magical and solemn. Here, the spirit is awakened through the different senses in a sublime way. As the eyes marvel at the artistic richness of the Church and with the aesthetic rigor of the celebration, the scent of traditional incense reinforces the intensity of the moment and the music of extraordinary execution and delicate choice fills the time between words that give meaning to everything else. It is a unique experience!
