Must-see attractions in Viseu

  • Museu Grão Vasco

    Viseu

    Adjoining the cathedral, the granite Paço de Três Escalões (Palace of Three Steps) was originally built as the bishop’s palace. It's now a splendid museum…

  • Catedral de Viseu

    Viseu

    Viseu’s cathedral is a striking hybrid of architectural styles. Originally built in the 13th century, it now has a 17th-century Mannerist facade and a…

  • Adro da Sé

    Viseu

    Overlooked by a trio of impressive buildings – the Catedral, Paço de Três Escalões (home of the Museu Grão Vasco) and the Igreja da Misericórdia – the…

  • Parque do Fontelo

    Viseu

    This 10-hectare haven of woodland and verdant space sprawls beyond the Portal do Fontelo. Here you'll find the 16th-century Antigo Paço Episcopal (former…

  • Casa da Ribeira

    Viseu

    Housed in a smart stone house on the river Pavia, this small cultural centre focuses on the area's traditional way of life and artisanal skills. There's a…

  • Museu Almeida Moreira

    Viseu

    The 19th-century, azulejo-adorned Museu Almeida Moreira is housed in the former home of art critic and collector Francisco António Almeida Moreira,…

  • Azulejos

    Viseu

    The north side of Praça da República is adorned with a series of striking azulejo (hand-painted tile) panels depicting scenes from regional life. The blue…

  • Igreja da Misericórdia

    Viseu

    Facing the cathedral is the 1775 Igreja da Misericórdia, whose white rococo exterior contrasts markedly with its rather dull neoclassical interior. A…

  • Praça de Dom Duarte

    Viseu

    An attractive sloping square looking up to the Passeio dos Cônegos, this was the city's principal square until the 19th century. Standing in the centre is…

  • Igreja Dos Terceiros

    Viseu

    At the southern end of Praça da República is the late-18th-century Igreja dos Terceiros, all heavy, gilded baroque but apart from the luminous azulejos …

  • Casa da Rua Dom Duarte

    Viseu

    Traversing the historic centre, Rua Dom Duarte was originally the most direct path to the hilltop citadel. The narrow lane is flanked by many beautiful,…

  • Porta do Soar

    Viseu

    The grandest route into the old town is through the Porta do Soar, a 15th-century gate set into a section of Afonso V’s town walls. Look for the shield…

  • Porta dos Cavaleiros

    Viseu

    One of Viseu's seven medieval gates, this has a niche containing the image of São João Baptista and an 18th-century sculpture of São Francisco.

  • Town Wall

    Viseu

    North of the cathedral along Rua Silva Gaio is the longest remaining stretch of Viseu's medieval town walls.