Igreja de São Francisco

Gold from wall to ceiling, catacombs below

Hours: Open daily; closes earlier in winter
Address: Rua do Infante Dom Henrique, next door to the Palácio da Bolsa

From the street it looks like a plain Gothic church, and then you step inside and the gold hits you. Pillars, altars and vaulting are packed with gilded Baroque carving. The carved Tree of Jesse is where people stand longest. Your ticket also covers the catacombs and a small museum beneath the church. It is quiet and dim in there, which makes the gold look even brighter.