Spiritus Multimedia Show at Clérigos Church Porto

Clérigos Church, a Baroque landmark

Clérigos Church stands in the centre of Porto's old town and was designed by Nicolau Nasoni, the Italian architect who shaped so much of the city's Baroque skyline. It was built between 1732 and 1750 for the Brotherhood of the Clérigos, and its oval nave and richly decorated façade were innovative for their time.

Seen from outside, the church is joined to the tall bell tower that dominates the skyline, but inside it feels intimate and calm. For anyone searching for Clérigos Church tickets or wondering what to see in Porto at night, the Spiritus show turns this quiet space into a striking evening attraction.

The Spiritus multimedia show

Spiritus is a light and music performance projected onto the church's interior, so that the walls, columns and ceiling become part of the artwork. The 30-minute experience takes you through abstract shapes, colours and a rich soundtrack in a way that feels close to a piece of contemporary art.

The show is inspired by a poem by Álvaro de Campos, one of the heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa, that reflects on travelling and feeling. You sit and let it wash over you rather than follow a story. People searching for the Spiritus show in Porto often mention how the space and the sound make it very different from an ordinary museum visit.

Planning your visit

Spiritus takes place in the evening, and the booking panel on this page shows the available dates and times. Because the show uses strong lights and moving projections, it is not suitable for people with epilepsy. Food and drinks are not allowed inside the church, and the venue is wheelchair-accessible.

Plan to arrive a few minutes before your session so that you can enter calmly. The Clérigos area is well served by the metro at Trindade and São Bento, and it is a short walk from most central hotels. The 30-minute length makes it easy to combine with dinner, so you may want to reserve a table nearby before or after.

Around Clérigos: what else to do nearby

The church sits in one of the busiest parts of the old town, so you can add several sights on foot. Lello Bookshop and the Carmo Church with its blue tiled side wall are a few minutes away, and Aliados Avenue, São Bento Station and the Ribeira riverfront are within a short walk.

If you want views as well as a night show, consider climbing the Clérigos Tower on another day, with its own ticket. Porto is compact and hilly, so comfortable shoes help. Many guests use their Spiritus evening as a relaxed end to a day of sightseeing, followed by a stroll through the lit-up streets.