About 80% of the population of Porto, Portugal, identifies as Catholic. For those who practice their faith, they get to choose from 30 main churches in which to do it. These stretch back centuries, the oldest of which is nearing its 1,000th birthday. I had the good fortune to visit many of them as I hiked up and down the city’s hilly streets and passageways, never failing to be impressed by their often-extravagant interiors. Read about the top five churches in Porto >
Arguably the most iconic example of Norwegian architecture (and the one that always amazes me) is the stave church, a medieval wooden Christian church building constructed between 1150 and 1350 that used to be prevalent throughout Norway, with numbers estimated to be around 2,000. Sadly, fewer than 30 have survived. Since then, new and different—and quite beautiful—styles have taken their rightful place in the country’s ecclesiastical architectural inventory. Read about the top five churches in Norway >
Stephen Travels 