The Mosteiro de Arouca was founded in the 10th century and expanded to its current form under Cistercian rule in the 13th century. The baroque church and convent complex dominate the centre of the town and contain one of the most significant collections of religious art in northern Portugal. The church interior is impressive: gilded wooden altarpieces, azulejo panels, and carved choir stalls that took decades to complete.
The attached museum holds sculptures, paintings, silver altar pieces, and the famous reliquary of Blessed Mafalda, the queen-turned-nun whose presence here made Arouca a site of minor pilgrimage for centuries. Entry to the museum costs a few euros and includes access to the cloister. The abbey is managed by a small community of Cistercian nuns who still live on the site; the church is open for daily mass. Even for visitors with no religious interest, the quality of the baroque decoration warrants an hour.