The little square of Largo São João Novo lies just a block or two back from the River in Porto. This is just on the edge of the main part of the city in the old Jewish Quarter - day trippers will rarely venture the couple of hundred metres from the Ribeira to get here.
The little square is dominated by two fairly grand buildings. On the northern side is the Palace of São João Novo with its fine Baroque facade. Now empty and in need of renovation there is talk of this becoming a museum.
On the south side of the square is the equally grand Igreja do São João Novo. Once a full scale monastery much of the building is now occupied by the Porto Criminal and Correctional Court.
