Description
Visit Braga and Guimarães
Coming to Portugal to visit Braga and Guimarães? This 1-day tour will take you to the best that these Portuguese cities have to offer. Come along!
Visit Guimarães – Morning
The castle of Guimarães was first a monastery whose construction was ordered in the Xth century, and it became a castle in the XII century during the reign of Count D. Henrique, father of D. Afonso Henriques. It is believed that it was in this castle that Dona Teresa de Portucale gave birth to the one that would be the first King of Portugal.
Dom Afonso Henriques, after the famous battle of São Mamede in 1128 chose this old Roman city to be the capital of the Kingdom. And it became therefore known as the ‘Birthplace of the Nation’.
Classified as Unesco World Heritage site in 2001, its well-preserved medieval quarter is a beautiful place to visit. We will have the opportunity to appreciate this charming historic city, a labyrinth of winding laneways with old houses decorated with statues which lead to the beautiful Main Square, the Square of Oliveira, and the old Ducal Palace.
Lunch in a typical restaurant in Guimarães.
Visit Braga – Afternoon
We will follow to Braga or ‘City of the Archbishops’ which contains countless churches and monuments, namely the imposing Cathedral and the Church of Santa Cruz, which dates back from the XVIIth century.
On a hill to Southeast, there is the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, an important peregrination place, with its famous baroque stairs, which winds to the Church, and a funicular with a water-powered engine that makes it unique.
Behind this, there is Sameiro Mountain, where the colossal statue of Our Lady attentively watches the City.
Already in the historic centre, there is the oldest cathedral in Portugal, whose construction was started in 1070 and which was influenced by various Styles, like Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. The tombs of Dom Henrique and Dona Teresa, parents of the first king of Portugal, are in the Chapel of the Kings.
After we visit Braga and Guimarães, it is with our hearts full of history that we will return to Lisbon with drop off at the hotel.