Things to Do in Braga

Guimaraes Castle is a medieval castle in the city of Guimaraes in the northern part of Portugal. Built in the 10th century to defend against attacks from the Moors and Normans, it was expanded during the early Gothic period of Portuguese architecture. The walls of the castle form a pentagram, with eight rectangular towers, a military square and a central keep, which was added in the 13th century. Visitors can walk along the castle walls and visit the chapel of Sao Miguel inside.

Legend has it that Portugal's first king was born at Guimaraes Castle and it is considered one of the country's greatest historical symbols. The castle was declared a national monument in 1910 and the town as a whole is a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as a former European Capital of Culture. Visitors can stay overnight in a pousada in Guimaraes or visit as a day trip from either Porto or Braga.

Located in city of Braga in northern Portugal, the Braga Cathedral is the oldest surviving church in Portugal and one of the most important monuments in the country. Built in a Burgundian Romanesque style between the 11th and 13th centuries, the cathedral provided architectural inspiration for many other churches and monasteries built in Portugal around the same time. Due to numerous modifications over the centuries, the cathedral today features a mix of styles, including Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline and Baroque. 

The cathedral consists of several chapels built at different times. The parents of the first Portuguese were buried in the Chapel of the Kings in 1374 and the Chapel of the Glory was built in the mid-14th century as the final resting place of Archbishop Goncalo Pereira.  Looks for the tomb guarded by siz life size stone lions and the painted Moorish geometrical designs. Also of note for visitors is the choir with sculptured gilt wood stalls built in the late 1730s and two gilt wood organs carved around the same time.  

Don’t miss the Cathedral Museum, which includes elaborately carved 18th century choir stalls, the 10th century chalice of Saint Gerald, a 14th century statue of the Virgin Mary and an 11th century Arab ivory box.

With its stone-brick façade and crenelated clock tower looming over the lively plaza of Largo da Oliveira, the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira appears more like a castle than a church. Inside, the church is notable for its ornate 18th-century altarpiece, the striking silver altar of the Capela do Santíssimo Sacramento and the exquisite neo classical choir stalls, but it’s biggest claim to fame is its unique history.

Founded in the 10th century, the church takes its name, which means ‘Church of Our Lady of the Olive Branch’ from an ancient legend in which Wamba, the elected King of the Visigoths, refused to accept his royal title. Angry, he threw an olive branch to the ground and declared that he would accept the crown only if the stick began to sprout. Naturally, an olive tree bloomed and today the Padrão do Salado monument, located just in front of the church, marks the spot - a grand Gothic arch, sheltering a lone cross.

The city of Guimaraes was originally settled in the 9th century and is widely regarded as being “the cradle of the Portuguese nationality.” It served as center of government for the historic county of Portugal after the Moorish invaders were pushed out by the Kingdom of Galicia in the 10th century. It was also the site of the Battle of São Mamede in 1128, and may have been the birthplace of Afonso I of Portugal, the first Portuguese king.

Today the historic city center of Guimaraes is a UNESCO World Heritage site because it’s said to be an authentic example of the evolution of a medieval town into a modern city. Among the well-preserved 15th to 19th-century Portuguese architecture is the medieval Guimaraes Castle, and the famed Palace of the Dukes of Bragança.

Today, Guimaraes has been described by the New York Times as one of the emerging cultural hotspots of the Iberian Peninsula. Among the innumerable museums, monuments, and art galleries the Vila Flor Cultural Center stands out. Housed in the renovated Vila Flor Palace it has a concert cafe, exhibition gallery, and award-winning gardens. Guimaraes is also famous for its Guimaraes' pies, and Toucinho do céu, translated as “bacon from heaven.”