From Porto: Braga and Guimaraes Day Trip

Your expert guide will collect you from our meeting-point and will drive you to Braga, our first stop. On your way to the Minho Region, your guide will give you insights regarding the Portuguese history, development and cultural facts of portuguese heritage.

The first stop and visit will be at the highest point of our tour: Sitting at the top of the hill of the same name, at 566 metres of altitude, the Shrine of Our Lady of Sameiro is one of the most visited places of Marian worship in Portugal, providing a privileged view over the city of Braga. Every year attracting many devotees, especially during the pilgrimages of the first Sunday of June and the third Sunday of August.

Later, we will go to our second stop: Bom Jesus Sanctuary, famous no only for religisions reasons but also for its archtecture, the famous stairway and be cause of the vertical tram, an impressive piece of 19th century engineering. This was the first of its kind to be installed in Portugal in 1882 and continues to use its water-powered system to power up the 300-metre slope in just 3 minutes. The church was built later (1784) by Carlos Amarante who gave it an Italian inspired neo-classical design, which integrates harmoniously the landscape of northern Portugal. The stairway leading to the top contains 17 landings adorned with symbolic fountains, allegoric statues and other Baroque style decoration along themes such as the Stations of the Cross, the Five Senses, the Virtues, Moses receiving the Commandments and, at the top, the eight biblical figures that contributed to the Condemnation of Jesus. Any visit must take in the view from the bottom of the Stairway. Looking upwards there are the ornate granite fountains on the various landings and the white, chalice-shaped outline on which the church itself "sits".

The first cathedral, older than Portugal. The Cathedral of Braga was the first Portuguese cathedral, erected several decades before the founding of the country. It began to be built at the end of the 11th century, and was concecrated and dedicated to the Virgin Mary by Bishop Pedro in a solemn session on August 28, 1089. Competing in power with the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and is the jewel of the city. D. Henrique and D. Teresa, parents of the first king of Portugal, are buried in the Chapel of Kings.

After the visit to Braga's Cathedral it's now time for a break. If you chose the lunch included option the guide will take you to a local restaurant where you will have a delicious traditional portuguese meal with drinks included. Try the very famous "Vinho Verde" wine, a white wine with unique caracteristics. If you decided to not to include lunch on your tour, you will have free time and restaurant options to lunch on your own or to explore a bit more Braga's old city center. (Vegetarian option during lunch is available, make sure you request it during the booking process)

After lunch, we will go on a short drive to Guimarães: Is considered the birthplace of Portugal because Afonso Henriques, who went on to be the first king of Portugal, was born here.

The castle's presence evokes the exciting mixture of legend, poetry and heroism that surrounds the beginning of Portuguese history. On this Monte Largo (Broad Hill), the nucleus of the future nation of Portugal was first developed. In circa 968, Mumadona, the countess of Galicia, ordered a castle to be built on this site, where the population could seek refuge from the constant attacks unleashed upon them by the hordes of Vikings, who arrived by sea from the north of Europe, and the Muslims, who made raids from the territories that they occupied to the south. On taking over the governorship of the province known as Portucalense from his father-in-law, Alfonso VI of León, Count Henry ordered another larger and more solid construction to be built. This represented the beginning of the important defensive structure that we can now see today, dominated by the square keep that stands between the four towers guarding each of the four corners of the walls. Although this is not strictly documented, it is very likely that the building that stands against the inner part of the northern wall was the residence of Count Henry and the birthplace of his son Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal.

The historical centre in the area that was within the Guimarães city walls, is associated with the formation and identity of Portugal, and was classified a World Heritage site based on the originality and authenticity applied in its restoration. The city still has a harmonious, well-preserved heritage that is evident in the graceful iron verandas, granite balconies and porticos, mansions, arches connecting the narrow streets, paving slabs smoothed by time, towers and cloisters. For a moment you might imagine yourself to be in a mediaeval setting, where the nobility built their houses over time, such as the Mota Prego house, the Vila Flor and Toural palaces, and the many others that give Guimarães its unique atmosphere.

The Tour ends back at the meeting point, in Porto.