Braga and Guimarães, Portugal: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Braga and Guimarães are in Minho, in northwest Portugal, about 25 km from each other and less than an hour from Porto. Together they include two World Heritage Sites and much of the early history of the country.

Braga was the Roman Bracara Augusta and is one of Portugal’s oldest cities. The Sé, begun in the 11th century, is considered the oldest cathedral in the country. Nearby are the Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte, with its zig-zag Baroque stairway, a World Heritage Site since 2019, and the Santuário do Sameiro.

Guimarães is called the birthplace of the nation: D. Afonso Henriques, Portugal’s first king, lived there, and nearby the 1128 Battle of São Mamede paved the way to independence. The historic center, a World Heritage Site since 2001, includes the Largo da Oliveira, the Castle and the Paço dos Duques de Bragança. On an old wall it reads: Aqui nasceu Portugal.

Braga is known for its Holy Week celebrations, among the largest in Portugal.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Braga, Guimarães, Viana do Castelo.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Braga and Guimarães is

Outlines: Direção-Geral do Território, CAOP 2025, CC BY 4.0. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Braga and Guimarães

✈ Aeroporto Francisco Sá Carneiro (OPO), in Maia · 50 km to Braga

Porto Airport (OPO) is about 50 km from Braga and from Guimarães. Confirm before you buy. From Porto, suburban trains reach both cities in just over an hour, and buses in about 50 minutes.

Suggested arrival point: Braga

Braga · Braga and Guimarães Capital Suggested arrival point

Braga

One of the oldest cities in Portugal, the Roman Bracara Augusta, and the country’s religious seat for centuries. The center has the Sé, the oldest Portuguese cathedral, the Jardim de Santa Bárbara and the Palácio do Raio. In the surroundings are the Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte, a World Heritage site, and the Santuário do Sameiro.

Braga · Braga and Guimarães

Guimarães

City considered the birthplace of Portugal, linked to D. Afonso Henriques and the Battle of São Mamede of 1128. The historic center, a World Heritage Site, has the Largo da Oliveira, the Praça de Santiago and medieval streets. Above are the Castelo and the Paço dos Duques de Bragança; to the south, the Montanha da Penha, with a sanctuary and a cable car.

Viana do Castelo · Braga and Guimarães Capital

Viana do Castelo

Viana do Castelo sits at the mouth of the river Lima, in Alto Minho, about 75 km north of Porto. The centre has the Praça da República, with a 16th-century fountain and the Misericórdia building, and the Sé, with battlemented towers. A metal bridge known as Ponte Eiffel crosses the river. In the harbour is the hospital-ship Gil Eannes, now a museum. On the hilltop, reached by funicular, are the sanctuary of Santa Luzia and the ruins of an Iron Age citânia. In August, the romaria da Senhora da Agonia fills the streets with traditional dress and gold.

The local experience

Things to do in Braga and Guimarães

Guimarães · Braga · Historic center

Centro Histórico de Guimarães e Largo da Oliveira

Medieval center, a World Heritage Site since 2001, with Largo da Oliveira, the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, the Padrão do Salado, Praça de Santiago and granite houses with wooden balconies.

Viana do Castelo · Viana do Castelo · Church

Santuário de Santa Luzia

Templo do Sagrado Coração de Jesus on the hilltop of Santa Luzia, designed by Ventura Terra, with a lantern open to visitors and views over the mouth of the Lima; access by funicular.

Braga · Braga · Sanctuary

Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte

Sanctuary atop a hill about 6 km from Braga’s center, with a zigzag Baroque stairway, fountains and chapels, and a Neoclassical basilica at the top. World Heritage since 2019.

Guimarães · Braga · Castle

Castelo de Guimarães

Medieval castle dating from the 10th century, with a keep and eight towers, linked to the birth of D. Afonso Henriques. Beside it stands the small Igreja de São Miguel do Castelo.

See 13 more places in Braga and Guimarães

Viana do Castelo · Viana do Castelo · Archaeological site

Citânia de Santa Luzia

Ruins of a fortified Iron Age settlement on the hilltop of Santa Luzia, with three lines of walls and round stone houses; classified as a National Monument since 1926.

Braga · Braga · Cathedral

Sé de Braga

Cathedral begun in the 11th century, considered the oldest in Portugal, blending Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline and Baroque styles. It has Gothic chapels, gilded Baroque organs and a treasury of sacred art.

Guimarães · Braga · Palace

Paço dos Duques de Bragança

15th-century palace built for the first Duke of Bragança, with dozens of brick chimneys and halls with tapestries, furniture and weapons. It lies next to the castle.

Viana do Castelo · Viana do Castelo · Square

Praça da República

Central square of Viana do Castelo, with the 1554 Renaissance fountain, the Misericórdia building with caryatids, and the old paços do concelho with Gothic arcades.

Braga · Braga · Sanctuary

Santuário do Sameiro

Marian sanctuary atop Monte do Sameiro, about 3 km from Bom Jesus, featuring a large staircase, a column with an image of the Virgin and wide views over Braga and the Minho region.

Braga · Braga · Garden

Jardim de Santa Bárbara

Flower-bedded garden attached to the medieval wing of the former Paço Episcopal, with Gothic arches and the Fountain of Santa Bárbara. It is in central Braga, next to Praça da República.

Guimarães · Braga · Sanctuary

Penha

Mountain about 600 meters high south of Guimarães, with the Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Penha, rock outcrops, caves and trails through the woods, and views of the city and the Minho.

Viana do Castelo · Viana do Castelo · Church

Sé de Viana do Castelo

15th-century mother church with the appearance of a fortress, two battlemented towers and a Gothic portal with scenes of the Passion; it has been a cathedral since the diocese was created in 1977.

Viana do Castelo · Viana do Castelo · Museum

Navio Gil Eannes

Hospital ship built in Viana do Castelo in 1955 to support the Portuguese cod-fishing fleet in Terra Nova and in Groenlândia; today it is a museum and a hostel at the port.

Braga · Braga · Palace

Palácio do Raio

Baroque and rococo townhouse from the 18th century with a façade covered in blue azulejos and finely carved stone windows, the work of architect André Soares. It houses an interpretive centre.

Braga · Braga · Monastery

Mosteiro de Tibães

Viana do Castelo · Viana do Castelo · Bridge

Ponte Eiffel

Metal bridge with two decks over the rio Lima, inaugurated in 1878, with the train underneath and the road above; attributed to Gustave Eiffel's company.

Viana do Castelo · Viana do Castelo · Museum

Museu do Traje

Museum of traditional costumes of Alto Minho, featuring the traje à vianesa, the embroidery and filigree gold, housed in the former Banco de Portugal building on Praça da República.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

April to October are usually the most pleasant months. Holy Week in Braga, between March and April, features processions and street decorations. In June, Braga celebrates St. John. Winter in the Minho is cold and rainy.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

One day in each city is ideal: Braga with Bom Jesus, and Guimarães with the historic center and the Penha. In a single day by car, you can see the essentials of both.

Which city to stay in

In Braga, the historic center between the Sé and Avenida Central lets you walk everywhere. In Guimarães, accommodations inside the historic center are close to Largo da Oliveira and the castle. Many people stay in Porto and do day trips.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Braga and Guimarães

Can you do Braga and Guimarães as a day trip from Porto?

Yes, by train or bus, but ideally allow one day for each. By car, it’s possible to see the essentials of both in a single day.

What is the distance between Braga and Guimarães?

About 25 km, with buses between them and around 30 minutes by car.

Do you need a car?

Not for the historic centers. For Bom Jesus, Sameiro and Penha there are urban buses, taxis and, for the Penha, a cable car; a car makes getting around easier.

What's the best time to go?

April to October. Holy Week in Braga and the St. John festivities in June fill the city.

Rotas entre países

Braga and Guimarães is on the Portuguese Coastal Way on foot

The Camino de Santiago along the Atlantic: from Porto to Galicia via the coast, through Vila do Conde, Viana do Castelo, A Guarda, Baiona and Vigo, ending at Santiago Cathedral.

Illustrated map of Portuguese Coastal Way on foot — Illustrative map, not to scale. Tap a city to open its page.

Explore the Portuguese Coastal Way on foot

Braga and Guimarães

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.