🗺️ Guimaraes and Braga: two-day route, tickets and opening hours

Guimarães and Braga are 50 km north of Porto. Guimarães is called the cradle of Portugal, and Braga is considered the country's religious capital. There is no direct train between the cities, so you'll have to travel with a transfer.

Many people stop here for half a day and manage to see one castle. In reality, each city deserves a full day of its own. Below is a route through the main sights, opening hours, and ticket prices.

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Guimarães: Portugal's first capital

💡 In short:

Allow one full day for each city.
Prices and opening hours: as of 09/2026, verified on the official website.

Guimarães holds the title of Portugal's cradle for good reason. The first king, Afonso I, was born here, and a battle took place nearby after which the country declared independence. The city then briefly became the kingdom's first capital, until the court moved to Coimbra.

A reminder of this is inscribed on a medieval tower in the center: "Aqui nasceu Portugal." Translated, it means "Portugal was born here."

Night view of Largo do Toural square in Guimaraes

The city center is made up of cobblestone streets and houses from the 15th to 19th centuries. Stone buildings from the early Middle Ages have also survived here, which is a rarity for Portugal. You can walk around them in a couple of hours, and you won't need a car inside the walls.

The city is small, but its infrastructure is geared toward tourists. You'll easily find places to stay and eat. Below, we'll go through the sights worth seeing.

What to see in Guimarães

Almost all the main attractions are clustered between the castle on the hill and the two central squares. You can cover them on foot in one day.

Guimarães Castle

The castle was built in the 10th century, and according to legend, Afonso I was born here. After becoming king, he made the family fortress his residence. You can see its walls and towers from anywhere in the city.

Stone Guimaraes Castle with towers on a green hill

Visitors are currently allowed inside, but the watchtower is temporarily closed (as of 09/2026, opening hours). You won't be able to see the city and Penha Mountain from above for now, but the courtyard and walls are accessible, and admission costs €5 (as of 09/2026, ticket prices).

Palace of the Dukes of Braganza

The palace stands on the same hill, next to the castle. It was built in the 15th century for the family of the Dukes of Braganza. It looks imposing: crenellated towers, numerous chimneys, long facades.

Inside, there is a museum with a collection of tapestries, ceramics, and medieval weapons. The first floor is open to visitors, while the second is still used for official ceremonies. The palace is currently undergoing restoration, so some rooms are closed (as of 09/2026, about the ongoing restoration). A ticket to the palace costs €5, and a combined ticket with the castle costs €8 (as of 09/2026, ticket prices).

Rua de Santa Maria

After descending the hill, you'll pass through Jardim do Carmo square. Beyond it begins one of the city's oldest streets, Rua de Santa Maria. It once connected the castle in the upper part of Guimarães with the monastery in the lower part.

Narrow cobbled street among old granite houses

Today the street leads straight into the heart of the city, to Largo da Oliveira. Along it, houses from the 12th and 13th centuries have survived.

Largo da Oliveira

The square's name translates as "olive tree." A local legend is tied to this plant: the olive tree supplied oil for the church lamps, then dried up, and after being touched by a cross it bloomed again.

The legend cannot be verified, but real monuments stand around the square. The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira was founded in the 12th century, and part of its premises is given over to a religious museum. In front of the entrance rises the 14th-century Gothic monument Padrão do Salado.

The square has long been a meeting place for locals. The entire space is filled with cafe tables, so you will have somewhere to rest.

Largo do Toural

Here the architecture differs noticeably from other squares. Tall houses with carved windows grew up around the perimeter in the late 18th century.

Before that, the parade ground stood outside the city limits, by the entrance gates, and fairs were held on it. On the corner by Jardim Público park you will find a tower with the inscription "Aqui nasceu Portugal."

Igreja de São Francisco

The church was built in the 13th century, but it has undergone many reconstructions since then. That is why Gothic and Baroque are mixed in a single building. The white-and-blue tiles covered the facade and walls only in the 18th century.

Granite Church of Saint Francis with a bell tower

Largo República do Brasil

This is another landmark square in the city. The flower beds by the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Consolação look especially festive, and behind it rises Mount Penha.

Garden square and Church of Santos Passos

Mount Penha

A good way to finish getting to know the city is to go up Penha. The cable car takes you to the top in a few minutes; an adult round-trip ticket costs €10 (as of 01/2026, Guimarães news).

At the top there is a viewing platform with a panorama of Guimarães and the surrounding area. On a clear day you will see far beyond the city.

Mount Penha is a natural park: well-kept paths, picnic areas, an equestrian center, mini golf, and restaurants. At the top stands the modern church Santuário da Penha, and entry to the park is free for everyone.

Braga: the religious capital of the north

Braga resembles other northern cities in its architecture, but its atmosphere is calmer. Perhaps because the city is considered the country's religious capital.

Three facts about Braga. It is one of the largest cities in northern Portugal. It is home to the archbishop's residence: the first bishopric was founded in the early 5th century, and from the 16th century an archbishop was seated in the city. Braga's history begins even before our era, when the Celtic tribe of the Bracari lived on these lands.

In 14 AD the Romans arrived here and founded the city of Bracara Augusta. It became the capital of the province of Gallaecia, and five Roman roads passed through it.

What to see in Braga

Some of the main shrines stand on the hills outside the city, while the rest are clustered in the pedestrian center. It makes sense to start with the two high points and then descend into the old town.

Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte

The church with its multi-tiered baroque staircase has long been the calling card of Braga. On the landings, fountains with sculptures greet you. Try to recognize the five human senses and the three Christian virtues in them.

Basilica of the Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary in Braga

At the top of the staircase stands an 18th-century church, with a park laid out next to it. Two hotels and several restaurants operate on its grounds.

You can go up the hill on Portugal's first funicular, which has been running since the late 19th century. A one-way ticket costs €2.50, a round trip costs €4; in summer the lift runs from 9:00 to 20:00 (as of 09/2026, sanctuary website).

Sanctuary of Sameiro

The Church of the Immaculate Conception stands even higher above the city, so the view from here is wider. The interior is more modest than at Bom Jesus, but inside you will see an altar of white granite and a silver tomb.

The sanctuary grounds are open around the clock, and admission is free (as of 09/2026, Sameiro website).

Jardim da Casa dos Biscaínhos

The 17th-18th-century palace is built in the baroque style and named after craftsmen from Biscay. Inside, you will see refined interiors and learn how the nobility lived. Admission to the museum is paid, but the palace garden can be viewed for free.

Baroque fountain in the garden of Biscainhos Palace

Paços do Concelho

Braga's city hall stands on the municipal square. In front of you is the Pelican Fountain: this bird is considered a Christian symbol of self-sacrifice because it feeds its chicks with its own flesh.

Arco da Porta Nova

Braga was called "the city of open doors." The gates in the medieval wall were never locked. This arch has survived since the 18th century and was the western entrance to the city.

Baroque Porta Nova arch on a Braga square

Beyond the "New Gate" begins a pedestrian street with restaurants, cafes, and shops. It is worth walking along it if only for the shop windows.

Braga Cathedral (Sé de Braga)

Construction of the cathedral began in the 11th century and continued for several centuries. That is why Gothic, Romanesque, baroque, and Portuguese Manueline styles meet here.

Gilded ceiling and organ pipes in Braga Cathedral

Tickets are organized by route: the treasury, the chapels with the upper choir, and the cathedral itself each cost €3, while a combined ticket for all three routes costs €7 (as of 09/2026, cathedral tickets). The cathedral is open from 8:00 to 13:00 and from 14:30 to 18:30; during services you will not be able to enter (as of 09/2026, cathedral opening hours).

Igreja da Misericórdia

Walk around the side of the cathedral, and the Church of Mercy will appear before you. It is the most significant Renaissance monument in Braga. Besides the facade, visitors are impressed by the carved baroque altar inside.

Chafariz do Castelo

A small square with a fountain sits by the archbishop's palace, Paço Arquiepiscopal. One part of it houses an old library with a rich collection of manuscripts and books, while the other is home to the rectorate of the University of Minho.

Stone fountain with turrets and a statue in Braga

The fountain was built in the 18th century. Its six jets emerge from lock-shaped elements, and the structure is crowned by a figure of a woman, the symbol of the city.

Jardim de Santa Bárbara

The garden was laid out on the other side of the archbishop's palace in the mid-20th century. It is considered the most beautiful in Braga and is designed in the Renaissance style.

Flowerbeds of Saint Barbara Garden by the palace

The flower beds are planted in precise geometric shapes, and in the center you'll see a fountain and a statue of Saint Barbara. The saint is believed to protect people from fire, storms, and sudden death.

Torre de Menagem

In the 11th century, a castle with a defensive wall stood on this site. All that remains of the fortress is a single watchtower, Torre de Menagem. A viewing platform at the top gives you a sweeping view of central Braga.

Praça da República

In the late 16th century, the square was a trading place, and in the 18th century an arcade with columns and azulejo tiles was built here. The Igreja da Lapa church was erected nearby.

In the old buildings on either side of the church, two cafes that are more than a century old are still operating: Vianna and Astória. A good spot to grab a coffee midway through your walk.

Palácio do Raio

The road to the mansion runs along Av. da Liberdade, a boulevard lined with popular brand stores. You'll recognize the palace itself by its facade of bright blue azulejo tiles.

Facade of Raio Palace with blue azulejos and balconies

It was built in the 18th century for the local entrepreneur Miguel José Raio. The exterior is in the late Baroque style, while the interior is decorated in Rococo. The building later passed to the Order of Mercy, and today it houses a museum.

Mercado Municipal

If you're staying overnight in Braga, stop by the city market in the morning. Here, modern architecture blends with trading traditions.

Facade of Braga Municipal Market with signage

The market is closed by evening, but the local restaurants keep working. Over dinner, you can try dishes from the Minho region.

Before your trip, check which tours of Braga and Guimarães are available for your dates.

Tours and tickets in Braga

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What else to see in the region

The Minho province produces vinho verde, the so-called "green" wine. It's just slightly sparkling and goes down well in hot weather.

You might be interested in seeing how it's made. The region's wineries welcome visitors, and a tasting is usually included in the visit program. The drive from Braga to the nearest estates takes less than an hour.

How to get there and when to go

Both cities are connected to Porto by rail. The train to Braga takes about 50 minutes, and to Guimarães about an hour (according to Portuguese Railways, 09/2026). A ticket costs less than ten euros, and the train schedule on Trip.com will help you pick a convenient time.

By car, the drive from Porto takes about 45 minutes, and between Guimarães and Braga about 30 minutes (according to the map).

The best time to go is spring or early fall. In summer, central Braga gets crowded with tourists, but the hilltop sanctuaries handle the flow calmly. In winter, some sites operate on shorter hours, and the Bom Jesus funicular takes a lunch break (as of 09/2026, funicular schedule).

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for Guimarães and Braga?

Allow one full day for each city. In Guimarães you'll see the castle, the palace, and the squares, and in the evening you can go up to Penha. In Braga, a day will go to the two sanctuaries and the pedestrian center. If you have less time, pick one city and don't spend energy on travel.

How much do tickets to the main attractions cost?

A combined ticket to Guimarães Castle and the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza costs 8 € (as of 09/2026, palace and castle website). A single ticket to Braga Cathedral covering three routes costs 7 € (as of 09/2026, cathedral ticket prices). The Sameiro Sanctuary and Penha Park are free, and the Bom Jesus funicular costs 4 € round trip (as of 09/2026, sanctuary information).

How do you get from Porto to Guimarães and Braga?

The train from Porto to Braga takes about 50 minutes, and to Guimarães about an hour (according to Comboios de Portugal, 09/2026). A ticket costs less than ten euros. There is no direct train between the two cities, only with a transfer. By car, the drive from Porto takes about 45 minutes (according to the map).

When is the best time to visit northern Portugal?

The best months are May, June, and September. In summer, central Braga gets crowded with tourists, but the hilltop sanctuaries handle the flow. In winter, some sites operate on shorter hours. Wear comfortable shoes, because the streets are cobbled and hilly.

What can you see in Braga for free?

You can freely visit the Jardim de Santa Bárbara gardens and the garden at the Casa dos Biscaínhos palace without a ticket. The grounds of the Sameiro Sanctuary are open around the clock and free (as of 09/2026, contacts and hours). In Guimarães, entry to Penha Mountain Park is free; you only pay for the cable car.

In short: what to book

If you have one day, choose Guimarães for the castle and palace. If you are traveling with kids, start with the cable car to Penha and the park at the top.

It is more convenient to look for accommodation in Braga: the city is larger, and Guimarães is about 30 minutes away by car. Book only your overnight stay and the cable car in advance during high season.

Compare hotel prices in Braga on Trip.com and choose an area near the pedestrian center.

Guimaraes and Braga: what to see in two days and how much tickets cost