Portugal's Oldest Cities Full-Day Tour: Explore Braga & Guimarães from Porto
5.0
31 Ratings
Braga
Embark on a full-day tour from Porto to explore the oldest cities in Portugal, Braga and Guimarães. Discover the historical sites, including the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus and the medieval Castle, and immerse yourself in the rich culture and heritage of these charming cities.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Bom Jesus Funicular - Visit to the Sanctuary and its staircase
- Se de Braga - Guided tour of Braga Cathedral.
- Jardim de Santa Barbara - These small but attractive public gardens are located adjacent to the eastern wing of the 14th century Archbishop’s Palace. The garden takes advantage of the historic backdrop and also incorporates the medieval arches that remain of an arcade from the palace. Laid out in the 1950s the garden was designed by Jose Cardoso da Silva in the Romantic style, in keeping with its surroundings.
- Guimaraes Castle - Visit to the Castle and historical explanation of its importance on Portugal independence
- Igreja de Sao Miguel do Castelo - Visit this very old and simple chuch originally built in 1216.
- Largo da Oliveira - Explanation of the most important square buildings and the origin of the square name
What's Included
- Drop Off at Aliados Avenue & Bolsa Palace
- All taxes, fees, and handling charges included
- Guided by a professional
- Lunch provided
- Convenient hotel pickup
- Entrance to Braga Cathedral & Guimarães Castle
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks, unless specified
Additional Information
Embark on an exploration of Portugal’s two most ancient cities, Guimarães and Braga, with this day-long tour from Porto. Begin your adventure in Braga, a city drenched in Roman history and the location of Portugal’s earliest archdiocese. Our first stop is the hallowed Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, followed by the majestic 11th-century cathedral and its nearby attractions like the St. Bárbara garden and Porta nova. Enjoy a leisurely lunch that offers a taste of Northern Portuguese cuisine before we proceed towards Guimarães. Get a chance to see the medieval Castle and Church of Saint Michael here. Stroll through the historic lanes and plazas of the medieval village of Guimarães, celebrated as the birthplace of the nation and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Important: We require a minimum of two people for the first booking.
Location
Bom Jesus Funicular
Parque do Bom Jesus
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(31 Ratings)
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Sempelsp
Mar 29, 2024
One of the best trips ever - We are regular travels and love to explore countries, cities, cultures. This tour immediately appealed to us, and we booked it. What a great day it turned out to be. The tour is well thought of and gives you a perfect insight in Braga & Guimarães main attractions. Our guide, Violeta, was just FANTASTIC, she is not only fun, a good driver, but for most an excellent tour guide who is very knowledgeable having an historical degree. Also, the lunch was excellent! Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alanea5793yv
Feb 23, 2024
Great Day - Had an amazing day with an amazing guide in Violeta. A wealth of historical knowledge along with fun and friendly personality. The lunch was fabulous.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erika_e
Feb 17, 2024
Maria was wonderful!!... - Maria was wonderful!!
Our tour started in Braga (take an umbrella with you just in case!) and Maria was superb; answering our questions and engaging with us every step of the way.
She is the tour guide to go with if you want somebody kind, relaxed and knowledgeable.
She receives 5 stars from us.
Con: the only con would be the lunch- as we didn’t get to pick from a full menu but only from the options they showed us. This can be & was challenging for those with dietary restrictions.
Review provided by Viator
Globetrotgastronome
Jan 8, 2024
Highly recommended - Violeta is an amazing guide, but an even better human being. She is very knowledgeable of the place, history and culture. She ensured we had a good dsay sightseeing. Everything was well planned, yet flexible, to account for the weather. Highly recommend her. Communication with Maria in the office, prior to the trio, was top notch.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Connie_j
Oct 28, 2023
Awesome tour - Violeta is a wonderful guide - Violeta was an awesome guide and even though it rained most of the tour she made it quite enjoyable with her earthy outlook.
Review provided by Viator
Travelguy545
Oct 2, 2023
A fabulous day with Maria - Maria was wonderful, knowledgeable, a good driver, kind and patient with us. An extra plus was that she is from Spain, so she could offer a slightly different point of view on Portugese culture. It was a treat that the trip included excellent food for lunch and her continued company with us. We especially loved Braga.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tom
Sep 29, 2023
Wonderful!! - We loved this trip with Maria! She was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and we never felt rushed. She was certainly able to answer all our questions about history and what we saw; obviously she takes her job very seriously. An extra plus was that she is from Spain and was able to talk about Portugal and the culture from a slightly different point of view. A wonderful experience. We especially loved the church Sanctuary Bom Jesus do Monte, and we were very happy to get there early while it was still cool and less crowded. Guimarães was less interesting, very crowded and difficult to navigate because of crowds and blocked streets. We especially enjoyed Maria’s stories about the rooster of Portugal, love sayings on the embroideries, and a personal story she told. A great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelleg22357
Sep 26, 2023
Amazing! - Maria was so amazing! She is so knowledgeable and very kind and awesome! She let us have extra free time to roam around and take pictures! I would love to book with her again for another tour when I’m back
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Isladeb
Sep 20, 2023
Great Tor of Braga and Guimaraes! - This trip was great! Violeta is very knowledgeable, friendly, and funny! I was solo, but the rest of the group consisted of three people from Ireland and two from Brazil. Everyone got along great and we learned so much about Portugal and the churches are amazing. I would definitely recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dimitry
Sep 14, 2023
Highly recommend Maria Sanchez! - Maria Sanchez is fantastic tour guide. We had really great time with her. Her knowledge of history, multiplied by her bright, warm character, creates a really personal touch to overall experience of this tour. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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