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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Hilary_m
May 25, 2024
Excellent tour and guide - Alex was a fantastic guide! So knowledgeable about everything - history, wine, and just life in Portugal. The size of the group was perfect. We learned so much and saw so many beautiful things! Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Scott
Apr 30, 2024
Excellent Tour! - Our tour guide Violeta was amazing her knowledge on history was incredible. The small group tour provided a great insight into Braga and Guimarães. We only had 4 people on our tour (2 English, 2 Portuguese) but Violeta was great at making sure she included both languages. Lunch venue was amazing as well. Highly Recommended!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Artemiof_e
Apr 7, 2024
Braga and Gimaraes Tour - Everything about the tour was memorable- from the beautiful sceneries and culture of the cities, the friendly and helpful people, the food. What made it extra memorable was our tour guide, Violeta Cruz. Violeta was very professional, an expert in her field. She was funny and very animated when discussing a topic and answering our question. She looked after our welfare and comfort. We not only got educated and entertained, we also found a great friend! We will look for Violeta next time around! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Review provided by Viator
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
G6657evantoniof
Oct 17, 2023
It's as if a friend who knows the city takes us for a day for a walk and to eat. - The quality of the tour and the attention provided by the guide was excellent and very complete. The fact that there are few clients (in our case we were only 2 people) allows us to focus on what interests us most and ask whatever we want. The quality of the restaurant to eat, very good. I recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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
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