What to do in Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal: 15 best things to discover
What you can do in Guimarães, birthplace and residence of the first king of Portugal, is immense.
Deserving of its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Guimarães, in the Minho region of northern Portugal, is venerably known as the “Cradle of the Nation”. As well as being the birthplace of the country's first king, Afonso Henriques, Guimarães was the first capital of the newly established kingdom of 'Portucale' and is justifiably proud of its place in the country's history.
Its castle, a medieval marvel, dominates the skyline of the old town. Together with the nearby Paço dos Duques, the ancient fortress is indicative of the profusion of well-preserved buildings and historical monuments that adorn the maze of picturesque alleyways converging on the city's central tourist square, Largo da Oliveira.
The fabulous museums housed in magnificent convents and monasteries add to the attraction of the city. The tour extends to the outlying districts of the city, where verdant forests and water parks full of surprises are waiting to be discovered. And not far from Guimarães is one of Portugal's most impressive archaeological sites and a deserved tourist attraction in its own right, the evocative Citânia de Briteiros.
For more ideas on places to visit, check out our list of the top 15 things to do in Guimarães below.
Tourist card
Accommodation
Budget hotel
My Hostel
My Hostel has a terrace with a seating area and a view of the garden.
Bright and modern, some accommodation has a private bathroom, while others have shared bathroom facilities. Guests can use the fully equipped kitchen to prepare meals, and snack vending machines are available. Guimarães Castle is a 10-minute walk away.
Price: Starting at $37 per night for a double room with shared bathroom, including taxes and fees, add $4 for breakfast and this rate is non-refundable.
Luxurious hotel
Pousada Monastery of Guimaraes
Set in a 12th-century Augustinian convent, Pousada Mosteiro de Guimaraes overlooks Guimarães. Each of the individually decorated rooms is located in what was once a cloister. All rooms at Pousada Mosteiro de Guimaraes have a private bathroom. You can also enjoy the outdoor swimming pool at Pousada Mosteiro de Guimaraes or stroll through the landscaped gardens.
Price: Starting at $130 per night for a standard double or twin room, including taxes and fees, complimentary, non-refundable breakfast.
Monuments and architectural works
Guimaraes is a beautiful city with its own traditional history, a large number of unique monuments and architectural sights. The city consists of old streets and squares which are generally in great condition. Among the most famous sites in Guimaraes is the Royal Palace which was abandoned for a long time. It was only renovated in the 20th century and serves as the residence of the country's president. Tourists are generally advised to visit the Paço dos Duques de Bragança, St. Francisco Church and the Nossa Senhora de Oliveira Monastery, which displays a large collection of historical and religious objects. Among them is the armor of King Don Juan I. The monastery owes its name to the olive tree that was planted there in 672. Guimaraes is surrounded by dense forests and rocky hills.
The main symbol of the historic city is the Guimaraes Castle. It is one of the oldest castles in Portugal and is covered in a halo of interesting legends. More than a thousand years ago, an ancient monastery stood on the site of the castle. The very first fortification built next to it dates from the 10th century. Two hundred years later, the castle was heavily rebuilt. Many of its elements have remained intact even after 800 years. Today, tourists can visit almost the entire territory of the castle, and walk along its walls, from which an attractive view of the surroundings opens.
Gastronomy
Each restaurant in Guimarães offers its customers interesting dishes from a variety of world cuisines. Foreign tourists often prefer domestic restaurants to others, but lovers of other culinary orientations can easily find a place to eat. Histórico de Papaboa is considered one of the best restaurants serving local cuisine. The main feature of this place is a huge selection of desserts. Sweet lovers will certainly appreciate the fruit cakes, fresh pastries and other sweets prepared by the chefs according to their own recipes.
In general, the cuisine of Guimaraes is quite simple. There are many rice and bean dishes that remain the most popular toppings for meat and fish. The cooking methods are also quite traditional – the fish is usually dipped in soft batter and fried. Most local restaurants cook meat on a grill.
All kinds of salads are an essential part of the national menu. They often contain seafood. Gourmets will find it interesting to order a salad with octopus. Shrimp and clams are a more common ingredient in many salads. Some types of vegetable garnishes may seem quite unusual to foreign guests. For example, there are very interesting salads made with onions, fennel and olives. On their own, olives are a very popular snack and appetizer in the region.
A return to the origins with the 15 best things to discover
Guimarães, the historic city center
The old town center is made up of narrow, winding lanes between dignified granite buildings.
The latter are laid out on steep slopes and will drop you off in large squares where there are majestic convents, churches and mansions such as the Toural and the Mota Prego.
This urban landscape features arcades, balconies and wrought-iron walkways, as you walk on cobblestones smoothed by hundreds of years of pedestrians.
Every few meters another sight will make your head spin, but one of the best things about Guimarães is that, despite its UNESCO listing, it's a living, working city and not a museum piece. .
Santa Maria street
The prettiest and oldest street in the old town descends the slope from north to south.
Rua de Santa Maria features a lot of cultured architecture from the 15th and 16th centuries, as it was favored by the nobility and wealthy families of Guimarães.
Previously, it was drawn to connect the 10th century monastery, located on the current Largo da Oliveira in the lower part of the city, to the castle in the upper part.
The path is dotted with historic buildings, such as Casa do Arco, Casa dos Peixotos, the Gothic-style Casa dos Valadares, and the Convent of Santa Clara.
Guimaraes Castle
Guimarães Castle , dominating the city center, is one of the most complete and best preserved medieval fortresses in Portugal. Dating back to the 10th century, its enormous square keep and the eight crenellated towers that surround it remain a familiar and much-loved landmark. It is considered one of the 7 wonders of Portugal !
The castle is believed to be the birthplace, in 1110, of Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, and as such is considered by many to be a national shrine. The much-visited baptismal font where he was baptized is kept in the Romanesque Chapel of São Miguel, nestled at the western end of the castle. A mass is celebrated there every year on the king's birthday to commemorate the event.
The aforementioned keep – known as Torre de Menagem – was reputed to house an 11th-century Benedictine convent founded by Countess Mumadona. Visitors can navigate the heavy curtain walls and climb the narrow steps to the top of the tower, from where great views of the city and countryside can be admired.
Location: Rua Conde Dom Henrique, Guimaraes
Church of São Miguel do Castelo (13th century)
A few steps down the slope from the castle is an early 13th century church.
In keeping with the Romanesque period, it is a modest building with few openings in its walls and only small bursts of geometric decoration in the granite masonry.
But the strength of such a church lies in its history, which is evident when you see the many tombstones on the ground.
They bear the names of the knights who died protecting the castle and who are buried under the church.
Paço dos Duques de Bragança (a ducal palace)
The Palace of the Dukes of Braganza stands at the foot of the castle hill. Started in 1401 on the orders of Dom Afonso, the first Duke of Braganza, this magnificent royal residence follows a Burgundian architectural style out of respect for Dom Afonso's taste for all things French.
The palace was completed in 1442 but fell into disuse after the seat of the Bragança family moved to Vila Viçosa in the early 16th century. In 1933 the building underwent extensive renovations to become the official presidential residence during the reign of António Salazar.
The guided tour of the palace allows you to discover most of the rooms and their furniture from the 16th century and includes a visit to a small museum where Persian carpets, Flemish tapestries, medieval weapons and a collection of rare paintings are exhibited. The chapel is remarkable for its brilliant stained glass windows.
About 200 kilometers from Guimarães is the city of Bragança, the original seat of the House of Bragança, which ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1910.
Location: Rua Conde Dom Henrique, Guimaraes
Alberto Sampaio Museum
Boasting a fabulous film set location in the serene Romanesque cloister of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, the Alberto Sampaio Museum was created to showcase the works of religious art belonging to the convent and other churches in the Guimarães area.
The depository of ecclesiastical treasures stretches from the 14th to the 18th century and includes an impressive collection of sculptures, paintings and ceramics dating from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, embroidered vestments, an exceptional array of rare jewels and objects such as processional crosses and chalices in gold and silver.
The Santa Clara Room is an Aladdin's lair of gilded carvings. At the heart of the permanent exhibition is the magnificent 14th-century gilded silver altarpiece and the tunic worn by João I during the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385.
Emplacement: Rua Alfredo Guimaraes, Guimaraes
olive tree square
With its postcard looks and venerable atmosphere, the Largo da Oliveira exudes a true medieval feel. Surrounded by time-worn cobbled streets and heavy granite facades, the old square is the historic center of old Guimarães. Some of the city's best-known tourist attractions can be found under the square's beautiful arcades.
One of them, the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, dominates the place. This former monastery, founded by Afonso Henriques in the 12th century, stands on the site of an earlier convent built 200 years earlier. Much of the original structure has been demolished, and the church as it appears today is largely 16th century – the Manueline bell tower was added in the early 1500s. The tranquil cloister includes the Alberto Sampaio Museum.
In front of the church is the Padrão do Salado, a 14th-century Gothic sanctuary that protects a cross. The monument is said to mark the spot where an olive tree was transplanted in the 13th century to supply the altar lamp with oil.
Martins Sarmento Museum
Archeology enthusiasts will be delighted at the Martins Sarmento museum. It is no coincidence that the establishment bears the name of the man who excavated Citânia de Briteiros in 1875, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Portugal.
The museum is housed in an original way in the cloister of the convent of São Domingos, dating from the 14th century, and the Gothic setting gives the collection a mysterious and strangely romantic character.
The bulk of the exhibit is made up of Celtiberian artefacts excavated from the prehistoric sites of Citânia de Briteiros and Castro de Sabroso, but there are also many pieces from other Iron Age sites in the northern Portugal. In fact, some of these artefacts date back to the Stone Age and, taken together, they offer the visitor a fascinating insight into the region's Paleolithic and Neolithic past.
Emplacement: Rua Paio Galvão, Guimarães
Arts and Creativity Platform
Right next to the museum is an avant-garde cultural center, housed where the city market once stood.
The building is half the attraction, especially at night, when its austere box-like facade is illuminated.
The center includes a permanent exhibition of African, pre-Columbian and ancient Chinese art.
These works were donated by the eminent Portuguese artist José de Guimarães.
Other spaces are devoted to multidisciplinary exhibitions for young contemporary artists, as well as a bookshop, a museum and studios.
Convent and Church of São Francisco
Set away from the old town, the graceful Convent and Church of São Francisco is famous for the 18th-century azulejos that adorn the choir. The tiles depict the life of Saint Anthony in a series of vivid blue and white panels that match the Gothic dome of the main chapel.
The foundations of the church date from 1400, but the building underwent considerable reconstruction in the 1740s. Apart from the tile work, visitors should pay attention to the splendid carvings that decorate the nave, whose wooden roof presents a marvelous example of trompe-l'oeil painting.
Other noteworthy elements include the large arch of gilded woodwork that separates the choir from the Gothic transept, as well as the two-level cloister.
Emplacement: Largo de São Francisco, Guimaraes
Scorpio Water Park
For those traveling to the area in the summer with children and looking for a way to keep them occupied, the plethora of themed attractions at Scorpio Water Park will do wonders. This premier leisure facility, located two kilometers from the city center, is one of the most popular activities for families. It consists of two swimming pools, one designed for adults and older children, the other for younger ones.
But the fun really begins at Fantasyland, the arena built especially for the park and based on the castle of Guimarães, where children can have fun using multi-lane water slides, playing under the fountains and approaching the aquatic animals pool toys. Those feeling daring can run on the “Scorpion Tower”, a 30 meter water tube. But the real test is the 'Waterslide', a 40-metre waterslide that rises six meters above the ground.
Emplacement : Sports and Leisure Community Centre, Multiusos de Guimarães, Guimarães
Centro Cultural Vila Flor (Cultural Center Vila Flor)
Quand l’une des plus riches demeures de la ville a été restaurée en 2005, elle a été dotée d’un centre culturel dont elle peut être fière.
Dans l’aile moderne se trouvent deux auditoriums, l’un pouvant accueillir 800 spectateurs et l’autre 200. Ils accueillent des causeries, des conférences et des spectacles musicaux allant du classique au rock.
Il y a également un espace d’exposition futuriste pour les expositions artistiques de courte durée.
Mais en dehors de tout cela, vous pouvez vous arrêter pour admirer l’architecture baroque du XVIIIe siècle du palais, ses jardins de buis en terrasses et la vue panoramique sur le château et la vieille ville depuis la balustrade.
Citânia de Briteiros
When one of the city's richest mansions was restored in 2005, it was given a cultural center of which it can be proud.
In the modern wing are two auditoriums, one with a capacity of 800 spectators and the other 200. They host talks, conferences and musical performances ranging from classical to rock.
There is also a futuristic exhibition space for short-lived art exhibitions.
But apart from all that, you can stop to admire the palace's 18th-century Baroque architecture, its terraced boxwood gardens and the panoramic view of the castle and the old town from the balustrade.
Citania of Briteiros
The countryside of northwest Portugal is dotted with Iron Age settlements, called castros.
These were inhabited as early as the 9th century BC and some survived the Roman period and continued to be occupied well into the Middle Ages.
This is the case of the Citânia de Briteiros, which rests on a promontory a few minutes from Guimarães.
Arriving here you will be amazed at the size of the settlement, which has 24 hectares of dry stone walls including defensive walls, public meeting places, public baths and dozens of houses.
The centerpiece is the mysterious Pedra Formosa, an intricately carved Celtic monolith that once served as a burial chamber.
Garden of Largo Republic of Brazil
It must be one of the oldest gardens in the city of Guimarães and one that has maintained the same design for decades.
Located in the Largo República do Brasil, facing the Church of Nossa Senhora da Consolação and Santos Passos and one of the many (disappeared) gates of the wall, is this garden. It extends over an entire avenue.
The vegetation is low, there are hedges, always very well trimmed, which give it a design and outline small flowerbeds, filled with grass or seasonal flowers, which give it a colorful touch, especially in spring, the season of bloom.
At one end you can see a fountain with a spout, the Fountain of the República do Brasil Square.
It is an obligatory stop and one of the many postcards of Guimarães.
Santa Catarina Penha
Accessible by a scenic mountain road that winds through sloping green forest, Penha de Santa Catarina Park is an ideal excursion for tourists looking to get away from the city, especially during the often sweltering summer heat.
Rising 620 meters above sea level and yet only seven kilometers southeast of the center of Guimarães, the green space is part of a national ecological reserve and covers 50 hectares. A veritable oasis of flora and fauna, the park is serious picnic territory and a favorite destination for families. One can follow a maze of trails through a lush environment of ancient trees and huge granite boulders, many of which are stepped.
The old monastery of Santa Marinha da Costa is on the lower slopes of the hill. Founded in 1154, it is now a magnificent pousada, but the gardens and the chapel are open to the general public. At the top (which can also be reached by cable car) is the Santuário Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Penha, an important place of pilgrimage. The terrace that surrounds the church offers a fantastic view of Guimarães.
Emplacement : Monte da Penha, Guimarães
Official website: http://www.penhaguimaraes.com
What are the places to visit near Guimaraes?
Exploring beyond Guimarães rewards tourists with destinations steeped in history and mystery, and celebrated for their culture and architecture.
Cabeceiras de Basto: It takes 40 minutes to drive east to reach Terras de Basto. Among the mountains and forests of this historic region, you will find a collection of mysterious statues, called bastos, which stand unblinkingly under shady woods or on the dozens of paths that crisscross the region. These statues, believed to represent Celtic warriors, served as territorial markers and can be seen brandishing shields as if ready to defend their kingdom.
In the town of Cabeceiras de Basto, the main attraction is the splendid baroque mosteiro of São Miguel de Refojos. Its 33 meter high dome, surrounded by statues of the apostles and topped by a statue of the Archangel Michael, is an architectural landmark.
Braga: Reserve a whole day to discover Braga. Located 25 kilometers northwest of Guimarães, Braga is Portugal's most important religious center, with churches, chapels and monasteries that characterize the city's compact historic quarter. The Sé, or cathedral, with two towers, is one of the must-see attractions. It is renowned for its exquisite gilded woodwork and its spectacular painted ceiling which traces the illustrious history of the city.
Not far east of Braga is the country's most spectacular religious shrine, the Bom Jesus do Monte . Known for its monumental Baroque staircase and pilgrimage church, the entire site is set in a public park – a prime spot for picnics – and offers plenty of attractions for families, including a magical hidden cave.
Tips + One Day Itinerary: How to get the most out of your visit to Guimãraes?
Portugal's Minho region is a lush, mountainous province of enviable beauty, dotted with noble towns and national monuments. It's a region of surprising contrasts, especially when it comes to weather: summer can be sweltering, while winter often brings heavy rain and even snow. No matter what time of year you travel, the most convenient way to discover the sights of the region is to join a tour accompanied by an expert guide.
Day Trip from Porto: Guimarães and Braga Small-Group Tour with Lunch and Entrances from Porto , will introduce you to two major historical destinations, each with a fascinating medieval atmosphere. Wander their charming streets and squares to see top attractions like the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança and Guimarães Castle, as well as the magnificent Cathedral and Sanctuary of Bom Jesus in Braga. Entrance fees, lunch and hotel transfer are included.
Getting around Guimarães
Guimarães is a city where you can walk, even if it is a bit hilly! The historic center is traffic-free. If you need local buses to get around the city and immediate suburbs, check the city bus website ; these buses operate under the name Guimabus. The site is only in Portuguese (possibility of translation)
Click on the “Descarragar Horários Diurno” tab for daytime buses. The tab “Descarrager Horários Noturno” indicates the bus times around 8 p.m.
There are two circular routes (numbers 003 and 004) around the center, the university campuses and the railway station, operated by electric buses, which run every 30 minutes on weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., every 40 minutes on Saturdays.
There is a zone pricing system with tickets for single journeys starting at €1.05. A prepaid ticket for ten journeys reduces the cost by approximately 10%.
I couldn't find a network map, but there are several interactive maps to help you find a stop and plan a trip.
The good bus service is due to the presence of a large university campus (Universidade do Minho). There is a large open air market on Fridays behind the castle which is well worth a visit.
Best time of year to visit Guimarães:
Guimarães is a pleasure to visit all year round, but early spring is particularly attractive. At this time of year, the climate is warm with little rain, and crowds are few. However, to fully appreciate the city's medieval past, visit the destination in the first week of August for the annual Festas Gualterianas, a rambunctious costume festival straight out of the Middle Ages. It has been held here since 1452.
FAQ :
Guimaraes, is it worth visiting?
Guimaraes is a very important city in Portugal. It is a beautiful medieval town full of history within easy driving distance of Porto. It's an easy city to explore on foot with plenty of photo opportunities. It allows you to travel back in time and discover many aspects of life in medieval times.
Which is better, Braga or Guimaraes?
Guimarães is very much focused on its history and tourism, and has a relaxed pace of life. Braga is livelier, with more shops and restaurants. The city center of Braga is entirely pedestrianized, and it is a pleasure to stroll through the many squares and shopping streets.
What is the nearest airport to Guimarães?
Porto's Sá Carneiro International Airport is the closest air hub to Guimarães. The airport is located in Maia, 10 kilometers north of downtown Porto, which is approximately 53 kilometers and a 45-minute drive from Guimarães.
How to get to Guimarães from Porto?
Guimarães is 58 kilometers northeast of Porto and easily accessible by car via the A3 and A7 motorways, with tolls.
The Getbus airport shuttle provides a daily connection between Porto's Sá Carneiro International Airport and the main bus station in Guimarães.
CP trains operate almost hourly between Porto's main station, Campanhã, and Guimarães. The station is located south of the city center.
Source : websites