Castles · Tour

Guimarães at Dusk or by Day, with the Granite Tanning Vats of Couros

Guimarães is the cradle of the nation, and it earned the title in the 12th century: independence from the kingdom of León was won here, and the city was made the capital of the County of Portucale. What it kept afterwards is the point. The defensive walls, the castle, the burgh and the workers' quarters all survived into the 19th century, so the medieval structure is still there in the small squares and the narrow streets, along with the monuments. This visit covers the ground inside the walls and outside them, including the parts most tours skip. It also drives up to the highest point in the area, for the view and for a few things that are not on any list. The departure can be taken by day or at sunset. The evening version has the light, the lit monuments and a city that behaves differently after dark.