Castles · Tour
Private Braga with the Triangle of Faith and Sameiro at 566 Metres
A private full day through Braga and Guimarães with a guide who knows the ground. In Braga the day is built on the Triangle of Faith, the three sanctuaries above the city, and it takes in both Bom Jesus and Sameiro, which between them draw most of the pilgrims who come to northern Portugal. Sameiro is the highest point of the day. Guimarães is the birthplace of the nation and has one of the finest historic centres in the country. Walking the old town is the closest thing available to walking a medieval city that is still lived in. The guide covers each city as you go, and takes you to the monuments and the places worth the time. Lunch at a local restaurant can be included when you book, with the food of the region on the table.
What's included
- Porto City Walking Tour (available from the day after your experience)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Transport by air-conditioned vehicle
- Private tour
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- Driver/guide
- Portuguese Lunch with drink included (vegetarian and gluten-free preferences upon prior notice)
Itinerary
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Porto
Your guide collects you from your hotel or from the meeting point and drives to Braga, the first stop. On the way into the Minho the guide covers Portuguese history, how the country came together, and the cultural background to the day.
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sameiro
The first stop is the highest point of the day. On the top of the hill it is named after, at 566 metres, the Shrine of Our Lady of Sameiro is one of the most visited Marian sites in Portugal, with a clear view over Braga. It draws pilgrims all year, and particularly on the first Sunday of June and the third Sunday of August.
Bom Jesus Funicular
The funicular that climbs the hill to the Bom Jesus sanctuary, and the Baroque staircase beside it, which is the way pilgrims have always gone up.
Se de Braga
The first cathedral, older than Portugal. Braga Cathedral was the first cathedral in the country, built decades before the country existed. Work began at the end of the 11th century, and Bishop Pedro consecrated it to the Virgin Mary in a solemn session on 28 August 1089. It competed for power with the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, and it is the great building of the city. D. Henrique and D. Teresa, the parents of the first king of Portugal, are buried in the Chapel of Kings.
Braga
Time for a break. With the lunch option, the guide takes you to a local restaurant for a traditional Portuguese meal with drinks included. The Vinho Verde is worth trying, a white with characteristics nothing else has. Without the lunch option, this is free time, with restaurant suggestions if you want them, or more of the old centre of Braga if you would rather keep walking. (A vegetarian option is available at lunch. Request it when you book.)
Guimaraes
After lunch, a short drive to Guimarães. It is called the birthplace of Portugal because Afonso Henriques, who became the first king, was born here.
Guimaraes Castle
The castle carries the mix of legend, poetry and heroism that surrounds the start of Portuguese history. On this Monte Largo, the Broad Hill, the nucleus of the future country took shape. Around 968, Mumadona, countess of Galicia, ordered a castle built here so the population could shelter from the raids: Vikings arriving by sea from northern Europe, Muslims coming up from the territories they held in the south. When Count Henry took the governorship of the province of Portucalense from his father-in-law, Alfonso VI of León, he ordered something larger and stronger. That is the structure standing today, with the square keep between the four corner towers. It is not documented, but the building against the inner face of the north wall was very probably the residence of Count Henry, and the birthplace of his son Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal.
Igreja de Sao Miguel do Castelo
The small church of S. Miguel do Castelo was built in the 13th century. Tradition puts it in the 12th, built by Count Dom Henrique, Henry of Burgundy, who is said to have baptised his son there, the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques. It is Romanesque, small, and plainly decorated. Under the floor lie the great warriors of the founding period of the country.
Centro Historico de Guimaraes
The historic centre, the ground that stood inside the Guimarães walls, is tied to the formation and identity of Portugal, and it was listed as World Heritage for the honesty of its restoration. The fabric is all there: iron verandas, granite balconies and porticos, mansions, arches over the narrow streets, paving worn smooth, towers and cloisters. The medieval version of the town is legible for a moment, along with the houses the nobility added over the centuries, the Mota Prego house, the Vila Flor and Toural palaces, and everything else that makes Guimarães what it is.
Not included
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Gratuities
Good to know
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Please kindly be aware that the overall duration of the activity could be influenced by traffic conditions. We highly advise against scheduling any additional activities or making other plans within the hour following the anticipated completion time.
- Vegetarian and Gluten-free meal options are available if requested before the day of the booking. Make sure you inform us before the tour starts.
- Discover Porto in a unique way with a Free Walking Tour with Living Tours, available to all customers who book this activity. Our Free Walking Tour is available on a daily basis, in English and Spanish, at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. departing from Living Tours Agency located in Rua Mouzinho da Silveira 352, 4050-418 Porto
- Up to 8 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: pt, en, fr, es.
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