Guimarães — Cradle of Portugal

„Aqui nasceu Portugal" — „Here Portugal was born" is written on the old city wall, and this claim is no exaggeration. In Guimarães, the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, was born in 1109, and from here began the Reconquista, which led to the founding of the independent Kingdom of Portugal. The UNESCO-protected old town is a perfectly preserved medieval ensemble of granite buildings, narrow alleys, and atmospheric squares.

The Castelo de Guimarães (10th century) towers over the city — a sturdy fortress with seven towers, from whose walls you have a magnificent view over the red roofs. Admission 2 €. Right next to it stands the Paço dos Duques de Bragança, the palace of the Dukes of Braganza (15th century), an imposing building with Burgundian influence, which today serves as a museum. Admission 5 €, combined ticket with castle 6 €.

The old town is centered around two enchanting squares: the Largo da Oliveira with the Romanesque church Nossa Senhora da Oliveira and the Gothic Padrão do Salado, and the Praça de Santiago with its cafés under arcades. In the evening, when the lanterns glow and guitar music drifts from the bars, you feel transported back to the Middle Ages.

The Teleférico da Penha (cable car, 5 € round trip) takes you to Monte da Penha — a wooded hill with granite rocks, hiking trails, and a pilgrimage site. From Porto, Guimarães is reachable in 1 hour by train (from 3.25 €) and can be well combined with Braga in one day.