Guimarães and Braga: Historic Cities Tour

Explore the historic cities of Guimarães and Braga on a small group heritage tour from Porto. Visit medieval castles, palaces, cathedrals, and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Enjoy a delicious lunch and discover the hidden secrets of these iconic cities.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Bom Jesus Funicular - Visit to the Sanctuary and it’s staircase
  • Bom Jesus Do Monte - You will visit the church and admire the impressive staircase with our guide
  • Se de Braga - Guided tour of Braga Cathedral and some of it’s Chapels and more restricted areas.
  • Guimaraes Castle - Visit to the Castle and historical explanation of it’s importance on Portugal independence.
  • Paco dos Duques de Braganca - Our guide will make an explanation of the palace from the exterior and on the cloister
  • Rua de Santa Maria - Our guide will escort you throught this street while explaining the historical context and it’s buildings
  • Largo da Oliveira - Explanation of the most important square buildings and the origin of the square name
  • Guimaraes - Free time at the city center to explore at your own pace.
What's Included
  • Hotel pickup
  • Drop Off at two locations: Trindade Station & Bolsa Palace
  • Professional guide
  • Comfortable and modern minivan
  • Traditional Lunch with drinks included
  • Bottled water in sustainable packaging
  • Braga Cathedral and Guimarães castle entrance fee
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
Additional Information

Guimarães, the birthplace of the nation and a UNESCO World Heritage site, exudes a medieval atmosphere with its 10th-century castle and 15th-century Ducal Palace. A stroll through the heart of the city’s streets and squares will immerse you in the palpable charm and rich history of Guimarães. During our visit, we’ll explore the imposing castle, admire the majestic Dukes of Bragança Palace, and wander through the historic center.

After a relaxing lunch break included in the tour, we’ll continue our journey to Braga, known as the oldest Portuguese city and the religious capital of Portugal. For centuries, Braga has been a prominent archiepiscopal seat and pilgrimage site. Our exploration of Braga will include a visit to its 11th-century Cathedral, followed by a tour of the Bom Jesus Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage site nestled in the scenic hills surrounding the city.

Join us on our small-group tour to discover the most iconic monuments and exclusive spots in these historic cities.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
  • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
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
4.8
(304 Ratings)
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Iacobadrian_r
Aug 3, 2024
Great time there, nice things to see - Great time there, nice things to see, Antonio is funny and knowledgeable guide. Stunning scenery, we had a good time as a couple.
Review provided by Viator
Debri_r
Aug 1, 2024
Amazing! - Unbelievable sites. Portugal is amazing and don’t miss these two villages! Amazing! The architecture and scenery is unbelievable.
Review provided by Viator
Jmarie_412
Jul 20, 2024
Definitely worth taking this tour - This was a great day with Jose. He was friendly, knowledgable, and made the day such a wonderful experience. The itinerary for the day is at a good pace and definitely worth seeing. Thank you for an excellent day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lori_v
Jul 13, 2024
Two lovely "off the beaten path" cities - Our guide, Marlena, was fantastic! We really enjoyed our time in Braga and Guimaraes, and her knowledge and personable nature made the trip doubly enjoyable.
Review provided by Viator
Ann_c
Jul 12, 2024
Lovely trip - It was lovely to visit Braga & Guimaraes! We are so happy we went and spent the day on this trip- so worth it!
Review provided by Viator
Maria_g
Jul 11, 2024
Amazing! - What an amazing experience. Our guide José was super nice, on time, and had a lot of facts and stories to shere with us. He pointed out landmarks, famous spots, and answered all our questions.
Review provided by Viator
Teammojoexeperiencr
Jul 8, 2024
Very nice - Great guide, good attention to detail, well thought out plan and you could have asked more about any topic, religion, architecture, history… what ever you wanted.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chris_m
Jul 2, 2024
Awesome - Alvaro was fantastic!! Very personable, polite and knowledgeable!! He was extremely patient and accommodating and could not have provided a better experience. Thank you Alvaro!
Review provided by Viator
David_c
Jun 20, 2024
Would definitely book again! - Great time! The tour operator, Nuno, was fantastic. Braga was beautiful and Guimaraes was amazing. Nuno went above and beyond for our little tour. We were running late and he and the rest of the guests were very gracious.
Review provided by Viator
Resort00188478116
Jul 26, 2024
Incredible History and Beauty - This was a very special tour. Our guide, Marlena, provided so much history and local details. I especially enjoyed the first stop at Bom Jesus do Monte. Marlena took us to a bakery in Guimarães where they make a pastry with a secret recipe that is owned and carefully guarded by two families. Marlena was very sweet and treated us all to a pastry. She also scheduled a little free time for us to wander and enjoy Braga and Guimarães on our own. Porto, where I was staying, was very crowded with tourists and Braga and Guimarães provided a much needed break from the crowds of Porto. I also appreciated that this was a small group tour. It felt more personal than the larger group tours. Marlena was very attentive and answered our many questions. It's clear how passionate she is about sharing her love of Portugal with visitors. My only recommendation is that I wish we would have spent less time at the Cathedral in Braga and more time touring additional historical sites in Braga.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 8 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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