There is a Portuguese saying, “Braga prays, Porto works, Coimbra studies and Lisbon has fun.”. In this post, we’re going to talk about our trip to Braga, the city known as the Portuguese Rome. The churches and the chapels are some reasons to visit the city but there is much more to discover in the city that was elected second Best European Destination in 2019.
Continue reading this post and find out the places you cannot miss in Braga!
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Museu dos Biscainhos
We started our day in the Museu dos Biscainhos. The palace, the baroque gardens and the collections reveal the quotidian of the nobility from the eighteenth century and the other residents of the palace: chaplains, servants and slaves. The museum has a permanent exhibition that includes furniture, jewelry, ceramics, glasses, textiles, metals, musical instruments, transport vehicles, engraving, sculpture/carving, tiles and painting, dating back to the period between the 17th century and the first quarter of the 19th century.
SĂ© de Braga
After visiting Museu dos Biscainhos, we walked through the streets of Braga. In the city center, there are several chapels and churches to visit but we decided to visit only SĂ© de Braga. The visit includes the Cathedral’s Treasure Museum, which has a collection of artistic relics, a visit to the chapels and to the Upper Choir stand. Braga’s Cathedral was the first Portuguese cathedral and it is older than Portugal!
Jardim de Santa Bárbara
Near Sé de Braga, we find Jardim de Santa Bárbara. The name of the garden is due to the 17th-century fountain located in the center of the garden. There, you will find the Medieval Wing of the Episcopal Palace of Braga, which makes this place even more special.
Avenida da Liberdade and Praça da República
After a delightful moment surrounded by beautiful flowers, we continued to our next destination, Avenida da Liberdade, just to be received by another floral scenario. This avenue is full of life, shops, restaurants and cafes. In the center of the avenue, there is an imponent building worth visiting, even if just to appreciate the exterior, Teatro Circo.
At the top of the avenue, it is located Praça da República, with an imponent fountain and the perfect place for relaxing and enjoying a drink, Café Vianna.
Arco da Porta Nova
The visit to the center of the city was almost over. Of course, we could not leave Braga without passing in Arco da Porta Nova. It is one of the most iconic monuments in Braga!
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Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte
The oldest funicular in the world, the endless staircases, the fountains and the baroque statues, surrounded by nature, make this place one of the most visited places by the tourists.
Santuário do Sameiro
A few kilometers away, we find Santuário do Sameiro. There, you will feel an enormous peace and plenitude that we can’t experience everywhere.
572 meters high, Sameiro Hill is the highest point of the city. The views are amazing, especially when at the end of the day when the sun is going down. From there, you will see Serra do Gerês, Serra da Cabreira, Serra da Penha and Serra da Franqueira. In days of higher visibility, you can even see the sea, from Leixões to the mouth of Rio Lima.
Braga is a unique city. It mixes the religious side with a youth city atmosphere. It is totally worth the visit so make sure to include it in your next visit to Portugal!
