Guimarães and Braga day trip

Guimarães (Castelo de Guimarães) · Braga (Bom Jesus do Monte)

The castle where Portugal began, and a zigzag stair to the sky

Hours

Guimarães Castle 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30)

Tickets

Guimarães Castle €5, ducal palace €5–6, combined €8 / Braga Cathedral €2 (combined €5) / Bom Jesus funicular €2.50 one way, €4 return (all as of Aug–Oct 2026)

Address

The pin marks Guimarães Castle; Braga's Bom Jesus do Monte is 20–30 minutes by bus from central Braga

Guimarães has 'Portugal was born here' written on its old wall. A small stone castle tied to the first king and the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza sit side by side on the hill, and below, the old squares are ringed with houses hung with flower boxes. Over in Braga you see the cathedral, then take a bus up to Bom Jesus do Monte, where a zigzag baroque stair of white walls and granite climbs to the church on top; ride up on the old water-counterweight funicular and walk down. If canals and the sea appeal more, swap the whole day for Aveiro, a little over an hour away by train.