Braga, Portugal
October 2024
We totally enjoyed our day trip to Braga, just an hour train ride from Porto. Braga is the oldest city in Portugal, founded in 16 B.C., and is known for its rich religious heritage. As we arrived on foot from the train station, we entered Braga through a gate in the city wall. So much history, numerous churches, old squares, impressive 18th century homes, gardens and nature parks.
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The City Wall
Although Braga was protected by walls since the third century, the re-construction of Braga's medieval city wall was completed in 1373. Originally the wall consisted of five towers and eight gates. Today you can still visit three gates: Arco da Porta Nova, the Santiago Gate, and São Sebastião Tower (not shown). Please check out the captions on the photos below!
The "Arco da Porta Nova" (New Gate Arch) is the city's main gate. At the top, you can see a female figure representing Braga.
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The Town Square
Soon after entering Braga, we came across a large and beautiful town square, with a lush garden plus a fountain in the center. And of course, we can't possibly forget the crazy and somewhat scary cat!
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Streets and Buildings
Braga is a great walking town with its labyrinth of colorful narrow streets and a welcoming atmosphere. We were surrounded by historic buildings, monuments, unique shops and window displays, plus lots of restaurants. Although we were there on a rainy day, plenty of people were sitting outside at small tables under the awnings.
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Bom Jesus do Monte
The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte (Good Jesus of the Mount) is a Portuguese Catholic shrine on Mount Espinho just outside of Braga. In 2019, the Bom Jesus shrine was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Although there is a funicular, we grabbed a ride to the top of the mountain where we found a picturesque pond with boats and enjoyed some nice views of Braga.
A Baroque granite staircase, surrounded by white plaster walls, zig-zags up to the sanctuary. There are a total of 577 steps, and pilgrims would climb the steps on their knees to reach the sanctuary. The staircase landings display statues, small chapels containing sculptures, plus gardens and perpetually-flowing fountains. Each of these fountains is dedicated to one of the five senses (touch, smell, taste, sight and sound).
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I hope you enjoyed visiting Braga with me.
Thanks for visiting!
