Guimaraes

Welcome to Guimarães, the city affectionately known by all Portuguese as the 'Cidade Berço,' or the Cradle City. Located in the verdant Minho region of northern Portugal, this is the place where the nation's heart first began to…

We begin our exploration at Largo do Toural, often considered the city's main square and its most prominent 'living room.' Its name, derived from 'tourada' or bullfight, hints at its history as a site for cattle markets and…

Connecting the lower city to the castle on the hill is the Rua de Santa Maria. This is arguably the oldest street in Guimarães, dating back to the 10th century when it was established to link the Countess Mumadona’s monastery…

Now we enter the true heart of the UNESCO historic center: Largo da Oliveira. This square is named after a legendary olive tree that stood here for centuries. …

Connected directly to Largo da Oliveira by the arched walkway of the old Town Hall is Praça de São Tiago. According to tradition, an image of the Virgin Mary was brought here by the Apostle Saint James (São Tiago) himself, giving…

Located on the rise toward the castle is the Passo dos Duques de Bragança. Built in the early 15th century by Afonso, the first Duke of Bragança and illegitimate son of King João I, this palace is architecturally unique in…

To understand the industrial soul of Guimarães, we must descend to the Zona de Couros, or the Leather Quarter. This area, located along the small stream that flows through the city, was for centuries the center of the city's…

For our final stop, we take a short ride on the Teleférico de Guimarães—Portugal's first cable car—to the summit of Monte da Penha. As you rise above the city, you get a true sense of its geography, nestled in a lush valley and…

Our journey through Guimarães has taken us from the grand 18th-century facade of Largo do Toural to the ancient 10th-century stones of the Rua de Santa Maria. We have seen the monuments of kings and the working-class pits of the…