Introduction
50km (31 miles) N of Porto, 367km (228 miles) N of Lisbon
Nearly everywhere you look in Braga there's a church, a palace, a garden, or a fountain. Known to the Romans as Bracara Augusta, the town has been called home by other conquerors, including the Suevi, the Visigoths, and the Moors. For centuries it has been an archiepiscopal seat and pilgrimage site; the Visigoths are said to have renounced their heresies here. Braga is also a long-standing religious capital. It stages the country's most impressive observances of Semana Santa (Holy Week), when torchlit processions of hooded participants, eerily evocative of the KKK, parade by.
Politically, Braga is Portugal's most conservative city. In 1926, a coup here paved the way for Salazar to begin his long dictatorship. Paradoxically, Braga is a hot place at night, primarily because of its young people. In fact, its lively streets have earned it a reputation for being "Lisbon in miniature."
Although aware of its rich history,...
more local info
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Santuário Bom Jesús do Monte
Bom Jesús do Monte is a hilltop pilgrimage site; it's reached on foot, on a funicular (the ride costs 1€/$1.30), or by car along a tree-lined roadway....
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Sé
Inside the town, interest focuses on the Sé (cathedral), which was built in the 12th century by Henri de Bourgogne and Dona Teresa. After he died,...
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Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês
- Magnificently located in the northernmost regions of Minho and Trás-Os-Montes this is the only National Park in Portugal though there are many...
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- Attractions
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