Guimarães

Considered the birthplace of Portugal as a kingdom, and the town where the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, was born. Once a military stronghold, the landscape of Guimarães is truly uneven and goes back to the early Middle Ages. With its foundations in the 9th century, nowadays, strolling through the downtown streets, you can always admire the remnants from the past from big manor houses, Gothic and Baroque churches, and much more to be uncovered.

When traveling to Guimarães, there are certain landmarks and monuments that you should visit, such as the iconic Castle of Guimarães, the first residential fortress of the first Portuguese royal family; the Romanesque Chapel of S. Miguel where Afonso Henriques was baptized; the Palace of the Dukes, built in the 15th century by the Bragança family as an alternative to moving the royal family from the castle to a palace.

Yet, when wandering through the labyrinth streets inside the medieval wall, you can expect to find five chapels that represent a Via Crucis (Path of Jesus). Once seven, and today just five, each of these religious beacons is an episode of the Crucifixion of Jesus by the hands of Romans.

Its quaint downtown, elected as World Heritage by UNESCO in 2001, will take you to the famous Largo da Oliveira, where the best traditional restaurants are. Nevertheless, if you are looking to try delicious pastries, look for the bakery in Rua das Trinas, where the secret of baking bread and pastry goes back to the 1800s.

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