A day trip to Braga

Braga is one of the most beautiful cities in the North of Portugal. It has been a notable city since ancient times and it was founded in the year 20 BC. Its ancient name was Bracara Augusta and some people even called it Roma Portuguesa (Portuguese Rome). Later, Braga was mostly famous for being the seat of the Archbishop of Portugal and Spain. It was for sure one of the most famous religious points of Portugal.

Nowadays, Braga is best known for its hilly streets and medieval historical buildings. Some of the most famous sights around the town are the Bom Jesus do Monte and the Sameiro sanctuary. Within the city, you can also enjoy beautiful parks and lots of ancient churches.

Thus, I decided to go to Braga for a day trip and explore the city as well as its surrounding hills where most of the monasteries were built.

How to get to Braga?

The best way to get to Braga is by train. For example, the train ticket from Porto to Braga costs 3.25 euros each way and the ride takes around an hour. The cool thing is that, if you are 25 years old or younger, you can get a discount on your ticket by showing your ID or passport. All the information you need you can find on the Comboios de Portugal website, where you can also check the train times too.

Another easy way to get to Braga is by catching a bus from Barcelos, next to the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave. Right next to the international office of the institute is the bus stop, from where you can catch the bus to Braga, and the ticket costs 3.60 for both ways. The ride takes around half an hour and ends at the bus station in Braga. If you want to go back to Barcelos by bus, you should go to the bus station and catch it from line ten.

What to do in Braga?

Braga is a perfect destination for a one-day trip from Porto or any city that is near it. It offers lots of landmarks to explore, as well as huge malls and shopping streets around the city.

Bom Jesus do Monte

My trip to Braga started from the train station where I took the bus to Bom Jesus do Monte. The bus that I caught was the number 2 or simply the one that says ‘Bom Jesus’. The ticket is 1.65 euros to get there. Then, when you get off, you can take the old water-powered funicular, which will cost you 1.50 euros, and the ride up to the Bom Jesus do Monte is less than 10 minutes. However, if you want you can also walk up to Bom Jesus do Monte.

The Bom Jesus do Monte sits in the hills outside of Braga to the east. In medieval times many hilltops were considered holy by the Portuguese people, and that’s why they built Bom Jesus do Monte there. Later, it became the most famous pilgrimage site in Northern Portugal.

Nowadays, the Bom Jesus do Monte will fascinate you with its Baroque style church that sits on top of the site. In addition to that, it has a beautiful zig-zag staircase that has 600 steps in total with lots of fountains and Baroque decorations, leading you to the bottom of the site and a fascinating view over the city of Braga! Moreover, Bom Jesus do Monte was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as of 2019, which only proves its importance to the Portuguese culture.

Around the site of the Bom Jesus do Monte, there are lots of gardens and viewpoints from which you can get various vistas. There is also a small wooden chapel next to the church, which leads you to a park with a huge pond in which you can go for a boat ride.

Sameiro Sanctuary

After I visited Bom Jesus do Monte, I went to the Sameiro sanctuary, which is another pilgrimage site in the outskirts of Braga. The Sameiro sanctuary is only 20 minutes walking from Bom Jesus do Monte, and I had to cross a forest to get to it, which was quite a pleasant experience. Then, after the walk in the forest, I ended up in front of the sanctuary, built in the typical Baroque Portuguese style. In addition to the beautiful church on top, the sanctuary also offers one of the best views of Braga from above and is not that crowded as Bom Jesus.

To get back to the city, you can catch bus 88 that stops in front of the Sameiro Sanctuary. Usually, it is there every 20-30 minutes. The ride takes around twenty minutes to get to the city center.

Raio Palace

Once I got back to Braga, I went to the Raio Palace, which is a Baroque residence built for a rich Portuguese merchant in the 18th century. It is one of the most beautiful buildings that I have seen in Braga and is also a popular place for taking pictures. However, if you want to get inside, it is free of charge, so do not hesitate and explore it from within.

Churches in Braga

Braga has more than 30 churches and as you can imagine, it is quite impossible to visit all of them in a day. Although, you can check out the most notable ones like Igreja de São Paulo and Igreja de São Marcos, which are next to the "letters of Braga"s and the cathedral of Braga.

The cathedral of Braga is, for sure, one of the most fascinating cathedrals in Portugal. Once you are inside the cathedral, you will be stunned by the golden ceilings and beautiful ornaments that are everywhere. The cathedral of Braga is really beautiful and shows the wealth of the Portuguese people and their strong worship for God. It is a must-see when you are in Braga.

Arco Da Porta Nova

This triumphal arc in Braga made me turn my head a couple of times, as I could not believe my eyes how beautiful it was during the sunset. It was created in the 18 century in the typical Portuguese Baroque style and replaced the old gateway to the historical city of Braga.

The Gardens of Braga

At the end of your trip, you can check out the gardens of Braga and rest for a bit there. All of the gardens in Braga are beautifully arranged with colorful flowers that bring you the feeling of joyfulness. The gardens I enjoyed and would suggest you visit are Jardim de Santa Barbara and Jardim da Casa dos Biscaínhos.

Braga Barroca

Each year there is a really interesting event held in Braga at the end of September. All of the participants wear medieval costumes and play medieval games. There are also concerts, a parade, and lots of medieval settings around the city hall of Braga where all the dressed up people go. I really enjoyed one of the events of Braga Barroca as it shows how people from medieval times were having fun.

Shopping in Braga

If you plan to go shopping in Braga, you will not be disappointed. Braga offers plenty of shopping options, whether it is malls or shopping streets. You can go to either Braga Parque or Braga Shopping, where you can find a variety of shops, you can also go shopping in the historical center.

However, Braga Parque is quite a big shopping center where you can find lots of well-known chain stores like H&M, Zara, Stradivarius, and Primark, where you will probably find the cheapest clothes and accessories and good ideas for presents. Usually, in December and especially in January, the mall offers the biggest sales where you can find most of the clothes with a seventy percent discount or even more.

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