Guimarães, a town of castles and Palaces

My experience in Guimarães began when i discovered that this town located not very far from Braga was a wonderful place to visit and to discover its main attractions like the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza where Portugal was actually originated and to discover its teleferic, its amazing park and cathedral, tasting delicious sweets in the restaurants or in the cafes.

I also discovred after many researches that there is not a direct line of the urban metro from Braga to Guimarães, so what we should do is take the metro urbano from Braga to the station Lousado for 2.05 euros then change the line in Lousado to the line of Guimarães for 2.35 euros so the whole trip costs 4.40 euros.

Guimarães is a city located in northern Portugal, in the district of Braga characterised by its unique historical aspects and wonderful atmosphere making poeple more joyful to visit it all in one day and its history have a link with the country's creation from the beginning. Arriving inside the main avenue of the city, appeared a very beautiful landscape of flowers all around decorating all the way in front of the cathedral Nossa Senhora da Consolação that was built in the central place of the city offering the most beautiful view ever, i thought it had a degree of resemblance with Braga since there all cathedrals are also very well decorated with flowers as well.

A great walk in the city allows the viewer to enjoy the wonderfeul landscape of homes in different colours inside the main square of the city The Oliveira square, were i saw the beautiful fontains offering an amazing show and the colourful flowers were mixed in very beautiful combinations to represent an amazing harmonious landscape that is the facade of this little town characterised by so much tresors. I wanted then to visit the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, as it was famous for being a real richness nowadays to the city for its conserved state but to arrive in the top of the mountain mont Penha, i had to use the lift called teleferico in portuguese which is the teleferic of Guimarães probably the highest teleferic line i ever saw in my life.

Then i accessed the cabine of the teleferic that was lifting me to the top while shaking a bit to make it an incredible experience, the view of the landscape changed as long as the cabine was riding to the top, the view of many trees all around the mountain, the castles from far away, the birds flying in the blue sky, i was actually flying in the air, what an amazing experience for adrenaline lovers ! I could therefore see the castle from far away and distinguish its architecture so i felt so much excited even more to go inside and discover this masterpiece.

Then i arrived by walking to The Palace of the Dukes of Braganza and the entry was free since it was sunday which is very important to note. The castle was really conserved to the point of expecting a king to appear out of no where.. The Palace was composed of different rooms that were previously used by the princes and princesses of the castle, i could clearly see the bed rooms with small tables, beds, all the accessories of a bed room, then i discovered the dining room with a huge table in the center that was probably used for the king and his guests, a beautiful embroidered rug was dressed behind the dining table and many swords were there exposed to the public very well conserved that kings were using during their battles.

What was really impressive to me is that all the accessoires of the dining room such as small and big plates for serving, cups for the wine, even an immense chandelier giving light to the room was conserved in very impressive way and this is what make this historical castle be so unique. i could feel the same feeling as being in a royal palace and expecting my king to go out to do a dance together in the huge palace. As the photo took by me shows even the walls were in conserved state, the chairs and tables made from red wood, the room was cleary made for a past king.

A place for prayer was also very conserved inside of the castle and a big veranda was centering the historical and huge building, i tried to access the highest point of the castle by the stairs and the view was really splendid all around the castle, that place could be used in history to protect the Palace from external invasion. it was mainly made to protect the king of course from any external threat. On the top of the castle i could distiguish a place where they put all the history of the castles in very cute posters telling the story of this castle from it built to the differents phases of war, to the kings that were in the reign for years.

The other part of the city is also very modern with amazing restaurants and bars where i could hear some music all aound and enter inside to have some delicious pasteis de Portugal, the souvenirs shops were also very multiple where i could buy an amazing gift that was a miniature of the castle with a knight. The city has also several cultural spaces of reference at a regional and national level, in fact some museums like for example the museum of agriculture mainly showing the different aspects of practicing agriculture in this region as it was the main source of living for the city.

Guimarães have different types and categories of collective sports as it has an amazing sports club of football called Vitória de Guimarães (football club) and this team has been the city's representative in the Primeira Liga for many years, a derby can be viewed especially when Vitória de Guimarães faces the Sporting Clube de Braga giving place to the most competitive football game ever.

The city is also popular to have many diversified traditions and beyng very conservative style of living very far from the crowded atmosphere of big cities, its a city very calm, with its forest it can purify the atmosphere and be the host of many small wild animals, the architecture when walking in the streets can also be distinguished as having an authentic style that we can never find in other countries like Germany or London, this city haveits unique way of living, very friendly poeple to help you when you feel lost, and very beautiful view to the wold outside which make the cultural exchange be very easy between such countries.

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