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I flew from London Gatwick to Porto on a Friday morning in February, I took the bus directly from the airport to the city of Guimaraes. I used GetBus and the fare was about 8 euros. The bus stop is to your right when you exit at the end of the terminal. All the different bus companies seem to stop there and there is a board with timetables to check. You also have the choice of getting the metro into the city and jumping on a train from there. I chose the bus as it seemed a cheap and convenient option. It was only about an hour to Guimaraes from the airport. When I got off the bus at the station it was raining, apparently it rains a lot in Guimaraes in February so you will find a brolly or a rain poncho useful.
My accommodation was an easy fifteen minute walk from the station. It was practically a straight line so I had no difficulty locating it. I stayed at the Dom Jose Alojamentos by Guestify on Rua de Gil Vicente 84, the sign outside the building is small so you need to keep a sharp lookout for it. The interior of the building is beautiful and the host Carlos was very helpful. My room was on the top floor and I had a view of the Penha mountain when the mist lifted. The building has a lift but I was told it was very slow so I didnt check it out as I was travelling light. The room and bathroom were very clean, modern, spacious and quiet with air conditioning. The host thoughtfully had put the heating on before I arrived so the room was nice and cosy. Water and toiletries were provided. Breakfast was not included and you had to book it as an extra. It was ten euros per day but there was plenty of fresh food available for the price. The hotel was very central and all the attractions were in easy walking distance. After settling in I went for a walk around town. I had a meal at Antigo Nora do Ze da Curva on R. de Gil Vicente, it was excellent and reasonably priced. After a bit more rambling I decided to call it a day.
Saturday
The weather is still on the damp side 🌧☔. Decided to have breakfast on the move and headed for Toural square. I found a little coffee shop just off the square, Confeitaria Ribela, excellent selection of pastries and coffee, well populated with locals and prices very reasonable. Lots of seating indoors.
After coffee I then went in the direction of the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza. It was easy to spot with all the chimneys.
There is a statue of Alfonso Henriques the first king of Portugal positioned in front of the palace. I was going to see the palace first but I got invited by a young lady outside to try out the Alfonso 360 experience. Entry was in a small prefab in front of the ducal palace. As it was still raining I decided I had nothing to lose. It cost 6 euro to experience the battle of Sao Mamede through the power of virtual reality. You popped on a pair of glasses and hey presto you were in the middle of the battlefield. The battle of Sao Mamede was the event that started Portugal on the road to independence and Alfonso Henriques becoming the king. The battle took place outside Guimaraes which is why today it is known as the birthplace of Portugal.
There was also a second movie about the castle of Guimaraes, It showed the interior of the castle which was useful as it is currently closed for renovation.
After that I bought a ticket for 5 euros and headed indoors to the Ducal palace for a visit. The interior of the palace is very beautiful. Gorgeous stone walls, wooden ceilings, gigantic stone fireplaces, tapestries, various works of art, ceramics and furniture. There was no audio tour available but there are notes in English and other languages as you enter each room. The rooms were massive and tastefully decorated. There was a large courtyard in the centre and a very pretty chapel.
Castles viewed I headed back down into the old town. It is very pretty with old cobbled streets some with interesting arches, lots of small shops and eateries. Guimaraes has UNESCO listing as a world heritage site and walking around getting lost in its narrow little streets was a lovely experience. There was a new treasure to be found around every corner. It is full of lovely old stone houses, Portuguese tiles and old street lamps. The place is full of character and remains unspoilt.
I wandered onto Largo da Oliveira. It gets it name from an olive tree that used to grow in the square. This small square has some interesting buildings. The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira is a collegiate church, It is beautifully ornate inside, You can climb the stairs up to the organ which give a great view of the church. Outside the church is the Padrao do Salado monument built to commemorate the Battle of Salado in 1340. Another landmark in the square is the medieval old town council chambers. This has an open Gothic arcade underneath which leads onto Largo de Sao Tiago.
This square has an array of beautiful houses built in the 16th and 17th centuries with beautiful wooden balconies. It is also a good place to stop for a bite in the many restaurants.
After lunch I walked down to Largo Republica do Brasil to capture the famous view. It has beautifully manicured gardens that lead to Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Consolacao e Santos Passos. The view of the avenue is just stunning even on a cloudy rainy day. I walked down the avenue towards the beautiful church but it wasn’t open. I then followed the remnants of the city wall up to the Judicial Court of Guimaraes. It is a pretty impressive building with two large statues representing justice and the law. It is situated in the square of Largo Condessa Mumadonna Dias and there is a large statue of the lady in the centre.
Across the road you can climb the city wall via stairs and walk along it back towards Largo Republica do Brasil. You will find excellent views of Mount Penha in the distance. I stopped for coffee and cake at Oscar’s café. Feeling refuelled I headed through the old town, got lost a few times and ended up in Largo do Toural. This is a large square with a fountain at one end and is surrounded by quaint traditional houses. There is a sign on the wall at the fountain end of the square that reads “Aout Nasceu Portugal” which I’m reliably informed translates to “Portugal was born here”. Sightseeing finished for the day I had dinner at Pinguim.
Sunday
Today I took the cable car up to Mount Penha. Return trip costs 7 euros 50 cents. It was very quiet and I had the cable car all to myself. The views on the way up were incredible, lots of huge boulders which seems to be a recurring theme on this mountain. The trails down the mountain through forested areas were in view and looked very muddy because of the rain. Good hiking boots advised if you are energetic enough to attempt it. Another option is to take a taxi or drive up the mountain. Once off the cable car you are walking around or climbing steps by giant boulders covered with moss and lichen. It was a damp morning and everything was wet adding to the feeling that you were on a film set. It felt a bit like Ferngully up there at times and I half expected to meet an elf or a fairy somewhere. You are completely separated from the city down below and it is very peaceful and beautiful. I can imagine that it gets very busy in summer as it looks a great place to escape the heat.
The Penha Sanctuary is a beautiful church at the top and feels very modern in comparison to the usual Gothic churches of Portugal. It is beautiful inside, very simple and plain which draws the eye to the image of Our Lady above the altar. The bells continued to chime while I was up there which added to the feeling of peace and serenity. Further on in my rambles I came across the small chapel of St. Christopher. It stands next to a castle type bell tower, it is very pretty little chapel but slightly spoiled by the large phone mast behind it. St Christopher is considered the patron saint of drivers and as such gets visited by a lot of taxi drivers. There is a higher viewpoint that you can walk up to to enjoy the views. It is a small carpark with a large statue of Pope Pius IX on a huge plinth. From here there are amazing views of Guimaraes down below, and you have views of the Sanctuary set amongst the boulders and trees. I was lucky to get a break in the weather so I was able to see the countryside for miles around. The castle is forgiven for being closed😀. There are lots of paths to follow around the sanctuary which lead you to other small saint’s shrines hidden amongst the boulders. Its a little bit like a treasure hunt. There is a small train that takes you around the forested areas by road but it didnt appear to be running at the time I visited. There are coffee shops, a restaurant and even a hotel close to the sanctuary for refreshment. I took the cable car back down to the city, again it was very quiet. Back in the city I headed to the old town for more exploration. It is easy to spend an hour or two mooching around the old town. Guimaraes is a charming city and I enjoyed my time there very much. If I was to go back again I would choose to visit at a different time to avoid the rain. Two days is ample to see the city and visit Mount Penha at a leisurely pace, don’t take my word for it, just go visit.
At the time of writing all prices and timetables were correct but as things are likely to change please check for yourself before visiting.
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