Day 3
Braga, Bom Jesus and Guimaraes - day excursion
Breakfast at the Porto hotel
Morning departure from the Porto hotel with luggage to Braga.
Today we will go to the northern part of Portugal, to the place where the history of the country was born. You will have a day in the spirit of antiquity, religion and knightly valor.
The first stop is Braga, the spiritual capital of Portugal. This city is like a living book: here ancient cathedrals are adjacent to living squares, and reverent silence intertwines with the rhythm of city life.
Visit to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte - one of the most symbolic places in the country, standing on the top of a hill and decorated with a monumental baroque staircase. We will go up on a vintage funicular (paid on site, 3 €) - one of the oldest in Europe, working on water! At the top, incredible panoramas and a feeling of peace await you, as if the city was far below, and you are alone with the sky.
Sightseeing tour of the center of Braga. We will walk along the historic streets, see the majestic cathedral - Sé de Braga, the oldest in the country, and feel how the past is intertwined with everyday life here.
Then the path leads to Guimarães - the city where Portugal was born. Here, in the 11th century, the first king of the country was born - Afonso Henriques, and therefore Guimarães is called the "cradle of the nation".
Sightseeing tour of the old town.
Cobbled streets, half-timbered houses, arched passages and ancient squares seem to transport you to the Middle Ages. We will see the palace of the Dukes of Braganza, walk to the fortress of Guimarães, from where magical views of the surrounding area open up, and hear the legends that fill these walls.
Evening transfer to Vigo (Spain).
After a busy day, we cross the border and arrive in the Galician city of Vigo - modern, dynamic, but with southern charm.
Evening - free time.
You can walk along the ocean coast, have dinner in local seafood restaurants or just relax after a day full of impressions.
Overnight at the Vigo hotel.