7 Best Sights in Braga, Northern Portugal

Many people come to Braga specifically to see the Bom Jesus do Monte, a pilgrimage shrine atop a 1,312-foot-high, densely wooded hill 5 km (3 miles) east of the city. The stone staircase, a marvel of baroque art that was started in 1723, leads to an 18th-century church whose terrace commands wonderful views. Fountains placed at various resting places represent the five senses and the virtues, and small chapels display tableaux with life-size figures illustrating the Stations of the Cross. If you don't want to climb up the staircase, there's a funicular (€2.50 or €4 return) and buses from the center of town. The shrine offers several guided tours—including one that takes you to the church only and one that adds on the lake, gardens, and woods—but you have to book in advance by phone or email to  [email protected].

The well-proportioned former archbishops' palace overlooks a castellated fountain on the square named after it, Largo do Paço. Parts of the Gothic building date from the 14th century. Today it houses the office of the dean of the region's main university and the city's public library—one of the country's most impressive, with more than 300,000 volumes.

About 4 km (2½ miles) north of town, this chapel is one of Portugal's oldest buildings. The original structure is believed to have been constructed in the 7th century in the form of a Greek cross. It was partially destroyed by the Moors and rebuilt in the 11th century. It is open to the public between 2 and 4:30 pm from Tuesday to Saturday, and for mass on Sunday mornings.

Some 6 km (4 miles) northwest of Braga, this impressive Benedictine monastery was built in the 11th century and rebuilt again at the end of the 19th century. You can tour four cloisters, which have some fine examples of azulejos, and also the extensive grounds, once the source of most of the monks' food and drink and where grapes are once again being grown to make vinho verde.

Artifacts from the old Roman city known as Bracara Augusta (founded 15 BC), from which Braga derives its name, are showcased at this museum. A 1st-century mosaic found on-site during construction is impressive, but there are many other fascinating items dating from prehistoric through to medieval times.

The elegant rooms in this baroque mansion, which houses a museum of the same name, are furnished in 18th-century style and display silver and porcelain collections. The ground floor of the palace is flagstone, which allowed carriages to run through the interior to the stables beyond. At the back of the palace is a formal garden with decorative tiles.

This huge cathedral was originally Romanesque but is now an impressively cohesive blend of styles. The delicate Renaissance stone tracery on the roof is particularly eye-catching. Access for visitors is from Rua do Cabido, or from the side entrance, next to Rua D. Diogo de Sousa; in the Cloister reception area you can buy tickets for tours of different parts of the complex. The cathedral's Treasury museum has a fascinating collection, including a 14th-century crystal cross set in bronze. From the magnificent coro alto (upper choir), which you can cross as part of a guided tour, there are views of the great baroque double organ. Across the cloister, you'll see the Capela dos Reis (Kings' Chapel), a 14th-century chapel containing the tombs of Afonso Henriques's parents, Henry of Burgundy and his wife, Teresa.