9 Best Sights in Guimarães, Northern Portugal

About 10 km (6 miles) northwest of Guimarães you'll find these fascinating remains of a citânia (hill settlement) founded before the Roman invasion. It dates to around 300 BC and was probably not abandoned until AD 300, making it one of the longest-lasting such strongholds, although its residents are now thought to have become gradually romanized. The walls and foundations of 150 huts and a meeting house have been excavated (two of the huts have been reconstructed to show their original size). The site was excavated in the late 19th century by Dr. Martins Sarmento; most of the finds were transferred to the museum in Guimarães that now bears his name but some can be seen in the smaller Museu da Cultura Castreja, housed in Sarmento's family home in the village of São Salvador de Briteiros, downhill from the Citânia. For guided visits to museum or site, phone or email  [email protected]. Local bus company Guimabus serves Briteiros several times daily from downtown Guimaraes, then it's less than 10 minutes on foot to the museum or a 2.5 km (1.5 mile) hike up to the Citânia.

Guimarães castle was built (or rebuilt from earlier remains) in the 11th century by Henry of Burgundy; his son, Afonso Henriques, was born within its great battlements and flanking towers. Standing high on a solid rock base above the town, the castle has been superbly preserved. A path leads down from its walls to the tiny Romanesque Capela de São Miguel, the chapel traditionally said to be where Afonso Henriques was baptized—in fact it was built well after his death, although the baptismal font may be older. The ticket office is in the neighboring Paço dos Duques, former palace of the Dukes of Bragança, which may also be visited. It was built in the 15th century but has been irretrievably altered; in 1959 it became the official residence in the North of Portugal's president, but is normally open to the public, with impressive displays of tapestries, furniture, ceramics, paintings and weapons.

Locally born artist José de Guimarães is known for his often large, colorful creations and love of art from other continents. This huge arts center, inaugurated in 2021, showcases not only a representative selection of his own works but also his large collection of African, pre-Columbian, and ancient Chinese art. A focus on the relationships between contemporary art and these traditions often features in the always stimulating temporary exhibitions.

One of Portugal's prettiest baroque churches, the slim Church of Our Lady of Consolation and the Holy Steps rises up at the end of a long, elegant formal garden. Begun in the 18th century, the building was topped by two pointed towers almost a century later. The steps and balustrade were added at about the same time. The interior is impressively neoclassical. The exterior is especially magical at Christmastime, when every inch of its facade is adorned with decorative lights.

This church in the delightful square Largo da Oliveira was founded in the 10th century to commemorate one of the city's most enduring legends. Wamba, elected king of the Visigoths in the 7th century, refused the honor and thrust his olive-branch staff into the earth, declaring that only if the stick were to blossom would he accept the crown—whereupon it promptly sprouted foliage. In the square in front of the church, an odd 14th-century Gothic canopy sheltering a cross marks the supposed spot. The square is now surrounded by charming cafés.

The Old Town's streets peter out at the southern end of Guimarães in the Almeida da Liberdade, a swath of gardens whose benches and cafés are often full. Here the stunning Igreja de São Francisco has a chancel decorated with 18th-century azulejos depicting the life of the saint. The church also has a fine Renaissance cloister. The complex now houses a home for the elderly, but both chapels are open to visitors.

The beautifully preserved convent buildings surrounding the Colegiada de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira house this museum, known for its beautiful displays of religious art, medieval statuary, and coats of arms. The highlight is a 14th-century silver triptych of the Nativity that's full of animation and power. It's said to have been captured from the king of Castile at the Battle of Aljubarrota and presented to the victorious Dom João I, whose tunic, worn at the battle, is preserved in a glass case nearby.

At the top of the Largo do Toural is this excellent archaeological museum contained within the cloister of the Igreja de São Domingos. This privately run institution has rich finds from the Iron Age settlement of Citânia de Briteiros northwest of Guimarães, which makes it a logical stop before or after visiting the site. There are also Lusitanian and Roman stone sarcophagi, a strange miniature bronze chariot, various weapons, and elaborate ornaments. Two finds stand out: the decorative, carved stone slabs known as the pedras formosas (beautiful stones)—one of which was found at a funerary monument at Briteiros—and the huge, prehistoric granite Colossus of Pedralva, a figure of brutal power thought to have been used in ancient fertility rites.

For sweeping views of the town, board this cable car that whisks you up to the top of Mount Penha in 10 minutes. The journey ends with a nice view from the gardens that overlook the city. The climb down is steep, so it's best to come back down by the same means.