The atmospheric city of Guimaraes is deeply embedded in the story of Portugal. As the country’s first capital, its medieval streets witnessed the creation of the free Kingdom of Portugal in the 12th century, and it has remained inextricably linked to the nation’s identity ever since.
For many historians, the story of modern Portugal begins in 1128, when the armies of Afonso Henriques (1106-1185) and the forces his mother, the Countess Teresa (1080-1130), met at the Battle of Sao Mamede. Afonso was victorious, crowned himself king, and made Guimaraes the capital of his fledgling independent kingdom. It’s still remembered with a deep affection to this day, in large white letters on the Torre da Alfandega: Aqui nasceu Portugal…Portugal was born here.
Although officially a city, Guimaraes has the easy feel of a friendly town which is best explored on foot. Its old quarter is a pleasant maze of narrow streets, shaded squares and leafy patios, framed by sturdy granite facades and the characteristic projecting eaves of northern Portuguese architecture. Its tall, narrow houses are fronted by pretty wrought-iron Juliet balconies, often decorated with the day’s laundry, and despite its UNESCO status, Guimaraes feels less like a preserved monument and more like a town that has simply carried on living within its medieval footprint.
The Largo da Oliveira and the Museu de Alberto Sampaio.
The central Largo da Oliveira is a good starting point: the square takes its name from the olive tree at its centre, although today’s tree was planted in 1985 in place of the original. The striking Padrao do Salado sits beside it: a Gothic stone canopy built to commemorate Portugal’s victory over the Moors at the Battle of Salado in 1340. The square is dominated by the much older Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira – although its 10th century origins are tricky to spot and today’s church is a mixture of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque.
The neighbouring Museu de Alberto Sampaio has an extraordinary collection of medieval and ecclesiastical art. Among the treasures is the loudel – the tunic worn by Dom Joao I (1357-1433) at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385, when Portugal defeated Castile and secured the independence of the House of Avis, Portugal’s first royal dynasty. Joao donated the tunic, together with a magnificent gilded-silver altarpiece, to Nossa Senhora da Oliveira as thanks for the victory.
There’s also a nice selection of restaurants, wine bars and bistros around the Largo da Oliveira, and in the streets around the Alameda de Sao Damaso. Guimaraes is firmly part of the (gone but not forgotten) region of Minho, where the food is hearty and generous – look out for rojoes a Minhota (pork cooked with garlic, wine and bay), papas de sarrabulho (a savoury porridge made with pig’s blood – not a dish for the faint-hearted), or arroz de cabidela, (a rustic chicken and rice dish). The local sweet speciality is the deliciously rich torta de Guimaraes – a pastry filled with egg, almond and sugar – and this is vinho verde country of course, so a crisp glass of young white wine is a common accompaniment to most dishes.
The Paco dos Duques de Braganca and the the Castelo de Guimaraes.
Heading north, you’ll come to the Paco dos Duques de Braganca – this imposing palace was commissioned by Afonso, the first Duke of Braganca (1377-1461) and an illegitimate son of Dom Joao I. Construction began in the early 15th century, around the time of Afonso’s marriage to Constanca de Noronha, and the palace became the seat of one of Portugal’s most powerful noble lineages – their descendants would eventually take the throne in 1640. Alfono’s palace wasn’t quite the grand residence which stands today. The Braganza’s abandoned the site in the 16th century and the original palace fell into ruin – the residents of Guimaraes gradually dismantled its walls, using the elaborately carved stone and oak lintels to repair local convents or to construct their own homes.
The building was reconstructed between 1937 and 1959 under the Estado Novo regime – leader Salazar was famously inward looking, often promoting a rose-tinted view of Portugal’s past glories. Their controversial restoration was based more on the medieval palaces of France and Flanders than on Afonso’s original ducal home. Historical accuracy aside, it’s still an impressive example of 15th century architecture, providing a fascinating insight into the day-to-day life of the ruling classes in medieval Portugal.
Just beyond the palace is the Castelo de Guimaraes, whose origins are older still: the first fortress was commissioned by the Countess Mumadona Dias in the mid-10th century, when Portugal was a fiefdom roughly comprising Braganca, Vila Real, Braga and Guimaraes. The fortification was expanded by succeeding owners over the centuries, most-extensively by Dom Dinis (1261-1325) – he remodelled and reinforced fortifications right across Portugal. 
The castle was almost lost to 19th century developers, keen to demolish the building and reuse the stone as paving for local roads. Thankfully, the castle was declared a national monument in 1910. There’s a fairytale-feel to the geometry of the castle, and its triangular merlons are more in keeping with the Moorish forts which would have dominated Portugal’s landscape prior to the Reconquista. Nowadays, it’s one of the great symbols of Portuguese medieval history, particularly because of its association with Afonso Henriques and the Battle of Sao Mamede.
An often-overlooked landmark within the castle grounds is the tiny Igreja de Sao Miguel do Castelo. Legend used to say that Dom Afonso was baptised here – most historians now agree that the chapel wasn’t consecrated until fifty years after his passing. However, it’s generally agreed that the font inside was used for his baptism at the cathedral in Braga, and was moved to Guimaraes at some later date. It’s a good example of how Guimaraes’ history works: fact, legend and national mythology have become pleasantly intertwined over the centuries.
You can book tickets for the principal monuments in advance through the Visit Guimaraes website, although outside the busiest summer period it’s usually straightforward to buy them locally – there are also combined tickets covering the castle, Paco dos Duques and Museu de Alberto Sampaio.
Time permitting, you could end your day with a trip up the Montanha da Penha. The teleferico cable car takes around ten minutes to climb from the city to the granite summit at 617m – below, you’ll see the lower slopes are covered by around sixty hectares of woodland, crisscrossed with waymarked paths and picnic spots.
The summit is marked by the Santuario da Penha, which was designed by Jose Marques da Silva – the architect behind Sao Bento railway station and the Sao Joao National Theatre in Porto. Construction began in 1930 after an earlier church on the site was badly damaged by fire in 1939. Built from local Guimaraes granite, the sanctuary’s clean geometry has a distinctly art deco character – quite a contrast to the medieval stonework down in the city. Sadly, Marques da Silva died in June 1947, just three months before the sanctuary was formally inaugurated on 14th September.
The first cable car usually departs at 10am – the last cable car down varies depending on the day of the week and the time of year; if you make sure you’re down before 6pm, that should cover all variations. You can purchase a return ticket from the lower station for 10€ per person on the day.
Follow this route on Google Maps.
