Fortification in Guimaraes
FreeCosts nothing to visit.
The medieval walls that once ringed the old town of Guimaraes, the city Portugal calls its birthplace. Built to protect the settlement that grew below Guimaraes Castle, surviving stretches still frame the UNESCO-listed historic centre. Tracing them on foot is free, with visible sections around the castle hill and the old town perimeter. A natural free walk ties the walls to the castle, the chapel of Igreja de Sao Miguel do Castelo, and down Rua de Santa Maria into Largo da Oliveira.
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Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Franciscan church and former convent at the southern edge of the historic centre of Guimaraes, a classified heritage monument best known for its Baroque interior. Blue-and-white azulejo panels line the walls with hagiographic scenes from the life of Saint Anthony, set off by carved and gilded woodwork on the altars.
Former convent of the Poor Clares whose Baroque facade now fronts the Guimaraes City Hall (Camara Municipal). The exterior, public square, and classical cloister sit free to view on a walk through the UNESCO-listed historic centre, a short stroll from Largo do Toural and on the way up toward Guimaraes Castle and the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza.
Home ground of Vitoria Sport Clube, one of Guimaraes's biggest institutions and a long-running Primeira Liga club. The Estadio D. Afonso Henriques was rebuilt to host Euro 2004 matches and is named after Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, who was a native of this city. Walking up to it and viewing the exterior costs nothing.
The 10th-century hilltop castle where Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, is traditionally said to have been born, which is why Guimaraes calls itself the birthplace of the country.
The Gothic collegiate church on Largo da Oliveira is the historic heart of Guimaraes and one of the most photographed spots in the city, thanks to the Gothic stone canopy, the Padrao do Salado, that stands in front of it. The square outside and that canopy shrine cost nothing to admire, which is where most of the value sits for budget travelers.
Small Romanesque chapel on the castle hill in Guimaraes, traditionally tied to the baptism of Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal. It stands on the green between Guimaraes Castle and the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, so it costs nothing extra to fold into the walk most people already do up the hill.
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The whole of Guimaraes