Braga Portugal Travel Guide: What to See & Why it’s so Special

I traveled through Portugal more times than I can count, but if there is one city you have to visit, that’s Braga in Northern Portugal. Braga, Portugal is not only the oldest city in Portugal, but it’s also one of the most beautiful ones in the country.

Over the years, we’ve explored this fantastic country as travel bloggers and photographers and we still visit Braga again and again. So if you’re asking “Is Braga worth visiting”, the answer is Yes – it’s a must-visit.

In our guide, we’ve packed everything you should know about visiting Braga, starting from how to get to Braga, When is the best time to visit, How much time you need to spend there and the most important part, what to do in Braga Portugal. Since we’re photographers, we’ll also give some tips for the best spots. (All Pictures in this blog post are taken by us)

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Is Braga Portugal Worth visiting?

Although I’ve already answered the question shortly, but I wanted to say why we’re in love with this town. It’s one of the cutest medieval towns, I’ve ever seen in Europe and the first time, we’ve visited Braga, I was wondering how come nobody is talking about it.

Well, that was 2 years ago and meanwhile I can see more posts about it. Braga is the oldest town in Portugal and is home to oldest church of Portugal –Archdiocese of Braga. Also is’t home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Sanctuary of Bon Jesus do Monte.

If you’re heading to Northern Portugal, also check our free guides:

• 30 Best Things to do in Porto Portugal (2025) – Expert Travel Tips
• 15 Unforgettable Day Trips from Porto: Your Ultimate Guide

Where is Braga located?

Braga is located in northern Portugal in a region with mountains and beautiful medieval downtown. In general, Northern Portugal is so beautiful, because It’s very green, surrounded by forests and roman architecture. So if you’re staying in Porto, we recommend to do at least 2 day-trips from there: Braga and Guimarães in a day and Douro Velley. Check the tours we’ve booked here.

When is the best time to visit Braga, Portugal

Weather in Porto and northern Portugal hits a bit different than the southern part. It’s colder and can be windy, due to it’s proximity to the ocean. We’ve been there in spring, summer and Autumn, and I must say I would prefer to go there from March till the end of September.

We’ve been to Porto in October and the evenings are cold, besides spring specially mid April is when blossoms are at their peaks and it’s fascinating to walk at Bom Jesus garden (Bom means good). Also during summer or early September, the weather is mild and enjoyable.

Things to do at Bom Jesus Park and Trails

We spend at least 2 hours in the park, as there are several viewpoints, where you can take beautiful photos of the city. Here are the places to visit at Bom Jesus:

• The Grotto which is a beautiful small artificial cave close to the Sanctuary. One of the most instagrammable spots in Braga.
• Bom Jesus lake (Lago do Bom Jesus) which is easy to find and it’s just behind the church. In summer you can also rent one of those colorful wooden boats.
• The Chapels: There are 3 main chapels around the Sanctuary and although they are small, but definitely worth a visit. Capela de São José, Capela de São Longuinho and Capela de São Eusébio.
• The Forest Trails: We also love to take a walk through the trails in the forest. they are not difficult and mostly flat.

Visit the Best Viewpoints at Bom Jesus

Because this beautiful Sactuary is located at the top of the hill, it has the best viewpoint of the city and you can take so many fantastic photos. here are the main Viewpoints (Miradouros) around the garden:

• Miradouros do Bom Jesus which is located close to the church and has the most panoramic view of the city.
• Miradouros do Lago which is located on the upper side of the lake area and has a fantastic view as well. it’s just a 15 minutes walk from the lake.
• Miradouros do Cruzeiro which is near the stone cross (as shown in our photo above) and has the best view of the city.

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Now walk up the Avenida da Liberdade which is the main street of the town and connects the modern Braga with the old town. We love this vibrant boulevard with it’s small fountains and colorful flowers.

Jardim de Santa Barbara

On your way you can visit Jardam de Santa Barbara which is breathtaking. This garden is full of flowers in summer months and it’s a great place to take some instagrammable pictures. You can easily spend half an hour here before visiting the Medieval the Archbishop’s Palace (Paço Arquiepiscopal).

Archbishop’s Palace (Paço Arquipiscopal)

This is not a museum and you can just visit it from outside, although it’s partially open to visitors, like the public library of Braga, which is definitely worth visiting. This is also the main access to the palace. From the library you can also get some partial views of the internal courtyards.

Biscainhos Museum

After visiting the Cathedral of Braga Portugal, just walk down the Rua do Souto and also pass through the beautiful Arco da Porta Nova which is the main entrance to the old town of Braga. Also Rua do Souto is the main street (only open to pedestrians) for shopping and sitting in the small Cafés.

You’ll reach the Biscainhos Museum. This beautiful house is a preserved aristocratic residence dating back to 17th century and if you have time, we recommend to visit it. The entry is only €2 and it’s definitely worth it. But they are closed on Mondays and major holidays.

I love this museum, because it’s as if you’re traveling back in time and feel how the aristocrats really lived at that time. the furniture, porcelain and silverwares show the history of this medieval town back in 18th century. Also the gardens are so beautiful and the whole visit take around 45 minutes.

Best Restaurants in Braga Portugal

Although Braga is a cute and small city, but it has so many good restaurants. We tried out some of them and here are our favorite 4 restaurants in Braga.

La Porta Braga

This is our favorite restaurant in Braga and no wonder the good reviews. it’s located at the beginning of Rua Dom Diogo de Sousa, with a fantastic view of a cute and colorful square. We love the steaks with their home-made potato chips and the grilled chicken is also fantastic. Also the prices are reasonable and very good quality.

Café Vienna

This is one of the oldest Cafés in Braga and we love to take a break there and have a quick coffee with a pastry. With it’s red furniture and marble walls, it really feels like in Vienna and it’s fully packed (normally). But still you can find a table inside or outside.

Also it has the best view of the main square of the city (Arcada). Honestly as most of the touristic areas, do not expect the best pastry of your life, but the ambiance and the view is definitely worth a short break.

Aio o Alho – Vinhos e Petiscos

We love this restaurant, not only because it has fantastic Portuguese dishes, but also you feel like you’re sitting at home and eating your lunch. Also the dishes are so home- made and traditional.

We love this restaurant. We have so many favorites there, and we suggest to order starters and a main dish to share. That’s what we always do. Here our favorites:

• Garlic shrimps (one of my favorites)
• Cheese and Charcuterie board
• They also different starters like pork cheeks, Octopus salad, bread and olives. All so delicious.

Extra Tips for Visiting Braga Portugal

Where to stay in Braga Portugal?

There are some good hotels in Braga, but the only hotel we stayed at is the Vila Gale Collection Braga and it was a fantastic stay and the prices are reasonable. We love this hotel because it’s a historical building and the part that we stayed was in a historical building and the courtyard is just so beautiful.

Although the rooms are a bit old and might need some renovations, but we preferred to stay in the historical part of the hotel. They also have modern rooms to choose, if you prefer that. Check the availability here.