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We decided to spend a few days during Carnival in the historic city of Braga. The city of Braga is located in the northwestern Portuguese district of the same name and is around 30 miles from Porto city - a popular tourist destination. It is said to be the third largest city in Portugal, after Porto and Lisbon. It is completely possible to come to Braga on a day-trip from Porto but if you want to have a more relaxed experience and enjoy the city at a leisurely pace then two nights is perfect.
Travelling from Porto is easy. There are lots of bus and train options - train probably being the cheapest and more comfortable. Train prices range from 4-6 euro while buses range from 4 - 22 euro depending on the company! Train timetables can be found at cp.pt, whereas Rome2Rio gives a good round-up of bus possibilities.
You can also travel to Braga from Porto airport. A one way ticket costs between 6 - 9 euro, again depending on the company.
We came from Vigo in Spain as this is where we are based. This is another place from where to easily access Braga. We chose the 1 hour 30 minute journey by bus with Alsa. You can find timetables at www.alsa.es
We paid 17 euro each one way but sometimes prices can fluctuate if there´s a promotion on the website so keep an eye out if you are planning to travel from there.
We stayed right in the center of Braga, just off the main square ´praca da republica´, in a self-catering apartment. The accommodation was called Signature Apartments and we booked through booking.com for 40euro a night, two people sharing. It was located in a street called ´Largo de Sao Francisco´.
Our room was perfect and just what we wanted for our weekend trip. We had a double bed, seating area, TV, a small kitchenette and of course good-quality WiFi. There was also a cot/area for an extra bed if people were travelling with kids so this was a nice touch. We stayed on the top floor which was the third and there´s no lift - another thing to bear in mind if this is an issue.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink in Braga. One place we went to that is seriously worth mentioning is "Lakkana". It´s a Thai restaurant in the old town center. We went at lunch time during a quieter period and there was no need for a booking. The food was great quality with generous sized mains costing between 10-12 euro. They served all the typical Thai dishes you would expect as well as some I had not heard of before. They also have typical Asian beers like Chang and Singha. I would definitely go back there.
Of course there are countless places to have traditional Portuguese cuisine, ranging from cheap and cheerful to more high-end places. There are a lot of places around "Sé" - an area named after the cathedral of the same name. One place we found called "Restaurante Churrasquiera da Sé" served typical large Portuguese portions of meat, chicken, fish etc. We shared a platter of typical Piri Piri chicken!
In Praca da republica and the streets leading off it, you can find lots of cafes to have a coffee, breakfast, or typical Portuguese pastries. My favorite was "A Brasileira" which was very elegant and comfortable with extremely friendly staff.
There are many things to do and see in Braga to keep you occupied. Photos do not do justice to the beauty of the buildings and architecture. You can spend all your time wandering around the city taking in the sights. To visit the main cathedral you can purchase a ticket for as little as 2 euro to visit the inside, however it costs more if you want to climb the tower or visit the museum attached. There are many other churches in the city center which are free to enter and worth checking out.
Casa Biscainhos or Biscainhos Museum is also worth a visit. It is a former aristocratic residence that has been turned into a museum for the public to visit. It is extremely impressive with its grand rooms and furniture as well as the spectacular gardens. Entry costs 2 euro and the museum and gardens are open every day except Mondays, when they are closed all day.
The highlight of Braga and an absolute must-visit is Bom Jesus do Monte. This spectacular Chapel is located around 6 km from the city and a 577 step climb to reach! From the city center you can take the bus number 2 for 1.65 euro each way. The bus drops you at the cable car station, if you wish to take that option rather than climb the steps. 577 steps may sound daunting but it was actually a lot easier than we thought due to the slow slope and pretty view stops along the way. Once you reach the chapel the climb is definitely worth it for the fantastic architecture and views of the city below.
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Hope you travel-feeders enjoy Braga as much as I did!
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