Is Guimarães worth visiting? What to see in Guimarães?

Where is Guimarães? How to get there?

Guimarães is located in the North of Portugal. Has a train station (Av. D. João IV, 1 km from the historic center) with regular and direct departures to Braga and Porto. Check the website: http://www.cp.pt. And a bus station inside the Guimarães Shopping. Check the buses: http://www.rede-expressos.pt/

Maps available HERE and HERE

Guimarães - Statue of the 1st King of Portugal, King Afonso Henriques

How far is Guimarães from Porto?

Guimarães is located at a distance of 60km (~ 37 miles) from Oporto. Highway: A7 and A3. Every day, there is an airport transfer (Airport Francisco Sá Carneiro) to and from Guimarães. More information about GetBus in HERE

How far is Guimarães from Lisbon?

Guimarães is located at a distance of 363km (~ 225 miles) from Lisbon. Highway: A1.

What to do in one morning or afternoon in Guimarães?

Walking around the most emblematic streets and squares of the Guimarães City and you can get a good idea of the city. I suggest the route marked on the map (total cost = 0 €, if we do not count the soles wearing!):

- »Monte Latito where the Castle and the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança are located (more information HERE)

- »Rua Santa Maria, Largo da Oliveira, Praça de Santiago (more information HERE)

- »Toural Square, Wall “Here was born Portugal "and São Dâmaso Gardens (more information HERE)

Guimarães - Itinerary

ATTENTION:

For those who have difficulty to walk, the climb to the castle ... can make you scream “I'm ready to drop”, especially when held in the summer and after lunch.

What to visit in 1 day in Guimarães?

Enjoy the day by visiting the various monuments of the Guimarães! I recommend the same route as the previous map, but do not miss the following visits (total cost = 8 €, if you choose to buy the joint ticket).

 - Castle of Guimarães, Church of São Miguel and Paço dos Duques de Bragança

Opening Hours: 10am to 6pm (last entry at 5:30 p.m.)

Closed: 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May and 25 December

Price (normal rate): € 5 (Palace of the Dukes of Bragança), € 2 (Guimarães Castle), free entry on the 1st Sunday of each month.

 - Alberto Sampaio Museum

Opening Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry at 5:45 p.m.)

Closed: On Mondays and holidays (1st January, Easter Sunday, 1st May and 25th December)

Price (normal rate): € 3, free entry on the 1st Sunday of each month.

Joint tickets:

- Palace of the Dukes of Bragança + Alberto Museum Sampaio: 6 €

- Palace of the Dukes of Bragança + Castle + Alberto Sampaio Museum: 8 €

Guimarães - Things to do in 1 day

What to see in 2 days in Guimarães?

Put on some comfortable shoes and go on an adventure! On the first day, you can enjoy the monuments already mentioned and on the second day take the cable car and part to the discovery of the Mountain of Penha (more information HERE). Total cost = 8 € (1st day, if you choose to buy the joint ticket) + 5 € (2nd day) = 13 €

 - Cable Car of Guimarães

Winter schedule (1 November to 31 March): 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (last entry 15 minutes before closing). Closed: Monday to Thursday and 25 December)

Summer schedule (1 April to 31 October): 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Monday to Friday), 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays). Closed for maintenance on the last Monday of each month.

Departures every 30 minutes

Price (standard rate): 5 € (round trip)

Guimarães - Things to do in 2 days

You can also enjoy and visit some of the cultural offer of the city, such as:

- Arts and Creativity Platform

Opening Hours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (last entry at 12.30 p.m.) / 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (last entry at 6:30 p.m.)

Closed: Mondays and holidays

Price (normal rate): € 4, free admission to children up to 12 years old on Sunday mornings (10am to 12:30 p.m.).

 - Martins Sarmento Archaeological Museum

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. / 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Weekends from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. / 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Closed: Mondays and holidays

Price: € 3

 - House of Memory

Opening Hours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (last entry at 12.30 p.m.) / 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (last entry at 6:30 p.m.)

Closed: Mondays and holidays

Price (normal rate): € 3, free admission for children up to 12 years old on Sunday mornings (10am to 12:30pm).

What to eat? Where to eat in Guimarães?

If you do not resist a good cake or pastel, it might be a good idea to stare HERE ... fortunately, you do not gain weight …  if you only look, of course!

The main restaurants and pastry shops in Guimarães are located in Santiago Square, Oliveira Square, Rainha Street, Misericórdia Square, Toural Square and São Dâmaso Gardens. The main dishes of the regional gastronomy are roasted goatling, roasted codfish, rojões (a combination between fried pork meat and pork rinds), rice of “pica no chão” (made with poultry or rabbit cooked in its own blood added to water and a bit of vinegar), the roasted veal and the turnip soup.

Guimarães - Where to eat?