Braga: Both Old and New
We recommend you visit ....
Our first visit to Braga was only for a few hours. We had lunch with friends on the Arcada overlooking its magnificent fountain and park. We returned in early March, this time for 3 nights. We fell in love with the city…though not its weather.
It is Important to Eat
Friends joined us for this trip. As mentioned before we shared a 2 bedroom Airbnb apartment overlooking the Praça de Municipal. After consulting Google Maps we decided there seemed to be several good restaurant options within a few blocks and ventured outside. We turned a corner to see the first of many old, imposing churches that dot the city. A few blocks further we spotted a sign advertising “great ribs”. The carnivores in the group decided this was where we were having dinner.
If you happen to be looking for a place to eat in Braga, permit me to recommend pPlace. We were seated promptly in their upstairs dining room…chic but not pretentious. The service was attentive but not overbearing. When we placed our order the server was kind enough to tell us that the rib dinner was so large that it was typically shared. So Denise and Sheri shared that dish; while Janet and I opted for two of the salad options. If you like baby back ribs…this is your place. As an observer, I can report that the meat literally fell off the bones and Denise and Sheri seemed to like the four different sauces available. (Had I wanted to try the ribs I am certain I would have had my hand slapped.)
The Old
While Denise and I met with our furniture maker on Friday, Sheri and Janet explored the city. They loved the Museu de Arqueologia Dom Diogo Sousa. Located next to the oldest Roman ruins (the Roman bath complex and the Idol Fountain) in Portugal this complex is both a research center and a museum. We learned that each year Braga celebrates its history with the Braga Romana Festival…this year celebrated from May 17-21. Based on the photos online….this is an event not to be missed!
In addition to its Roman history, Braga is home to the oldest cathedral in Portugal…the Sé Cathedral which opened in 1086. As the exterior was built and renovated over 700 years, it is a combination of Romanesque and Baroque styles. €5 provides you entry to the cathedral and its adjoining museum…both of which I toured alone on Saturday morning.1
Upon entering the cathedral you will immediately note its most striking feature an ornately carved and gilded wood organ that flanks either side of the center aisle. As the dioceses of Braga and its archbishops were very important within the Catholic Church since the early Middle Ages, even before the foundation of Portugal, no expense was spared. Commissioned in 1737, its thousands of copper pipes are encased in elaborate carvings carved by a local artist.
While in the church I took note of the number of local residents that must call the Sé Cathedral their parish. This is a city where the “older” residents take their daily prayer rituals very seriously.2 I then toured the attached museum. I loved the juxtaposition of the very old with its clean, modern architecture.
The New
Later that day, the four of us participated in a free walking tour. Nuno, our guide, limits his tours to only five participants…a wonderfully intimate size that we have rarely enjoyed since immediately following the pandemic. It was during this tour, that we learned more about the history of the city and how the Church exerted its power over the city. We also learned about one of the most famous Archbishops whose short stature did not limit the power he wielded. Nuno suggested we visit the Sé Cathedral museum and look for a pair of shoes on display. I remembered seeing a pair of embroidered shoes that seemed to have been for a 10-year-old, with 2” heels. It turned out these were the Archbishop’s shoes.
We also learned that Braga has the youngest median age of any city in Portugal. The University of Minho (the original name of this region) is located in Braga, and it would appear after completing their education many students choose to stay here. I can certainly understand why. The city has magnificent gardens that are replanted four times each year, is relatively flat, and has an energy about it…as we walked about on Saturday afternoon we spotted lots of musicians and other street performers. At approximately 170,000 residents, Braga is the hub of a municipality that extends to the ocean in the west, and borders protected natural areas. Just 3 hours from the Douro wine valley, just one hour from Spain, and less than one hour from Porto…this city has much to offer. If you don’t mind cold, rainy falls and winters this might be the place for you.
Naturalmente Denise e eu voltaremos em Agosto, até lá, fica bem,
Nanc
The rest of our party was playing pickleball with the Braga Pickleball Club.
There is a saying: “Porto works, Braga prays and Lisbon gets all the money.”
Thanks, informative as always. BTW, I've heard a different version of that saying : "Porto works, Braga prays, Coimbra studies, and Lisbon gets the money"
You had me sighing, wanting to go back!