We began our road trip to Denmark. Our first stop was the birthplace of Portugal, Guimarães, a nearly 6-hour drive from our home. Coincidently, it took me almost 6 hours to master the pronunciation of this city in the north.
Planning a Road Trip
Denise came home one day, after playing golf with a Dane. She announced she wanted to go to Denmark in August. “We’ll take Onix and make it a road trip,” she announced. “Peter said it will only take 3 days to get there.” I opened Google Maps. Peter was right, you could make the 32-hour drive in 3 days if you took the most direct route. But we had a rule when we owned our motorhome, never drive more than 6 hours or past 6 pm. Besides, we aren’t getting any younger and there are a lot of places to visit along the way.
So we started planning our road trip. I planned our route and found places to stay that would allow Onix. Once we agreed on the route Denise started researching what to see and things to do in each city. We are not taking the most direct route! Some places have been on “our list” for some time. Others, like Bilbao, have an attraction I have longed to see.1 We are staying in a chateau in France because I saw it on a British TV show called Chateau DIY. This isn’t that far from Normandy … you get the picture.
The Birthplace of Portugal
Guimarães, a city in the Braga district of northern Portugal, is often called the Birthplace of Portugal. Founded in the 9th century, it earned this moniker (Cidade Berço) because it is the birthplace of Portugal's first King, Afonso Henriques. In 2001 the city center was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This part of the city is an "exceptionally well-preserved and authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town". While the municipality claims just over 150,000 residents, only 52,000 live in the city we visited. Like Braga, there is a university in town…giving the city a hip and energetic feel. In fact, after only a few hours Denise wondered if she didn’t like this city more than Braga.2
We only had 2 nights in this small city. We were immediately captivated by the small pedestrian streets and the cafes that border historic landmarks.
Wanting to make the most of our time here, I downloaded the local tourism app and planned our route. Here are a few of our stops during a morning stroll.
We began by stopping by the tourism office in the historic city center. The friendly staff provided us with maps and suggested a route based on our interests.
We walked up Rua de Santa Maria, the oldest street in town, passing a convent and the chapels that signify the 7 stages of the cross along the way.
At the top of the hill, we found the chapel where the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques was baptized. Behind it is the famous castle. When we visited, admission to the castle was free as renovations were underway (barring one from walking along the castle’s walls).
Next, we headed to the nearby Palace of the Dukes of Braganza. Pay the 5€ entry fee (2,50 for seniors) to see how the other half (1%) lived centuries ago. Building began in 1420 by Afonso, the illegitimate son of John I of Portugal, his family lived in the home until the mid-1500s.
We also visited the Cultural Center of Vila Flor located in the former Vila Flor Palace. Inside we found a small art exhibit. A modern theatre is adjacent to the building. In 1740, Tadeu Luis Lopes de Carvalho (famous for his outrageous parties) began construction of the palace which was not completed until the 20th century. Walk to the rear of the palace to enjoy its gardens and try to identify 18th-century statues of every king from the first two Portuguese dynasties.
We ate at O Green Bristrot a wonderful vegetarian/vegan restaurant. We can also recommend Casa Porta Nova, an AL we found on Booking.com.
We had hoped to visit local wineries as this is the home of Vinho Verde. Unfortunately, our favorites required reservations for tastings that we had not made in advance.
The following weekend there was a big party in town and a parade. However, we were long gone. But we will keep Guimaraes on our list…another trip to it and Braga may be in order during a cooler month.
Até logo, fica bem,
Nanc
Final Note: If you have been following our tax saga (i.e. capital gains being taxed during NHR), we have good news…we don’t have to go to court. The Portuguese taxing authority has determined that this should not be taxed since it is taxed in the US. We received the following from our accountants this morning: “We are pleased to inform you that your tax return has been successfully validated by the tax authority. As a result, your tax liability is zero.”
The Guggenheim Museum.
There is a fierce rivalry between these two cities. We think we may need to plan another one-week trip to each. Perhaps we can settle the score.
Yay on Taxes and thanks for the reminder to vote!
Of the litte under 10 cities I have visited in Portugal, Coimbra, Braga, and Guimarães are easily in my top three. I'm so glad you had a chance to experience Guimarães. Thanks for sharing; it brought back wonderful memories for me.