The beautiful Santa Barbara Garden was close to my apartment. It is in back of the Archbishops Court, now government offices. The battlements make a beautiful backdrop for the garden.

I drove out to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sameiro my first afternoon. It’s from the mid 1800s. It’s on a hill east of Braga.

It is a huge property, large statues of the archangels and saints, gardens, and many buildings. It is considered an important church dedicated to Mary.

I learned “Marian doctors”, or doctors of the church, are saints recognized as having made a significant contribution to Catholic theology or doctrine. There are four statues of the Marian doctors at the entrance to the grounds from the parking lot. After visiting the basilica I walked down to Praceta João Paulo II for great views of the city. Pope John Paul II visited in 1982 and there is a reliquary of Pope John Paul II, with a drop of his blood. Statues of Jesus and Mary are on massive columns framing the church from the plaza.

After the Lady of Sameiro I drove out to Bom Jesus. I had seen pictures of Bom Jesus do Monte many times; wanting to visit the church was the reason I stopped at Braga. My GPS took me to the parking at the top of the hill. I, of course, had to walk all the way down the 250+ steps for the pictures. After walking back up, with many stops for more photos, I visited the basilica. There was a mass in progress so I had to wait for the service to finish before viewing the chapels and altar. I walked all over the grounds, seeing the artificial cave, the fresh house, the park, and the lake.

I wanted to see Misercordia Church but it was closed and according to someone at the cathedral, it is “never open”. I walked past the Braga Cathedral multiple times during my stay but never stopped. It’s €5 for the cathedral and treasury but I had seen many churches on my visit. I did visit the courtyard and cloister.

On my walk out to the archeology museum I stopped at the Monumento ao Aqueduto Romano. The monument was inaugurated in 2000 by the Chamber of Braga to mark two thousand years since the founding of Bracara Augusta. It was built on the Hill of Cividade, where many Roman ruins have been found. It represents a replica of an aqueduct.

I spent several hours at the great Museum of Archaeology Dom Diogo de Sousa. As a Portugal resident I got in free. There are many great exhibits here, lots of art, old Roman and Greek ruins, mosaics. There are huge old road milestones. It is an excellent museum.

Just up the street from the museum are the Roman baths, Termas Romanas do Alto da Cividade. It’s only €2.00 or €1.00 for seniors. Interesting ruins. Viewable from the baths is the theater, still being excavated. According to the signs, they originally thought the wall they found was part of the baths, but then found rows of tiered seats and realized it was a theater.

I visited Igreja de Santa Cruz de Braga on Largo Carlos Amarante. There is a beautiful fountain on the square, too, Fonte Seiscentista.

I also went to Palacio Raio, built in the mid-18th c building with a great “late Baroque, early Rococco” facade and blue tiles. It is now the Interpretive Center of the Memories of Santa Casa da Misericórdia. It is 10 rooms, each with a “theme”, sacred art, jewelry, sculpture. Beautiful architecture and exhibits.

I visted Biscainhos Museum my last afternoon. A great historic house, there is a large covered courtyard designed for guests and their horses and carriages to enter and go directly to the stables, Great Hall, music room, inner courtyard, gardens, and stables.

Braga is a lovely city for walking; much of the old town is pedestrian. Praca de Republica with the huge fountain, Chafariz da Praça da República leads to Jardim da Avenida Central.

Jardim da Avenida da Liberdade is a pedestrian street full of flowers. Arco da Porta Nova is part of the old city walls. Praca Municipal has another lovely fountain, Fonte do Pelicano and the Braga City Hall is on the square.

Restaurants

• Eat Thai Street Food – great Tom Yum and Pad Thai. The bowl of Tom Yum was very big and by the time I got the Pad Thai I took it to go, for dinner that night.
• Retro Restaurante Americano – stopped in for lunch and had a pulled pork sandwich. Went back for Loaded Mac and Cheese takeaway for dinner.
• Brunch Rua da Restauracao – had to go searching for eggs for breakfast. Great Eggs Benedict.

Breweries

• I visited Cerveja Letra in Obidos and found another when out walking in Braga. I stopped in a for new beer style I hadn’t tried yet. 

** All photos property of Lisa, not to be copied or reproduced **