From Porto: Viana do Castelo Braga and Guimarães Day Tour
Description
This full-day tour offers an unforgettable experience, combining the best of northern Portugal’s history, culture, and natural beauty. From hilltop sanctuaries and historic cities to charming streets and picturesque views, you’ll discover the essence of this remarkable region.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Embark on a fascinating day tour that takes you through the rich history and stunning landscapes of northern Portugal. Your journey begins with a visit to the Sacred Heart Sanctuary in Viana do Castelo, a majestic hilltop church offering breathtaking views of the surrounding region. After taking in the serene atmosphere, you will head to the center of Viana do Castelo, a charming town filled with history and culture. Here, you’ll have free time to explore its cobblestone streets, admire the traditional architecture, and discover the local shops and cafés.
Visit to the Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart in Viana do Castelo, a majestic church perched on top of a hill that offers breathtaking views of the surrounding region. Did you know it was inspired by the Sacré-Cœur in Paris?
From Viana do Castelo, the tour continues to Braga, one of Portugal’s oldest cities, known for its religious significance and beautiful historical sites. A guided tour will introduce you to the city’s stunning landmarks, including its impressive churches and picturesque squares, before giving you some leisure time to explore at your own pace.
Next, you’ll visit the Bom Jesus Sanctuary, an iconic site nestled in the mountains, renowned for its Baroque staircase and incredible views. Take some time to relax and admire the peaceful surroundings before continuing to your final destination
Guimaraes. Often referred to as the birthplace of Portugal, Guimaraes boasts a medieval center with well-preserved architecture and a rich cultural heritage. Here, you’ll enjoy both a guided tour and free time to wander through the historic streets, visit local attractions, and take in the vibrant atmosphere.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(27)
Really great tour of the Minho region of Portugal. It is a long day but the bus is very comfortable, well air conditioned and the tour guides are very accommodating and really well knowledges with their history and facts. Highly recommend.
An awesome taste of Portugal culture that let me wanting more. Our guides Paulo and Maria were amazing, helpful, hilarious and great at keeping the tour going. They really made the whole tour for us, and it was an amazing adventure. The timing is tight, so you don't get a ton of time in some areas like Braga and Guimarães, but I think it's still worth it to go with this one that includes Viano do Castelo!
This Was extraordinary beautiful each City has the unique architecture and history, we enjoyed each one of them. Our tour guide NuNo was great explaining each different city and answering all the questions. Highly recommended.
Mónica and Bruno are great guides, but the tour itself is a bit disappointing. You barely have time to explore the places, and some interesting spots — like the castle in Guimarães or the site with the king’s tomb in Braga — are impossible to visit with the short “free time” they give you. I actually got a bit lost in Braga, and when I called the numbers listed here to get directions back to the bus, no one answered.
The most amazing tour guides and places to see. Maria and Enrico were the best tour guides ever. Lourdes was a terrific bus driver. The bus was very comfortable and air conditioned. This team above and beyond for us. My husband had difficulty walking and they were incredibly accommodating and kind. Made sure we were comfortable and safe. I would give them all 100 stars if I could. We learned so much history and the places were absolutely beautiful. Ask for this amazing team you will be so happy you did.
A magnificent day, the Quinta and the castle of Sintra are extraordinary to see, Anna is a very competent guide who gives a lot of her time and knowledge to everyone throughout the day! A big thank you!
Our tour was bilingual (English/Spanish). Led by Henrique & Alejandre. We had a wonderful experience as both of them are very knowledgeable and kept our bus ride very entertaining. Alejandre led the Spanish group. He made all of us feel included, informed and kept the group engaged. He made our tour fun and prepared us to make the best of our free time and trip. We really enjoyed our tour and are thankful for the great memories.
I would have loved to give a 5 Star review but unfortunately due to one of the tour guides giving us the incorrect meeting location after our free time in Viana Do Castelo we almost missed the bus. Our tour guides were Miguel and Eduardo. There were 4 of us waiting (2 ladies and my husband and I). After 20 minutes of waiting, My husband contacted the tour company via WhatsApp, they contacted the guides, then came to pick us up. Miguel apologized he gave us the incorrect meeting location. Thank goodness the tour company responded to us immediately or else the 4 of us (the 2 ladies were travelling separately) would have been left in Viana do Castelo. Overall the tour was a good balance, just wished it didn’t rain as well.
I chose this tour over others because it included Viana do Castelo rather htan just Braga and Guimaraes, and I am very glad I did. Viana do Castelo is beautiful, particularly the hilltop basilica with incredible views over the ocean! Braga and Guimaraes were also really interesting, though I am glad we had nice weather before an expected heat wave is set to start. Our guide Alexander was very knowledgeable and really informative, telling us a lot about Porto and the surrounding area while en route, in addition to when we were walking around each location.
Thank you very much for your fantastic review! We're so pleased to hear that choosing the tour including Viana do Castelo was the right decision for you. The Sanctuary and its panoramic views are truly one of the highlights of the region, and we're glad you had the chance to enjoy them in good weather. It's also wonderful to know that you enjoyed Braga and Guimarães, and that Alexander's knowledge and insights about Porto and the surrounding region made the journey even more interesting. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience!
Great experience. Lots to see with knowledgeable guides, Enrique and Maria. Highly recommend this tour company.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you had a great experience and enjoyed discovering so many beautiful places with Henrique and Maria. They'll be very happy to know that their knowledge and enthusiasm helped make your day so enjoyable. We hope to welcome you on another tour with us in the future!
