7 Things to Do in Guimarães

For my last free day based in Porto (I know - I can't believe it's come around already either), I took the train on a drizzly Sunday out to Guimarães, a city northeast of Porto, to see what I could find in this medieval town to explore.

Even in the overcast weather, I really enjoyed wandering the little streets of this quaint town and photographing the nooks and crannies that make this place so photogenic.

Trains run regularly to and from Porto and take just over an hour direct. I traveled from Porto Campanhã on the winding journey through the northern Portuguese countryside. At the time of writing, a one way ticket cost €3.25.

Here's what I got up to during my day in Guimarães:

Igreja e Oratórios de Nossa Senhora da Consolação e Santos Passos

The church with the extraordinarily long name! This pretty little church sits at the foot of the Jardim do Largo da República do Brasil.

Palace Duques de Bragança

In the medieval times, the Dukes used to live and work here - grandiose rooms and ornate architecture make up this building, furnished with period pieces including impressive tapestries, carvings and china. You can buy a combined ticket to both the palace and the castle nearby just up the hill.

Guimarães Castle

The crowning jewel of the city is this massive castle ruin perched on the hill. On a clear day, you can get panoramic views of all of Guimarães - on a rainy day, you still get some pretty neat views of the Duke's Palace below!