Guimarães

Follow IP4 to the junction with N101 and bear right toward Braga. After 9 kilometers you reach the nondescript village of Trofa, renowned for its lace making. A picturesque 17 kilometers later you’ll arrive in Guimarães, known as the “cradle of the Portuguese kingdom” because Afonso Henriques was proclaimed the first king of Portugal here in 1139.Rich in history, Guimarães has two pousadas—the Pousada de Guimarães–Santa Marinha, which sits magnificently above town on the site of a 12th-century convent, and the Pousada de Guimarães–Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, located in the center of town. The Pousada de Guimarães–Santa Marinha is housed in a convent founded in 1154 by the wife of Afonso Henriques, but evidence uncovered during the construction of the pousada suggests that there was a much earlier structure here—perhaps dating back as far as the 8th century. In the 17th century the convent was turned over to the Hieronymites and almost totally rebuilt in a later style.As befits the first capital of the nation, Guimarães retains one of the best-preserved castles in the country, constructed in the 10th century, but extensively restored in the 1930s. Afonso Henriques was born here in 1110, so the castle has a symbolic significance for the nation. There are fine views from the narrow, multi-towered ramparts. At the foot of the hill is the 15th-century Paço dos Duques, built by the first Duke of Bragança, a member of the powerful Portuguese family that furnished the country with its monarchs after 1640. The seat of the ducal family was transferred to Vila Viçosa at a later point, and the palace was abandoned. It has since been restored (in the 20th century) and merits a visit for its superior antiques—paintings, furniture, tapestries, porcelain, weapons—and striking chestnut ceilings. In the old quarter of town around the Largo da Oliveira is a network of ancient, picturesque streets and squares reflecting the town’s medieval past. Also there is the church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, founded in the 12th century by Afonso Henriques. It was then expanded, and the Manueline tower was added in the 16th century. The adjoining building of the former Dominican monastery now houses the Alberto Sampaio Museum with an interesting collection of Portuguese art.