Minho Province, Part II: Braga, Portugal.

We boarded the tour bus and left Guimarães for a 30-minute or so ride to Braga, one of the oldest cities in Portugal. We stopped at the historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We would have lunch only a short walk from the city’s gateway as shown in the opening photo. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Our bus climbed amongst the verdant hills of Braga, Portugal, where it stopped. The tour guide offered those interested the opportunity to depart the bus and walk the stairs to Bom Jesus do Monte (Good Jesus of the Mountain). We were told of the 577 granite steps, each adorned with intricate sculptures, allegorical figures, and cascading fountains depicting the Passion of Christ. The stairway, a masterpiece of Baroque architecture, winds up to the chapel and shrine, offering a visual and spiritual journey along the way. With a tinge of regret, we accepted the tour guide’s other offer, a bus ride to the top. That climb would have been a challenge for some of the people who, like us, opted to stay on the bus.

After a much shorter walk for the bus riders with only an incline and no steps to climb, we passed by some beautifully manicured gardens. The landscape boasts a blend of styles where formal French gardens, with their geometric shapes and neatly clipped hedges, coexist harmoniously with rustic woodland paths and hidden grottoes.

The gardens at Bom Jesus are more than just a visual treat, they offer a space for tranquility and reflection. Those who seek spiritual inspiration, a quiet respite from the efforts of the stairway, or simply a chance to soak in nature’s beauty, will find places for quiet contemplation while visiting the gardens.

We rounded a corner to arrive at the stunning Church of Bom Jesus. Completed in 1811, its neoclassical facade and ornate interior are an architectural gem, featuring gilded altars and beautiful frescoes. The panoramic views of Braga lay beneath us and the courtyard was as beautiful as the historic church.

Bom Jesus do Monte, a Baroque treasure of six centuries nestled amidst verdant hills, recreates the sacred mount of Jerusalem, its church a crown upon its peak. The testament to the Catholic Church’s Sacri Monti tradition is a masterpiece of art and architecture.

The courtyard and gardens are ideal for unwinding after the climb when you can lose yourself in their beauty and in the panoramic views of the city below. Soon it was time for us to board the bus and head into the city that we could only glimpse from the top of the mountain.

The trip through the Minho region is one of the longer excursions we selected during our cruise. What we thought would be a break of tapas and a refreshment turned out to be a full-on lunch, a three-course meal with appetizer, veal entree, and dessert. After lunch, we stepped outside the restaurant to check out the beautiful gardens across the street.

The Field of Gardens, with its centerpiece fountain, unfolded beneath a sky that seemed to darken by the minute. Rain, already a companion on our bus ride down the mountain, now loomed large, promising another shower or two.

Returning to the gateway in the opening photo, the tour guide told of the legend of the Arco da Porta Nova. He told us that even though the city’s walls protected the townspeople from invaders, Braga never had a closed door. The legend says that during the reign of King John I, the gate was always left open as a symbol of the city’s welcoming nature and hospitality.

We stepped through the gateway into the living mosaic of Braga’s central core. The narrow streets were filled with history as we meandered past colorful shops. Our tour guide pointed out the Biscainhos Museum as we walked by to our final destination of the day, the Sé de Braga. Portugal’s oldest cathedral rose, a monument to faith, its grandeur a testament to centuries of devotion.

The cathedral was founded in the 11th century and was originally built in the Romanesque style. However, it has been modified and expanded over the centuries, and it now incorporates elements of the Gothic, Manueline, and Baroque styles. The interior is richly decorated with carvings, paintings, and sculptures, and one of the most beautiful church pipe organs I’ve ever seen. However, photography inside the church was forbidden, so I can only relate the beauty I saw from my memory.

We boarded the tour bus and returned to the ship with a light rain blurring the views of Minho province through the bus windows. The bus ride was about an hour (one-way) so it made sense that we did not have the time to visit the interiors of many of these beautiful buildings in these historic cities. One of the disadvantages of cruising is the limited time in any one given area. As we reboarded our ship, the memory of Minho’s rolling hills, charming towns, and architectural gems lingered.

My Flickr site features 2K HD versions of the photos. If you would like to see the photographic statistics or simply pixel peep, you can visit my Flickr album here.

John Steiner