Discover the principal streets, monuments and history of Guimarães on this free tour. Find out why the city is considered the birthplace of Portugal!
Guimarães Free Tour
At your selected time, we'll meet at number 6, Padrão do Salado. From there, we'll start our free tour of the charming city of Guimarães. Your English-speaking guide will take you through the history of this city, declared an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001 and birthplace of Alfonso I, the first king of Portugal.
We'll walk through the city center, passing by the Church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira. You'll admire many emblematic temples from the exterior, including the Basilica of São Pedro, the Church of São Francisco and the Church of São Miguel, over 600 years old. Nearby, you'll also see the 10th-century Castle of Guimarães and the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza.
Then, our guide will take us through some of the city's principal streets, like Largo de Santiago, Largo da Misericórdia, Largo de São Damasco and, of course, Largo da Oliveira. On Largo da Oliveira, we'll find Padrão do Salado, a famous monument commemorating a battle between Moors and Christians. Afterward, we'll head to the famous Largo do Toural, considered the heartbeat of the city.
During the tour, you'll also visit medieval city walls, where you'll find a sign that says 'Portugal was born here.' The perfect spot for a souvenir photo!
Next, the group will visit the Martins Sarmento Museum (Sociedade Martins Sarmento), founded in 1881, as well as the area of Couros, where you'll learn all about its significance to the city.
After two hours of touring through Guimarães, we will say goodbye to our guide near the Church of Nossa Senhora da Consolação e Santos Passos.