Braga, Portugal · Europe
Guimarães is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Ponte, 36km from Peneda-Geres National Park.
Guimarães is in Braga, Portugal, with about 41,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Ponte, about 4 km away.
Guimarães is a city and municipality located in northern Portugal.
Its historic town centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, in recognition for being an "exceptionally well-preserved and authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town" in Europe. The NicolinasRead more
are the city's main festivities.
Guimarães is referred to as the capital of the Ave Subregion (one of the most industrialised subregions in the country), and located in the historical Minho Province. The municipality has a population of 156,789 inhabitants according to the most recent data of 2023 in an area of 240.95 square kilometres (93.03 sq mi). The current mayor is Ricardo Araújo. Guimarães, along with Maribor, Slovenia, was the European Capital of Culture in 2012. Guimarães also received the 2026 European Green Capital Award.
The city was settled in the 9th century, at which time it was called Vimaranes. This name might have had its origin in the warrior Vímara Peres, who chose this area as the main government seat for the County of Portugal which he conquered for the Kingdom of Galicia. Guimarães has a significant historical importance due to the role it played in the foundation of Portugal. The city is commonly referred to as the "birthplace of Portugal" or "the cradle city" (Cidade Berço in Portuguese) because it was in Guimarães that Portugal's first King, Afonso Henriques was born, and also because the Battle of São Mamede – which is considered the seminal event for the foundation of the Kingdom of Portugal – was fought in the vicinity of the city. It was declared the most beautiful small city in Europe by the Condé Nast Traveler magazine in 2022.
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Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Guimarães.
Within an hour or so of Guimarães: Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte (14 km), Fisgas de Ermelo (35 km), Peneda-Geres National Park (36 km), Marão Tunnel (36 km).
The nearest famous roads are Circuito da Boavista, Estrada Nacional 222 (Peso da Régua–Pinhão) and EN222 Régua–Pinhão Road.
Guimarães is in Braga, Portugal, about 4 km from Ponte.
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Places within a drive of Guimarães. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
cathedral
Braga's UNESCO pilgrimage church crowning a 116-metre baroque zigzag stairway devoted to the five senses: climb it or ride the 1882 water-balance funicular, the oldest of its kind still running in the world.
14 km · about 25 min drive
waterfall
A multi-tier waterfall dropping through a granite gorge in the Alvão Natural Park, with roadside viewpoint access.
35 km · about 40 min drive
national park
Portugal's only national park, a wild landscape of granite peaks, oak forests, waterfalls, and ancient Roman roads in the north.
36 km · about 40 min drive
tunnel
At 5.7 km the longest road tunnel in the Iberian Peninsula, carrying the A4 under the Serra do Marão between Amarante and Vila Real: gateway to the Douro wine country.
36 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
A breathtakingly ornate neo-Gothic bookshop in Porto with a famous crimson staircase, often called the world's most beautiful bookstore.
42 km · about 50 min drive
cafe
Porto's Belle Époque showpiece on Rua de Santa Catarina, open since 1921: carved wood, leather benches, chandeliers and mirrored walls attended by white-jacketed waiters. Regularly listed among the most beautiful cafés in the world.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
A striking double-deck iron bridge designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel, spanning the Douro gorge between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.
43 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Porto's iconic Baroque bell tower offering panoramic views over the city's terracotta rooftops and the Douro River.
43 km · about 50 min drive
April to October
Other places to explore near Guimarães.
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