Guimarães: The Birthplace of Portugal, Medieval Streets and Ducal Splendour

High on Monte Latito stands Guimarães Castle, originally erected in the 10th century by Countess Mumadona Dias to shield the local monastery and Christian settlers from Norman and Moorish incursions. It was here, around 1109, that Afonso Henriques was born—the warrior prince who would defeat his own mother’s forces at the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 and declare himself the first King of Portugal.

Just downhill stands the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza (Paço dos Duques), constructed in the 1420s by Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza. Influenced by his travels across Burgundy and Northern Europe, the palace features distinctive cylindrical brick chimneys, soaring timber ceilings fashioned like upturned ship hulls, and exquisite Flemish tapestries depicting the conquest of North African bastions. Walking its cavernous banquet halls offers an immediate immersion into 15th-century noble life.

Descending from the castle along the gentle stone slope brings you into Rua de Santa Maria, the medieval backbone connecting the upper fortress to the lower town. Granite archways, wrought-iron balconies laden with flowers, and carved family crests flank the route, leading into Largo da Oliveira.

Named after a legendary medieval olive tree said to have sprouted leaves miraculously, this picturesque square is dominated by the Church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira and the 14th-century Gothic Padrão do Salado. Adjacent lies Praça de São Tiago, where timber-framed 16th-century townhouses create an evocative setting to pause for local Vinho Verde and traditional Tortas de Guimarães pastries.