Is Braga Worth Visiting? 9 Pros & 2 Cons You Should Know

Is Braga worth visiting? A lot of people ask me about this and its a real consideration since Braga is a distance away from the capital city Lisbon. It does require some planning and it does not feature too often on many people’s itineraries. I personally have no qualms in declaring that Braga is my favorite city in Portugal. It is one of those places that I could spend weeks just taking in the vibe.

A big bonus? Braga is positioned so well that you can visit a number of very cool sites and places in the north of Portugal. I’ll talk about it in a bit but suffice to say that it is a much more laid back option compared to Porto.

One would be tempted to think that it was the first city that I visited in the country but it wasn’t. After 3 weeks of traveling through Portugal, our journey ended in Braga. This small-ish city charmed us and left a lasting impression and let me tell you why.

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Is Braga Worth Visiting – Pros

1. Braga Is Very Close To Porto

By default most people tend to head to Porto and to Lisbon. Few wander off the beaten path unless it is to head to the Algarve to enjoy the sun and the sand. If you are planning on exploring the north of Portugal, you will find that Braga is very close to Porto and is very easy to reach. In fact, it is close enough that some people head here as part of a day trip from Porto.

I however fell in love with the city. We stayed here for a couple of days and I still felt as if I came up short. I know that despite exploring everything in the vicinity, I will still head back to Braga during our next trip largely because I loved the vibe.

So if you ask me is Braga worth visiting? I would say that its proximity to Porto makes it a definite yes if you are in the area.

2. Braga Has A Historic Center

Braga may seem small when you look at the sights and attractions but don’t let it fool you. The city sprawls across the land and to really see the length and breadth of the city, you need to catch a bird’s eye view from one of the viewpoints near the Bom Jesus do Monte.

What is nice though is that the actual central part of the city is where all the historic monuments lie. Braga is one of the oldest cities of Portugal and it is situated close to Guimaraes where Portugal was born. You can also see a lot of the old traditions preserved in the area.

3. The City Is Walkable

Now like most of the cities in Portugal, you will find that Braga has its fair share of slopes. Luckily for us, the center of the city is mostly flat. As you gead outwards, you will encounter the slopes. This makes moving around the city really easy. Even our toddlers walked the length and breadth of the city. I would still recommend wearing good walking shoes though because the city will tempt you to walk about.

4. Braga Has A Great Food Scene

Is Braga worth visiting when it comes to the food? I would say yes. The city has amix of the old and the new when it comes to the restaurants and cafes. All of them are almost always overflowing. Brasileira is one such example. Bustling with energy and right at the heart of the city, this restaurant/cafe is as old as it comes and it retains its charm. It serves up everything from toast and butter to gourmet meals depending on the time of the day.

Another favorite of mine was the Cafetaria Nórdico Coffee Shop. It has amazing breakfast dishes and the ambiance is laid back and chill. But these are just a few examples of great places to eat and always every turn in Braga has one such restaurant or cafe.

5. The City Has Lots of Churches

I’m not particularly religious but I do love to visit the different churches in Portugal.

I found that the churches were very similar to the churches in Goa. They had the same set up where the main altar is placed in the front and the choir is placed at the back and at the top.

Braga was no different and it had churches at almost every turn. You can jus pick one of them if you don’t have time to explore them all. One of the unique things that you will find here is the use of the azelejos or the blue tiles.

One of the most famous churches is the Bom Jesus do Monte. This church has the iconic steps that lead right up to it. My advise is to take the funicular up because it is super cool and you don’t have to huff and puff up the steps. Then walk down the stairs when heading back so you can catch the view.

So is Braga worth visiting? If you love visiting iconic Portuguese churches, I would say definitely!

6. Is Steeped In History

I know that I’ve already talked about the historic center of Braga but it is important to note that since Braga is not a new city, it has a lot of history that has ben attached to it over time. For one thing it lies very close to Guimaraes which was the spot where Portugal was born. But its documented history goes even further back. For example, you can visit the ruins of a Roman bath. It is pretty cool to walk through the excavated area.

You can also see stuff that has been unearthed from various archeological sites in the area. We learnt about the differences in different types of pottery through the different ages, saw prehistoric tools and more at the museum of archeology.

Is Braga worth visiting? If you love history and learning about different places then you will find that your visit is eventful.

7. Braga Has An Active Nightlife

Braga has a surprisingly active nightlife. It is diminished when you compare it to Porto and Lisbon though. I found it a bit more like Cascais but the vibe was a bit different. It also largely depends on which part of the city you spend time in.

We stayed in the very heart of the city and every day in the evening and the night, we found people out and about. The restaurants closed pretty late and it was not uncommon to see both youngsters and families out at the squares enjoying a meal or just chatting with each other. I must add that we visited in the summer months and enjoyed it immensely.

8. The Locals Are Warm And Welcoming

Som de se, one of the cool places in Braga that we visited.

Is Braga worth visiting? Now when I consider all the reasons why this city is worth spending time in, I find that the reason that I always come back to is the fact that the locals are warm, friendly and very welcoming.

There is a certain joie de vivre in them that is hard to miss and you get pulled into their excitement. It is certainly a very unique place.

For example, we walked into Som de Se, a musical instrument shop. There we met a man, Sr. Antonio who owned the shop.

He started up a conversation with us and told us about his travels, the history of the different types of guitars and helped us select an instrument for our kids. The interaction was so friendly that every time we passed the shop, our kids wanted to head back in to say hello.

That’s just one example. Another one was dancing in the town square with the locals while the fados played in the background. Definitely experiences that I cherished and loved.

9. There Are Plenty Of Day Trips

One of the reasons why I think that Braga is just as ideal as Porto when it comes to its location is because there are plenty of places that you can visit from here and they are generally an hour at max away. Porto, the Douro valley, Guimaraes and Parque Nacional Peneda-Gerês are just a few examples.

Is Braga Worth Visiting – Cons

I have to be honest. I loved Braga and struggled to come out with cons about visiting this city. These are the few that I came up with.

1. It Does Not Have Its Own Airport

One of the big downsides for many people who are traveling in from an international location is that there is no airport or around the city. The best way to get to Braga is to fly in to Porto and then drive or take the bus here. Its a little tedious to do which is why many people drop the idea almost instantly.

So the question at the end is, is Braga worth visiting? I think the answer is pretty clear. If you want a place that is a quick low plan journey and you like to just head out of the airport to your destination then Porto is probably the best in the north. But if you don’t mind a short journey after you land, want to get away from the crowds, then Braga is totally worth it.

2. Many People Speak Only Portuguese

Now you don’t have to know Portuguese to get by in Braga but not everyone is fluent in English. You will however be able to navigate through the city because most people speak a little bit of English and they are just so friendly that they try to help you in what ever way that they can.

Unfortunately if you want to have a nice in depth conversation with the locals, you will need to know a bit of Portuguese.

And there you have it. These are pretty much all the pros and cons that I could think about. So is Braga worth visiting? Braga in general totally stole my heart. I loved everything from the food to the people, the sites and the vibe. It was just the spot that I needed to head to so I could relax and rejuvenate.