The city of Braga has been dubbed the Rome of Portugal, thanks in large part to its prestige as a key outpost of the Roman Empire.
Anyone looking for a place steeped in history puts Braga on their list of places to visit, with its ancient ruins, beautiful architecture, and historic buildings among the attractions.
Braga was recently named Europe’s first emerging tourist destination at the World Travel Awards 2024.
While comparable figures are hard to come by, the city receives around seven million visitors a year, according to Benoit Properties.
This compares with about 5. 5 million visitors in Lisbon and 4. 9 million in Rome in 2022, according to figures from Statista.
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According to Visit Portugal, Braga is a bustling city and one of the oldest in the country. It was built more than 2,000 years ago and founded by the Roman Emperor Augustus.
Located on one of the main Roman roads of the Iberian Peninsula and the administrative seat of the Empire, it later became the capital of the Roman province of Gallaecia, present-day Galicia.
The Cathedral of Braga is the oldest in Portugal. It was built in the 12th century by the parents of the first king of Portugal. Even today, the city is one of the country’s main devotional centers.
A must-see in Braga is the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, which features a monumental staircase and offers panoramic perspectives of the city.
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Restaurants serving classic Portuguese dishes include Tabique, which specializes in stewed meat. Outside of town, Dona Júlia is famous for its modern interiors and farm-to-table cuisine, according to CN Traveller.
There is a diversity of accommodation in Braga, including the luxury Bracara guest space, the Vila Gale Collection Braga, the Mercure Braga Centro and the Meliá Braga Hotel.
Ryanair, easyJet, TAP Air Portugal, Azores Airlines, BA Euroflyer, British Airways, Qatar Airways and Jet2 operate direct flights to Porto.
It takes about forty-five minutes by train from Porto to Braga or 40 minutes by car on the A3. By bus, the adventure lasts up to an hour.
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