First, we planned the one-day excursion from Lisbon to Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais. More about it in our post on How to plan excursions.
On our list of cities that we wanted to see were a lot of them. After some time spent trying we could not make a reasonable plan to see most of the in one or two days.
There was an option of renting a car. But that seemed too stressful for us because we were not familiar with the roads and traffic in Portugal.
Excursion 2
5 cities – fatima, batalha, alcobasa, nazare and obidos
Another option was taking an organised tour that covered most of our choices. There are many options for that in every country and every city.
We used the site Get Your Guide and chose excursion 5 cities. You can also search Viator to find the best option for you.
We used the filter with an option that covers most of the chosen cities. The next filter was a one-day excursion with an English-speaking guide.
The choice was excellent. We chose one private trip with a minivan for a max of 8 people that had a reasonable price and picked us up at our address.
The itinerary covered 5 cities: Fatima, Batalha, Alcobasa, Nazare and Obidos. The drive was pleasant with an enjoyable and knowledgeable guide. It was a great day, we saw a lot and were not tired at all.
Excursion 3
braga and guimaraes
The third excursion we planned from Porto was to nearby cities Braga and Guimares. After making a plan for a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra and Cascais we used the same pattern. Both cities are very close to Porto and each other.
First, we checked what kind of public transport is available to both destinations. Every day there are fast, comfortable and cheap connections by train. You can use this link to check timetables and prices for both destinations.
https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times
We found out that the train goes more often to Braga (approx. every half an hour or less). The ride takes about 50 minutes. We chose Braga as the first destination. And return to Porto from Guimares. The duration on return is 75 minutes. The ticket price is 3,25 € per person.
The map of train lines to Braga and Guimares.
Both trains go and return to the same train station Sao Bento in Porto. It is very old and one of the most beautiful train stations in Europe.
The real beauty lies inside the building. The breathtaking main hall with over 20,000 tiles reflects the history of Portugal.
Here we had again the situation that there is no train connection between them. Next, we checked all the bus lines that connect both cities.
There are not so many choices for the bus as there are for the train. Only a couple of rides a day. The best option was the bus going at 2 pm to Guimares. It takes only 25 minutes to get there from Braga. The ticket price is 6,20 € per person.
Braga
Braga is often considered the religious centre of Portugal. This charming city is full of old churches, picturesque houses, and pretty gardens, all with plenty of Portuguese charm. The historic centre is compact and can be explored on a day trip.
Top sights and attractions of Braga :
- The Bom Jesus do Monte stairway to heaven
- The view from the Bom Jesus terraces over the Braga
- The ancient Se cathedral and double organ
- The pretty Jardim de Santa Barbara
- The grand churches surrounding the Largo de Santa Cruz
The priority of this day trip must be the visit to the Bom Jesus Sanctuary, a monumental religious complex, which signifies the ascend to heaven.
It is best to go there first.
Only 6 km from the centre of Braga and easy to reach with bus No. 2 which stops in front of the railway station (Rotunda Estação I).
There is a clear map of the bus routes and departure locations on their website: https://tub.pt/percurso/2/
The ticket cost 2 €.
The Bom Jesus is one of the finest monuments of northern Portugal and the long baroque staircase is beautiful. For those who do not fancy climbing the 580 steps, there is the world’s oldest water-powered funicular to get you to the summit.
But if you have any strength choose the pilgrims’ route. Climbing up and enjoying the views over the city and exploring many decorations and sculptures on every part of the stairway. One reason plus is a huge row for the funicular ride.
The return to the city is the same as the arrival with bus No. 2. On return step down before the train station (for example at bus stop Central IV or Cons Torres Almeida I).
Have a nice walk around the old city centre and have a drink or a meal in one of the many street restaurants.
Try a very famous Portugal francesinha sandwich.
Bus station Transdev Braga is near the city centre a bit north. From there we took a bus to Guimaraes.
Guimaraes
“Portugal was born here”
Guimaraes is an ancient stone city where the kingdom of Portugal originated and is regarded as the birthplace of Portugal.
The old granite walls that surround the historic town centre with the well-preserved medieval buildings of the city have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Top sights and attractions of Guimarães :
- The historic centre of Guimarães
- Charming Square Largo da Oliveira
- Church Nossa Senhora da Oliveira
- Old Street Rua de Santa Maria
- Guimarães Castle
- Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
- Church of Saint Francis Monte da Penha
The historic centre of Guimarães is still full of life partly due to the large student population. Especially charming is Largo da Oliveira. This small plaza is surrounded by traditionally painted houses and filled with open-air cafes, with seating shaded by the olive tree that the plaza is named after.
When finished sightseeing and getting tired we walked to the train station. It is close to the old centre, about a 10-minute walk south of the „Aqui Nasceu Portugal“, the sign on the old stone wall of the city.
There goes a direct train to Porto about every hour. The ticket price is 3,25€ per person.
This one-day excursion is easy and cheap to do with local transport. If you are not comfortable going on excursions on your own, there are organised groups or private tours that you can buy online.
