Viana do Castelo and Guimaraes

Since we were already in Porto in the far north, we decided to head to the upper tip and drive about 80 km further north to visit Viana do Castelo. It is a small and charming city with a historic center and a beautiful square with a fancy fountain, where we treated ourselves to a coffee upon arrival. After a short walk through the old town and the harbor, we went to the Basilica Santa Lucia, which towers above the city. The ascent of the basilica is quite exhausting due to the very narrow steps in the tower and not suitable for claustrophobic people or those taller than us 😂. However, you are rewarded with a beautiful panoramic view of the northwestern coast of Portugal.

The view of the beaches definitely increases the anticipation of upcoming beach days...

Due to the 'size' of Viana do Castelo, we planned to continue driving to Guimaraes, the historical center of Portugal, to stay there overnight. This decision was absolutely right. Guimaraes is really worth seeing with its extensive and historic old town. The stylish squares with the many small cafes and bars within the old city walls immediately invited us to enjoy our beloved white sangria 😊. Before continuing our journey, we spontaneously visited the old castle, which is directly adjacent to the old town, to complete our medieval program.

All in all, the combination of these two cities is simply beautiful and definitely worth recommending, although Guimaraes stands out even more.