Braga, Portugal

Today was my day off from my albergue volunteering and I joined a tour to go north of Porto to the city of Braga, which is often referred to as the Rome of Portugal. This is because Catholicism first started in Portugal in this town in about the 3rd century and it had been founded by Romans. Julius Caesar visited Braga 6 times during his reign.
Our first stop was at the Basilica of Bom Jesus which is built high on a hill overlooking the city Many people reach this church by climbing the 472 steps from the bottom of the hill, stopping at the small chapels that represent the stations of the cross, but we got there by car. Surrounding the Basilica were many monasteries, but they've been turned into hotels now. The whole area is absolutely beautiful and the church is amazing! I could have spent hours here, but our tour whisked us away to see the centre of town instead.
In the centre of the historic part of Braga sits the Cathedral made of stone and decorated with statues and bells. Inside, the church is full of paintings and carved wood covered with gold leaf. Again I could have stayed in this church studying the artwork and soaking in the peaceful atmosphere for a longtime, but our guide moved us through the church quite efficiently.
The Primativo Portuguese Camino starts from this Cathedral and heads up to Santiago de Compostela, so it's another choice for Camino walkers.
My phone died during my tour today and it wouldn't charge off my power bank, so when we returned to Porto, I had to find my way home to the Albergue without Google maps. I'm proud to say that I'm getting the hang of this city and I made it back safe and sound! Bom Caminho!Read more