Eat, Sleep and Stay at Guimaraes

Do you want a relaxing Portuguese holiday to look forward to this summer? If the answer is yes (and it should be), then you should consider staying at the majestic Hotel Guimaraes. Today, we’re telling you about the beauty of Guimaraes and why you should stay at our hotel.

Things to Do in Guimaraes

There is plenty to do in Guimaraes, and we can give you travel times from our hotel to help you decide how best to plan your time on holiday.

• Monte da Penha Cable Cars

We used the site Better Taxi to calculate how much this route might cost you by taxi, and the route from our hotel to the Telefrico de Guimaraes could be as little as five euros during times of heavy traffic, and potentially less if the traffic is easier.

The journey will take 20 minutes by car in moderate traffic but there’s a car park right outside so the taxi can drop you off right outside. The experience is a full afternoon out, too; on arriving, the cable cars will sweep you up towards the beautiful Sanctuary of Penha. During your journey, you’ll get to enjoy brilliant views of the town

The cable cars depart every half hour from 10am till 7pm every day, though they stay open slightly later on weekends. As of August 2019, the price was calculated at 7.50 euros for a return journey per person.

Upon reaching the top and exiting the cable car, you will be able to explore the area surrounding the Sanctuary of Penha – a magnificent church that overlooks Guimaraes, built in the 1930s.

• Palace of the Dukes of Braganza

Take either a short taxi drive of under ten minutes or walk for twenty minutes from our hotel, and you can get to the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza. We highly recommend walking if you are able, as you can enjoy the quirks of Guimaraes as you go. The quickest route walking, for example, will take you near the Tanques de Couros – which is an important site for the history of tanning leather.

The palace itself is located in the historical centre of Guimaraes and began its construction in 1420. The dukes of Braganza lived here for a while until they abandoned it in the 16^th Century. The palace continued to be abandoned until the 19^th century when the locals began to use it as a quarry. It has since undergone a restoration and is protected by its classification as a National Monument.

• Igreja de Sao Francisco

If you decided to walk to the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, you will likely have walked past this monument, too. Located close to the Tanques de Couros, the Church of Sao Francisco. This is one of many churches in Guimaraes but since it’s on your way to the Palace of the Dukes it’s easy to tie into a day out.

The main attraction of this palace is the incredible gilding and luxury of this church. There are statues, carvings, carefully crafted ceilings and various artefacts to learn about while you are there.

• Citania de Briteiros

If you’re willing to travel 24 minutes in a car from our hotel, you could also visit the ancient ruins of the Citania de Briteiros. It shows examples of a well-developed settlement in the Bronze and Middle Ages. The cost of a taxi is anticipated to cost around 20 euros to get there, but the entry fee is fairly low at only three euros per adult, which also gives access to a local museum. It is thought that Citania was constructed around the first century BCE by the Celts.

Our Hotel

Our hotel has won awards for its renovation and restorations; once a 12^th century Augustinian Monastery, we have reinvigorated this building into a luxury hotel that retains many elements of its original charm.

As part of the hotel, you can walk amongst grottos, cloisters, fountains and even a lake. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning and internet access. If you’re interested in booking your next holiday in Guimaraes, we recommend that you speak to us.