Braga is the religious capital of Portugal — the seat of the country's archbishops for centuries, with an extraordinary concentration of churches, chapels, and baroque facades packed into its compact centre. But there is much more to it than churches: Roman remains (Bracara Augusta was an important provincial capital), a lively university population, and some of the best traditional food in the Minho region.
The Sé (cathedral) is the oldest in Portugal, founded in the eleventh century. The Archbishop's Palace, dating from the fourteenth century, dominates the centre. Up the hill east of town, Bom Jesus do Monte is one of Portugal's most iconic sights — a monumental baroque stairway zigzagging up through gardens and fountains to a church at the summit, with panoramic views over the city and the Minho countryside.
Braga is an easy day trip from Porto, about an hour north by train, but its restaurants and nightlife — fuelled by the university — are reason enough to stay overnight.