RunCity

Braga on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 9 of Braga's best-known sights, including Bom Jesus do Monte, Fountain of the Idol, Teatro Circo and more. It is about 10 km on foot, roughly 3 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Braga leaderboard.

  • 9Stops
  • about 10 kmDistance
  • 3 hoursWalking
  • about 78 minRunning
Play Braga in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

Braga
Photo: Otto Domes · CC BY-SA 4.0

Braga is one of Portugal's oldest cities, and this route of about 10 km links its baroque hill sanctuaries to the old town. It starts at the bonus stop, the white Sameiro Sanctuary on its hilltop, and drops to Bom Jesus do Monte, whose zigzag baroque staircase climbs to the church; a water-powered funicular, one of the oldest in the world, runs beside it. In town, the Fountain of the Idol is a Roman shrine cut into the rock.

The Teatro Circo on Avenida da Liberdade, Praça da República with its arcaded café and the flowerbeds of the Santa Bárbara Garden lead to the cathedral, Portugal's oldest, and the baroque Arco da Porta Nova. The last stop is the Municipal Stadium, cut into the side of a granite quarry northwest of the centre. City buses run up to Bom Jesus, so the hill section can be done by bus and the rest on foot.

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Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Sameiro Sanctuary

    Sameiro Sanctuary Bonus Photo

    The white basilica on the hilltop with its long stairs.

    Photo: Otto Domes · CC BY-SA 4.0

  2. Bom Jesus do Monte

    Bom Jesus do Monte Photo

    The zigzag baroque staircase climbing up to the church.

    Photo: Botafogo · Public domain

  3. Fountain of the Idol

    Fountain of the Idol Photo

    The Roman rock-cut fountain with its ancient inscriptions.

    Photo: Unknown author · Public domain

  4. Teatro Circo

    Teatro Circo

    The ornate façade of the 1915 theatre on Avenida da Liberdade.

    Photo: Sara silva · CC BY-SA 3.0

  5. Praça da República

    Praça da República

    The lively square with the arcaded Arcada café.

    Photo: GFreihalter · CC BY-SA 3.0

  6. Santa Bárbara Garden

    Santa Bárbara Garden Photo

    The flower garden beside the arched wall of the old archbishop's palace.

    Photo: José Goncalves · CC BY 3.0

  7. Braga Cathedral

    Braga Cathedral Photo

    The Romanesque façade of Portugal's oldest cathedral.

    Photo: Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0

  8. Arco da Porta Nova

    Arco da Porta Nova Photo

    The baroque arch that once guarded the old town gate.

    Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0

  9. Braga Municipal Stadium

    Braga Municipal Stadium

    The stadium cut into the side of a granite quarry.

    Photo: 準建築人手札網站 Forgemind ArchiMedia from Taichung, Taiwan, Taiwan · CC BY 2.0

Play Braga in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see Braga on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 9 stops on this route add up to about 10 km, roughly 3 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Some stops are far apart, so you may want public transport for a leg.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Braga is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in Braga?

    Open Braga in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Braga leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Sameiro Sanctuary and finishing at Braga Municipal Stadium. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

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