Portugal looks to the ocean as the world’s first global empire. Portuguese explorers and traders reached India in 1498 and set up missions and colonies throughout Asia, from Goa through Sri Lanka, Malacca, Taiwan, and Nagasaki, amongst others, through the 1500s. Until ejected by India in 1961, Portuguese colonial Goa was one of the longest-running colonies in this phase of history.

Before heading for the oceans, Portugal’s origins as a state came from consolidating Iberian tribes in the northwestern lands still unconquered by the Moors, who held most of the peninsular through the 1100s. If you would like to find out where it all started, Guimaraes and Braga in the Minho Region of northern Portugal are good places to start. Spring is a good time to visit, but take a raincoat, as the North Atlantic is not far away.

Guimaraes

Guimaraes, as they will tell you until you get it, is the birthplace of Portugal and its first capital. It has an intact old town centered around the Largo da Oliveira, Olive Tree Square.

The old city, which was given Unesco World Heritage status, is well preserved and worth a couple of hours’ strolling.

Head up to the 10th-century Castelo de Guimaraes, to the north of the old city to see it’s highest defendable point.

Clambering over the battlements, you can find some rainy hill weather in April.

You get a great view of the city and the castle grounds from the battlements, including the castle’s medieval chapel and the 15th century palace of the Dukes of Braganca.

Back in town, the church on Largo da Oliveira contains the Museu de Alberto Sampaio, which has an extensive collection of religious art, which is worth seeing, if only for context of the times.

Many of these artefacts were originally held by Portugal’s various rulers, and includes the padded gambeison worn by King Joao I at the battle of Aljubarotta in 1385, where Portugal finally secured it’s independence from Castile.

This 13th-century tryptych is claimed to have been taken as war booty from the Castilians.

Guimaraes is good for a day and an evening and has a good choice of restaurants and cafes. I stayed at the Santa Luzia Arthotel which is good if you prefer a more modern place, although there are plenty of more traditional options. The bus station is a 10-minute walk west of the old town.

Braga

Braga, about 25 kilometers north of Guimaraes, is Portugal’s traditional religious center, built around medieval cathedrals and monasteries, and anchored by Braga Cathedral (Se de Braga), which was founded in 1070.

There is plenty of traditional tile-faced (azulejo) architecture.

The late 19th-century Cafe a Brasileiro is a traditional coffee house where you can escape the Spring drizzle.

I made the tactical semi-error of arriving on Easter Sunday, but the Domus Vinum wine bar and tapas place was open and worth the visit, see below. Also good for traditional neighborhood food (on the ground floor of a modern apartment building) is Restaurante O Jacó, just west of the old town.

Braga’s bus and rail stations are a less than 10-minute walk from the old town, but at opposite sides – the Central de Camionagem is just north at Tv. Praça do Comércio 88 and the rail station is southwest at Rua de Caires.