Include Braga in your next visit to Portugal.
Voted best European destination city to visit in 2021!

Exciting news for visitors planning on doing El Camino / The Portuguese Way from Northern Portugal to historic Santiago de Compostela, during this Year’s Saint James Official Celebrations

By order of the Catholic Church in Rome, the Saint James and celebrations have been extended from this Year into 2022.  This offers visitors more time to plan their trip to Northern Portugal and the Region of Galicia.  As you leave Portoand start following the path north to Santiago de Compostela, the city of Bragain Northern Portugal is worth visiting.

Bragais located less than 40 miles from popular Porto and offers visitors a combination of Portugal’s culture, history and gastronomy. Braga’s history dates back to the times of the Roman occupation and it is also one of the oldest cities in Portugal.  In addition, Braga’s Catholic Diocesis has also rivaled that of Santiago de Compostela’s in importance, influence and power.

Here you will find an array of religious buildings featuring a combination of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architectural styles, like the Sé Cathedral and the Sanctuary Bom Jesus an iconic symbol of Braga. The Sameiro on the Hill, after Fatima, is the second most important Portugal worship center for pilgrims following The Marian Way.

Your El Camino/Portuguese Way itinerary will include Porto with private tours of its established Port Lodges and excellent local cuisine.  Then as you travel north towards Galicia, you will can visit the “Vinho Verde” a king area of Portugal’s wines. We can include a visit to a Winery where you can taste the local “green wine” while you sample the typical Petiscos (Portuguese tapas) like the Bolinhos de Bacalhao (salted cod croquettes) and cheeses from the Estrela Mountain range.

Braga’s Cuisine needs a special mention. Salted Cod is a staple in the Portuguese cuisine, prepared the Narcisa or Mihno style, moist with potatoes, onions and local spices. And if you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the Abade de Priscos Pudding, a sweet combination of egg yolks and bacon wrapped in port wine which melts in your mouth.

As you travel into Galicia following The Portuguese Way, you will also delight in the famed Galicia Cuisine, home to over 200 types of seafood, excellent produce and fruitful wine valleys. Here you will appreciate the way they cook the popular Pulpo a Feira, octopus so soft it melts in your mouth or the deliciously fried and slightly salted Padron green peppers, accompanied by the famed white Albariños or Red Mencias wines.

And these are just a few of the gastronomy delights you will enjoy, in addition to our great local guides, lovely historic accommodations and the welcoming nature that the locals extend along The Way.

For more information email us at info@exclusivelyspain.us