Municipalities
Braga District
Northwestern Portugal

Braga District

Guide to Portugal

The Capital of Minho

Minho metropolis

Braga, the oldest city in Portugal

Braga, Best European Destination 2021

The city was declared European Best Destination 2021, that is, the Best European Destination of 2021, the recognition of the city's efforts to offer quality of life, safety and attractions to its inhabitants and visitors.


Braga, home to a large community of immigrants from Brazil, is the city of choice for Brazilians. Quality of life and opportunities are among the main reasons for this preference.

• Municipalities of the Braga District

The following are the 14 municipalities (municipalities) of the Braga District:

Braga

Amares

Barcelos

Cabeceiras de Basto

Celorico de Basto

Esposende

Fafe

Guimarães

Póvoa de Lanhoso

Terras de Bouro

Vieira do Minho

Vila Nova de Famalicão

Vila Verde

Vizela

Oldest city in Portugal

The City of Braga (76,658 inhabitants), with its beautiful medieval cathedral, founded on June 24, 1128, being considered the oldest city in Portugal. It was in the times of Bracara Augusta of the Romans.


• District : Braga is a district of Portugal.
See other districts: Districts of Portugal

• County : Braga is a county (municipality) of Braga District, with 193,333 inhabitants (INE, 2021).

• City : Braga is also the capital of the municipality, district and province of Minho.

The Ancient and the Modern

In the metropolis of Braga, the ancient and the modern coexist in harmony, tradition and innovation share the same space, being a city home that enjoys one of the best quality of life in Portugal.

Millennial and Innovative

Proud of its rich and long history, Braga is, at the same time, a smart and trendy city, which has focused on its constant modernization and its focus on the future. "Braga offers technological conditions that reinforce this identity: an environment top academic, internationally recognized in the field of technology and exploration of digital arts; the International Nanotechnology Laboratory, a laboratory of international standing, the only one in the world, which develops its activity in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology; an innovative and bold business fabric, marked by renowned companies in the area of information and communication technologies, with sustained internationalization projects" [CM Braga].

Seventh most populous Cluster

The Braga cluster is the seventh most populous in Portugal, behind Lisbon, Sintra, Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Cascais and Loures.

Historical Center of Braga

A walk through the Historical Center of Braga transports us to discover the treasures of faithful Braga. A city with many facets, according to the historical period to which its buildings and monuments refer us, cf. highlights below.

Braga Augusta

Under Roman rule, the city was dedicated to Emperor Augustus, hence the name Bracara Augusta.

Baroque Braga

The city of Braga holds some of the most beautiful Baroque monuments in Portugal.

Religious Braga

In Braga, in addition to its beautiful cathedral, there are many churches and sanctuaries open to the faithful and visitors. The highlight is the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte (or Bom Jesus de Braga), located in Tenões.

Braga and Vinho Verde

It is on the outskirts of Braga that the Minho vineyards produce the famous Vinho Verde, iconic and symbol of Portugal. With 237,070 hectoliters, the Braga district produces 58.48% of all Minho green wine [IVV, 2016 data]. As for the Braga municipality, the municipality’s production is only 5,214 hl (2,506 hl of red wines, 60 hl of rosé wines and 2,647 hl of whites). The largest producer of Vinho Verde in the district of Braga is the municipality of Celorico de Basto, with 49,530 hl, or 20.89% of all wine produced in the district. Learn more: Green Wines of Braga.

Braga and the picturesque Minho

Braga, as described by José Augusto Vieira in his famous book The Picturesque Minho (1886-1887):

"Rich in traditions and monuments, a bible of stone, in whose truncated leaves the hand of time has not erased the from one or another miniature, the old primate city of Spain, the faithful and august Braga, transformed today from its secular physiognomy, reminds one of a nun, who, bored with the melancholy of her cell, would dress Aline in a toilette mundane".

All of Braga

The city of Braga, the metropolis of Minho, is the capital of a municipality formed by 37 parishes (districts or administrative regions, in Brazil). About the district (state) of Braga, is formed by 14 counties (municipalities).

Braga District

The District of Braga is subdivided into 14 councils (municipalities).

Interesting links

• CM Braga