Tucked away below street level and concealed by a modern lobby is this evocative ancient spring, one of Braga's unexpected treasures. An essential community water source in the city's early days, the spring and its surrounding rock face were carved into a fountain during pre-Roman times by Celicus Fronto, an immigrant from the city-state of Arcobriga. One carving is of a toga-clad pilgrim thought to be holding the Horn of Plenty. An introductory video provides historical background.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.28 MILES
Braga’s extraordinary cathedral, the oldest in Portugal, was begun when the archdiocese was restored in 1070 and completed in the following century. It’s…
29.89 MILES
Igreja de São Francisco looks from the outside to be an austerely Gothic church, but inside it hides one of Portugal’s most dazzling displays of baroque…
29.59 MILES
This fabulous cultural institution combines a museum, a mansion and extensive gardens. Cutting-edge exhibitions, along with a fine permanent collection…
10.24 MILES
The largest, oldest and most celebrated of the Minho's markets is the Feira de Barcelos, held every Thursday in Barcelos on the banks of Rio Cávado…
29.7 MILES
From Praça da Ribeira rises a tangle of medieval alleys and stairways that eventually reach the hulking, hilltop fortress of the cathedral. Founded in the…
29.8 MILES
Completed in 1886 by a student of Gustave Eiffel, the bridge’s top deck is now reserved for pedestrians, as well as one of the city’s metro lines; the…
Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis
29.56 MILES
Porto's best art museum presents a stellar collection ranging from Neolithic carvings to Portugal’s take on modernism, all housed in the formidable…
29.87 MILES
This splendid neoclassical monument (built from 1842 to 1910) honours Porto’s past and present money merchants. Just past the entrance is the glass-domed…
Nearby Braga attractions
1. Centro Interpretativo das Memórias da Misericórdia de Braga
0.05 MILES
Braga's newest museum is housed inside Palácio do Raio, whose exuberantly tiled rococo façade (by André Soares) is must-see material for any aficionado of…
0.13 MILES
Built in the 17th century, Braga's Holy Cross Church features a mix of baroque and Mannerist architectural styles.
0.18 MILES
Built in 1525, this pretty church in Braga's historic centre has an azulejo (tile)-clad facade flanked by a striking crenellated tower.
0.2 MILES
The cafes and restaurants on this broad plaza are a pleasant place to start or finish your day. An especially mellow atmosphere descends in the evening,…
0.22 MILES
The square-shaped, crenellated tower behind the cafes on Praça da República is the walled-up Torre de Menagem, which is all that survives of a fortified…
0.28 MILES
The cathedral's modern treasury museum houses a goldmine of ecclesiastical booty, including the lovely Nossa Senhora do Leite of the Virgin suckling…
0.28 MILES
A guided tour grants access to the cathedral’s three most striking chapels: the showpiece Capela dos Reis, home to the tombs of Henri of Burgundy and Dona…
0.28 MILES
Braga’s extraordinary cathedral, the oldest in Portugal, was begun when the archdiocese was restored in 1070 and completed in the following century. It’s…