The first capital of Portugal way back in the 12th century, Guimarães is recognized on the World Heritage list as an authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town. Its historic center is a homogeneous architectural ensemble in a style that in native to the country and to the area, preserved well enough to offer visual enjoyment around every corner.

Palace of the Dukes of Braganza is the leading tourist attraction in town. Although not “must-see” in the absolute sense of the word, it is quite interesting in that it manages to project a proper medieval feel in its mix of grand spaces with the austerity that is only mildly pierced by the placement of decorative objects. The palace chapel is rather sparsely lighted inside, which makes the sight of its stained glass windows all the more dramatic.

The nearby 11th-century castle is among the oldest structures in town. As Guimarães is widely considered to be the cradle of Portuguese national identity, the castle claims to be the likely place of birth of the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques. The most fun part of the visit to the castle is the animated biopic of Afonso Henriques shown on the top floor of the keep – you don’t have to understand Portuguese to enjoy the lighthearted way of the presentation. The history of the country – alongside some of the key world events – is presented chronologically on the lower levels from medieval times through the beginning of the 21st century.

Beyond the palace and the castle, I only stepped inside a couple of churches, including the above-average Nossa Senhora da Oliveira; and the cloister of the convent of Santa Clara, which now functions as the town hall. Mostly, I just walked around the town center admiring the eye-catching combinations of colors, balconies and façade decorations. It is occasionally exuberant and mostly simply charming.

Guimarães is reachable in under 40 minutes from Porto via car. It feels like a half-day destination at most, although I never have in mind checking out every single point of interest in town; more inclined souls may be able to stretch the visit to a full day.