Aqui nasceu Portugal, says the slogan painted on an old section of the town wall: Portugal was born here. Guimarães claims to be the cradle of the nation because Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, is said to have been born here, and in 1128 he won the battle of São Mamede nearby, against his mother's forces, a key step towards independence. The castle on the hill, a compact fortress with a tall keep, and the small Romanesque church beside it, where he is said to have been baptised, are the symbols of that story.
Below the castle, the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, a vast fifteenth century building with forests of brick chimneys, looks more like something from northern France than Portugal. The historic centre, with its granite houses, wooden balconies and medieval squares, was listed by UNESCO in 2001, and in 2023 the listing was extended to include the Couros zone, the old tanning quarter along a stream just outside the walls, where leather was produced for centuries in stone tanks. Walking through the quarter, with its old tanneries, factory buildings and workers' houses, gives a sense of the industrial side of the town's history.
The riding around Guimarães is in the green, hilly country of the Minho, the north west corner of Portugal. The roads are often busy, especially near the towns, and the area is densely populated, with houses, factories and farms scattered along the roads. But there are good rides to be had, especially on the minor roads through the hills. The road up to Penha, a granite mountain above the town with a sanctuary, has tight bends and fine views, and there is also a cable car for those who prefer to leave the bike in town.
Guimarães, a city of about forty thousand people in its centre and many more around it, has fuel, shops and plenty of restaurants. The local food is hearty: roasted meats, bacalhau, rojões, and the light, slightly sparkling vinho verde, the wine of the Minho. Braga, with the famous baroque staircase of Bom Jesus do Monte, is a short ride away, and Porto is less than an hour to the south. The climate is mild, but rain is common, especially in winter.