Day 20: Braga

Imagine if there's a place where you've always wanted to visit, yet when you actually get round to going it's seemingly the foggiest day of the year!

That's exactly what happened when I went to Braga, in Northern Portugal, in December 2017.

Although this small but deeply-religious city might not be particularly well-known, it's home to some notable landmarks including Bom Jesus de Monte - a religious and botanical retreat on the outskirts, Raio Palace, Braga Cathedral and the brilliant Estadio Municipal.

It's straightforward enough to get here because there's a frequent train service from Porto which is just over an hour away. It can cost as little as €1 each-way (should you happen to go on a Bank Holiday) though, if you do, the downside is that quite a few places might be closed. However, everything is within walking distance from the Rail/Bus stations apart from the Bom Jesus de Monte and that's well-served by buses anyway.

Many streets in the quaint city centre were adorned with decorations whilst religious hymns were playing aloud when I visited, partly because it was in the run up to Christmas. If nothing else, it was quirky, and it was a nice place to spend some time.

As already mentioned, the Estadio Municipal is worth seeing with your own eyes, even if you're not a football fan, due to the architectural brilliance that went into both its design and construction. The concrete roofs of its two stands are connected by wire cables, which help keep them in place, and the stadium itself was carved into the side of a mountain - thus meaning you can get some terrific views by clambering up the mountain pathway which runs alongside it. My photos don't do it justice (thanks to the weather) but it's certainly worth a Google Search.

Braga don't get particularly big attendances so, if you happen to be in the town when they are playing, you'll easily be able to obtain match tickets. The 'Os Arcebispos' as they're nicknamed are Portugal's fourth-largest club team behind Benfica, Porto and Sporting Lisbon.

As always enjoy the photos and lets pray that there's better weather if/when I return here in the future.