The Best Hotels in Braga, Portugal, for Every Traveller

The modern architecture and clean contemporary lines of this hotel stand out against the baroque architecture in Braga. There’s a good-size spa with a wide range of treatments available, a sinuous outdoor pool set amid the olive trees and the El Olivo restaurant offering Portuguese favourites, such as pumpkin soup and bacalhau (salt cod) with chickpeas. Rooms are bright and light-filled, and the executive suites come with kitchenettes, too.

Overlooking the beautiful 17th-century Church of the Third Order of Saint Francis, this 25-room architecturally arresting hotel in Braga offers modern interiors with large balconies from which to survey the city. The neon-lit, street-spying Moon & Sun Tapas Bar offers both sharing plates and a wide range of bite-size Portuguese tapas dishes. Even the corridors look good here – like they should be in an art gallery – but it’s the bespoke concierge that really makes it stand out, offering the inside scoop on the best city sights, on and off the tourist map.

This comfortable 14-room hotel is in the Old Town of Braga, just a short walk from the city cathedral – a national monument that’s well worth visiting for its mix of Moorish, gothic, baroque and Romanesque elements. The “tribute” in the hotel’s name nods to the theme of referencing the area’s founding fathers and foremost sites in its rooms. At restaurant Mi A Mi, you can dine on specialities of fish and lobster soup, followed by roasted octopus with crushed potatoes.

Housed in an elegant villa dating back to the 19th century, this hotel makes an excellent base from which to explore Braga, with bikes to rent from reception. The gardens are peaceful and inset with a swimming pool. The restaurant serves traditional Portuguese cuisine and a good list of local wines. The 26 bedrooms, split between the old mansion and the more modern part, are simply but comfortably furnished with wood floors and free toiletries.

Originally a hospital dating back to the early 16th century, this beautifully restored building, complete with cloisters (a nod to the convent that stood here before), now houses 123 rooms that preserve many original features, such as vaulted ceilings. The Foundation Restaurant serves Portuguese cuisine at tables between thick old stone pillars, while Bracara Augusta delivers a gastronomic interpretation of the local kitchen.

An alternative, equally interesting city in which to base yourself, just 20 minutes away from Braga, is the Unesco World Heritage site of Guimarães. The 18th-century Casa do Juncal is within the old city walls and houses just six suites, which skilfully mix old exposed walls and wooden floors with stylish contemporary furnishings, woven together with white-on-white decor. The Italian Flavours restaurant, set outside in a beautiful plant- and flower-filled courtyard, is seasonal, opening from spring. Affordable spa treatments (from facials to full-body massages) are on offer, and picnic baskets and guided tours can also be arranged on request.

Neighbouring the pilgrimage site of Bom Jesus do Monte, with its impressive baroque stairway that rises 116m (380ft), this 44-room hotel is housed in a 19th-century building that lies within the lush Bom Jesus Natural Park, surrounded by attractive gardens. Explore the vinho verde wines from the Minho region at the on-site Panoramic Restaurant before a game of billiards in the game room.