Bragança:. Nort of Portugal

Bragança is a city located in the extreme northwest of Portugal. The landscape is predominantly composed of mountain ranges, hills and plateaus. The city has a population of 23 thousand inhabitants.
One of the local sayings inhabitants of Braganca is "Who here part, sooner or later, will want to return!" And is the strong connection that people have to their territory.

Bragança is a town of idyllic landscapes throughout the year
Bragança is a town of idyllic landscapes throughout the year
Bragança in winter
The white blanket of snow covering Bragança in winter
The landscape of Bragança is a tableau. In spring and summer the mountains are covered with an intense green, and in autumn and winter are covered by a white snow blanket. People born in Bragança are known as "brigantinos" and are famous for the art of hospitality and the friendliness, always have an open door to those who visit and a smile on his face. Bragança is a city of very ancient origins The name of the city was established in the twelfth century. Bragança is the castle of Bragança as the most important symbol of the city, located one kilometer from the city center, you can take a quiet walk of about 12 minutes.
The Bragança center is divided into three distinct areas:
In the center of Bragança there is culture, cosmopolitan life and shopping area
In the center of Bragança there is culture, cosmopolitan life and shopping area

1 - The modern and cosmopolitan center and includes the best infrastructure of the city, including the Bragança Shopping Mall: Dreams of Tras-os-Montes, the Municipal Theatre of Bragança and Bragança Train Station (is currently disabled, but it deserves a visit to see the typical architecture of the Portuguese train stations).

Church and Cathedral Square in the historic center of Bragança
Church and Cathedral Square in the historic center of Bragança

2 - The Historic District: sports typical and medieval houses, large squares that give another beauty to the city, including the Cathedral Square The historic center of Bragança has notable buildings like the cathedral, noble family houses Bragança, which led to the. last dynasty of Portuguese kings, the street Direita and its trade shops with typical products, buildings with old facades, solar dos Teixeiras , the terrace in front of the Church of Santa Maria where you can rest and enjoy the sunset.

Domus Municipalis is located in the Citadel, the most visited area of ??the city
Domus Municipalis is located in the Citadel, the most visited area of ??the city

3- The Citadel: is the most visited area of the city, with rich heritage as the Castle of Braganza, the Domus Municipalis, the Iberian Museum of Costume and masks and the Military Museum, one of the most visited museums in the country and open to the public since 1936. The citadel is all walled and includes medieval houses still alive.

Braganza has a unique heritage of excellence and worth visiting

The Living Science Center of Bragança
The Living Science Center of Bragança is a place to love the newest and the other
  1. Bragança Castle - Castelo de Bragança
  2. Military Museum - Museu Militar
  3. Cathedral of Bragança - Sé de Bragança
  4. Domus Municipalis - Domus Municipalis
  5. Iberian Museum of Mask and Costume - Museu Ibérico da Máscara e do Traje
  6. Basilica of Santo Cristo de Outeiro - Basílica do Santo Cristo de Outeiro
  7. Foundation Library "Our Books" - Biblioteca Fundação “Os Nossos Livros”
  8. Arch House - Casa do Arco
  9. Centre for Contemporary Art Graça Morais - Centro de Arte Contemporânea Graça Morais
  10. Living Science Center - Centro Ciência Viva
  11. São Francisco Church and Convent - Igreja e Convento de São Francisco
  12. Misericordia Church - Igreja da Misericórdia
  13. Church of St. Benedict - Igreja de São Bento
  14. Church of San Vicente - Igreja de São Vicente
  15. Church of Santa Clara - Igreja de Santa Clara
  16. Church of Santa Maria - Igreja de Santa Maria
  17. Museum Abbot Baçal - Museu Abade Baçal
  18. Episcopal Palace - Paço Episcopal
  19. St. Joseph Seminary - Seminário de São José
  20. Donjon - Torre de Menagem

Braganza has nature in pure state ...

Bragança is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Bragança is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

Braganza has nature in its pure state, it is the wonderful world of the Portuguese writer Miguel Torga and UNESCO Biosphere reserve. This Portuguese region is the perfect communion with nature.
This is visible in three places of the district:

1 - The International Douro Park: This little known park should be visited in spring and autumn, not only due to milder temperatures (in summer reach 40º), but also due to the arrival of birds in these seasons, including the vulture Egypt and the black stork. In February there to highlight the almond blossom that provide a fantastic landscape to anyone visiting the park in the municipalities of Mogadouro and Freixo de Espada à Cinta . This protected area is worth visiting places like Carrascalinho , Penedo Durão , the Viewpoint of Sapinha , the viewpoint Fraga do Puio and the Chapel of São João das Arribas

In Montesinho there fauna in its natural state
In Montesinho there fauna in its natural state

2 - Natural Park Montesinho : the Natural Park Montesinho has 80% of mammalian Portugal. The park is a paradise for birdwatchers, it includes about 160 different species of birds. The park has unique and varied landscapes with wild rivers of pure, clear water. Herein lies the greatest stain kind of Pyrenean oak tree in Europe and is part of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage path route

Birdwatching in Bragança
Birdwatching in Braganca is an activity in major development

3 - Protected Zone Albufeira do Azibo : this reservoir is formed by three lines of water, the river Azibo with 13 kms, the river of Azibeiro with 7.3 kms and the Ribeira do Reguengo with 7.8 kms. This protected area includes Mediterranean and Atlantic flora, a dam that provides a unique view of the landscape and where you live can be spotted several species of birds. The protected area of the reservoir Azibo has two river beaches: the fluvial beach Fraga da Pegada and the river beach of Ribeira . In this protected area you can enjoy pedestrian routes.

The fairs of Braganza

Festa dos Rapazes, a traditional folk festival in Bragança
Feast of Boys, a traditional folk festival in Bragança

The fairs of Braganza are important tourist attractions and have a prominent place in the city of tradition. Braganza is attended with fairs like:

  1. Weekly Fair Municipal Market Bragança - every Friday of each month
  2. Fair Cantarinhas - takes place on 3 May each year
  3. Feast of Nossa Senhora das Graças takes place annually on 22 August
  4. Feast of Boys held annually on 25 December

Gastronomy of Braganza

Gastronomy of Braganza
The gastronomy of Bragança is rich in meat and high quality sausages

The gastronomy of Bragança is a simple food, especially meat of certified and quality, with intense flavors and genuine, yet has the ability to make you feel in family because of the lovely way the locals serve meals. This transmontana city is the jewel of the smokehouse, brand image of the region. The typical dishes of this region have specialties that are a real festival for the palate:

  • Alheira de Mirandela baked: one of the seven wonders of the national cuisine
  • Butelo com casulas
  • Roasted lamb
  • Roasted meat on the grill
  • Cooked to Barroseira
  • chestnuts
  • Rooster in the pot - Galo no pote
  • Posta à mirandesa
  • Roasted veal
smokehouse bragança
Sausages and chorizos confecionados traditional smokehouse in Bragança

Route Chestnut

harvesting of chestnut in Bragança
The harvesting of the chestnut in Bragança

Being chestnut a product of excellence in the gastronomy of Braganza, the chestnut harvest is a tradition. They are currently defined several routes that allow visitors to know this valuable gastronomic product.
Route Chestnut consists of eight courses

  1. Route Milenar ,
  2. Course of Fagaceae ,
  3. Course of Paisagista ,
  4. Route of Judia ,
  5. Path Dourado da Padrela ,
  6. The route Janela p'ro Douro ,
  7. Route Vale Encantado,
  8. Coursing Castanha Martainha

The Bragança wines

The Bragança cuisine would not be complete without mentioning the wines. In this region of very severe continental climate with summers and severe winters, the wines produced have such characteristics. Among the wines produced in Tras-os-Montes should be highlighted:

White wines

:
  • Códega do Larinho,
  • Fernão Pires,
  • Gouveio,
  • Malvasia Fina,
  • Rabigato,
  • Síria e Viosinho

Red wines

:
  • Bastardo,
  • Marufo,
  • Tinta Roriz,
  • Touriga Franca,
  • Touriga Nacional e Trincadeira

Quality of life in Bragança continuously improves

quality of life in Bragança
quality of life in Bragança is something you can take for granted. Here there are conditions to live with yourself ...

Bragança saw their quality of life up in the last thirty years. This Portuguese city was considered the sixth city with better quality of life in Portugal in a defense association study Portuguese consumer DECO 2012. In this study, Bragança got the highest rating in the items housing, mobility, noise, crime, catering, supermarkets and culture, leisure and sport.

Braganza has increasingly better access

Accesses to Bragança greatly improved with the construction of the A4 motorway, which makes the road link between Bragança and Lisbon, Porto and Vila Real, and the existence of an airport that allows daily flights to Porto and Lisbon. For 2018 is scheduled the opening of the extension of the Spanish line fast trains (TGV) between Madrid and Galicia. This line of trains will be approximately 47 kms from the city of Bragança. With the construction of a station of high-speed trains in Otero de Sanabria, a village with about thirty inhabitants is located near Zamora. It is planned for when this TGV line is complete, the trip between Otero de Sanabria and Madrid takes approximately two hours, or half the time that a car journey currently takes between Bragança and Lisbon. It is envisaged that date it faster travel faster between Bragança and Spain than between Bragança and Lisbon.

Bragança exports more than it imports

Traditional beekeeping in Bragança
Beekeeping is part of the productions of great importance to the traditional economy in Bragança

This county is of the few municipalities in the country that exports more than it imports. foreign sales are € 217 million (8:46% of national exports). Machinery, appliances and electronic equipment are the largest share of exports from the region. The Faurecia industrial group represents 89% of exports. This French company produces outlets for cars.
In addition to industrial activity, more products with great importance to the traditional economy produced in this county are:

  1. chestnut - within walking distance of Bragança, in Sordes, is the leading European company processing this fruit
  2. honey - beekeeping in the Tras-os-Montes region is accomplished through the traditional method
  3. olive oil - produced with high quality due to the great conditions offered by the climate and the quality of the land, bragança has a high quality olive grove
  4. meat barroseira - the creation of outdoor cattle is one of the characteristics of the region. It is the meat for consumption of the exlibris of Tras-os-Montes region.

Entrepreneurship and development in Bragança

Brigantia Eco Park, an entrepreneurial testing and development in Bragança
Brigantia Eco Park, an entrepreneurial testing and development in Bragança

Braganza has fought the loss of population through the transformation of its economy and the adoption of innovative projects. Braganza has four main poles business development and entrepreneurship:

  • Brigantia Ecopark
  • Automotive Cluster
  • Industrial Zone of Cantarias
  • Industrial Zone Mós

innovative projects

The municipality of Bragança has invested heavily in innovative projects and enthusiasts a sustainable way of life, including:

  • The village of Montesinho was the first village in northern Portugal with public lighting 100% LED (Light Emitting Diode), a form of more efficient lighting and environmentally friendly than traditional bulbs.
  • electric public buses
  • electric bicycles
  • intelligent buildings
  • European Park of Mayors in order to reduce CO2 emissions by 21% by 2021
  • Network of urban cycle paths
  • Intelligent system of payment of car parking

Places to visit near Braganca

  • Village Castro de Avelãs
  • Village Gondesende
  • Village Montesinho
  • Village of Rio de Onor
  • Cathedral of Miranda do Douro
  • Castle Algoso
  • Castle Ansiães em Carrazeda de Ansiães
  • House of Careto em Macedo de Cavaleiro s
  • Church Matrix Torre de Moncorvo
  • Miranda Douro
  • Gazebo Colado em Freixo de Espada à Cinta
  • Gazebo Carrascalinho em Freixo de Espada à Cinta
  • Viewpoint of Alminhas em Freixo de Espada à Cinta
  • Mogadouro
  • Museum of Terra de Miranda
  • Tower Moncorvo

Quick Facts Bragança

  • County Population: about 35,000 inhabitants
  • City Population: about 23,000 inhabitants
  • Area: 1173, 57 Km2
  • Number of villages: 49
  • Region: North
  • Sub-Region: High Tras-os-Montes
  • District: Bragança
  • Ancient Area: Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro
  • Polytechnic Institute: 1
  • Economic wealth of Braganza: € 4.8 billion, 2.7% of GDP
  • Number of enterprises: 3434 with a turnover of about € 724 million
  • Green spaces: 19:18 m2
  • Shopping center: 1
  • Hypermarket: 4
  • Hotel capacity: 1,501 beds
  • Campsites: 3
  • Aerodrome: 1

Geographical location of Braganza in Portugal