If you read my first post on the city of Guimarães, which included a quick stop during the spring for client vendor meetings — you may have quickly learned I developed a favorite spot to eat, grab a glass of wine or espresso, people watch, but especially, the best local spot nearby to all the good spots with spots to park one’s car. yay.
I sat at a prime table, looking straight ahead at the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Consolação e Santos Passos, savoring the fresh seafood, crisp wine and much needed energy boosting coffee after the wedding and the morning in Viana. I sat and gazed at all passing by.
Then with flush red cheeks, feeling thankful at that moment the sun was shining and sunglasses were a necessity, I made my way along the Largo da Oliveira and Praça de Santiago and the tiny winding cobblestone streets, acting as coy as I could, to “disfarçar” my wobbly sun lovin’, slightly wine tipsy, wandering traveler feet. At least that’s what I’m calling it lol…
The walk, long with breezy pockets of shade and ever so slightly increasing in steepness — in that moment I remember feeling thankful for this slow carefree walk through the historical streets of the country’s once capital, Guimarães; wondering what and who would be in these very streets at this very moment in a time long long ago.
I like to walk wherever I am, seeing how much history has both changed and yet still lingers in our modern days…..
It was post lunch, the weather just right, a Sunday … there were plenty of folk around taking a closer look at these once historical royalty quarters and sights.
The Palacio greets you with a square surrounded by majestic arches, I wonder what kind of shows and jester acts would be preformed here, with the castle dwellers, watching from above, below and all around.
In linear formation, you’re guided throughout the Palacio, traversing through each room in its original form, with snippets of what once was here or what was used to create pieces of the time. When you visit the Palacio dos Duques,. similar to other historical castle sights, you’ll find some locals out and about, especially on a summer Sunday, but most folk are from other countries traveling and visiting this lovely region in Portugal
In truth, I’m sure they were having a wonderful time but it seemed most were more interested in selfies and posing in front of chairs like throne. While I stopped wherever I could, passing slowly, capturing every bit of history, detail and information I could quickly pick up in that brief moment.
Each corner examined, detail, each piece of carving and weaving, the detail and story each room possessed, all its details….a magical hour-ish I allow my mind to wander to times of queens and kings….
I think you could agree that the wood carvings, regardless of your personal style of home decor, are stunning creations! The intricacy of the carvings from large pieces of wood, the talent and skill is quite amazing, especially to have created it in the years that it was, with the limited resources they had in their time.
And it’s not only on the furniture pieces, the floors, and above on the ceiling with pillars, beams and paneling!
This grand room!! I mean if you’re a bit history crazed, can’t you imagine all the things that could have really gone done in this room, from big grand events to small everyday meetings over war or who knows what on days when there was nothing for royally to do?
What do you wonder??
The Palacio dos Duques, is most certainly, like every other place you travel to, should be a place you make your eyes look everywhere, especially UP!!
Certain rooms toward the exit of the Palacio, have beautiful painted tiles, so whenever you stop, remember to look right above you!
Then a quick walk behind the Palacio dos Duques, past the small cappella {chapel}, which, in my personal opinion, there is no big reason to wait in line for, you’ll arrive at the Castelo Guimarães.
In the simples of terms, it’s not what you’d think a castelo is, it’s more like a fortress to protect the Palacio when royalty or whoever was in.
Much to its service of protection, the Castelo Guimarães with its aged stone structure, weathered through rain and cold, still remains in its glory, with its thin wall walkways once used by soldiers whenever the time of fighting called.
Walkways are roped off for your safety, because none of us would want to trip into the center of stone bareness, a center I’m sure once used to prep machinery for retaliation.
The Castelo Guimarães is a quick walk through, something you won’t have time to linger and go at your own pace but in the short time you walk around, you’ll pretty much see and get a feel for everything you can inside the Castelo, while getting lovely views of the city of Guimarães.
If they host a medieval festival here, I would certainly love to check out how they reenact and bring this place back to its life.
At your own pace, you can know stroll around the grounds of both historical locations and the neighboring streets, or lay to lounge a bit on the grass, recharge the legs from walking, and before doing some more walking 😉
Remember that wine toasty mind, it’s very thankful it got a chance to do quite a bit of walking 😉
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