Braga

Braga is the capital of its district and of the historical Minho province, with 212,635 residents as of 2025 across 183 square kilometres. Its urban area extends to the Cávado river and is the third most populated in Portugal after the Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas. It hosts the oldest Portuguese archdiocese, which is the shape of the place: churches at close intervals, a cathedral at the centre, and a student population that keeps the squares busy. It is a short train ride from Porto.