Bom Jesus do Monte, or “Good Jesus on the Mount,” is a sanctuary high above the city of Braga in northern Portugal. Records indicate a shrine here dating back to 1373. Its present incarnation has been on the site since 1722.
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The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming and I was inspired by divine creation on the day of my visit to Braga. It’s an important pilgrimage site in the area, with devotees walking up or down the 381 feet of Baroque terracing.
I (wisely) decided to walk down, rather than up, but if you feel so inclined, you can take a funicular up and down for a small fee. The zig-zag pattern is meant to simulate the stairway to heaven. And heaven sure seems far away.
In between each terrace is a chapel for pilgrims to pray. Sites like Bom Jesus have been created throughout Portugal and colonial Brazil.
I must have missed the memo about where we were meeting up because before I knew it, I had lost the rest of the group. I wandered all the way down the mountain, while my colleagues caught the minibus halfway down.
But what I saw, the tile roofs of Braga from afar, the quirky fountains, the somber chapels, were entirely worth the extra walk.
I didn’t stay overnight in Braga, but there are a handful of hostels for budget travelers. Braga is easily accessible by train from Porto or Lisbon.
My trip to Braga was supported by Visit Porto e Norte, but all opinions are my own.
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