Perched atop Monte Latito in the historic heart of Guimarães, the Palacio Duques de Braganca is a stunning Medieval-dated rendition of a French-style manor house. This former royal home, built at the behest of Afonso, Count of Barcelos and would-be Duke of Braganca, led a life of grandeur until it was cast aside in the 16th Century, when the royal residence moved to the Vila Viçosa. This unfortunate turn of events meant that the palace was relegated to a local quarry, and a military barracks in 1807. It was only in the early 20th Century that the palace was restored piece-by-piece to reflect its former resplendent glory. The palace stands amid a verdant expanse, and displays a bevy of aesthetic elements that recall its glorious past. From enchanting Flemish stained-glass and cruciform windows that bisect its granite facade, to evocative tapestries that behold riveting accounts of Portugal’s siege on North Africa, the majestic Palacio Duques de Braganca is both an architectural delight and a regal landmark.