The cheap European city tourists miss as they’re all in famous neighbour 29 miles away

A stunning city named among the cheapest popular destinations for if often overlooked in favour of its better-known rivals – making it a great spot for a summer getaway.

Braga in northern  doesn’t yet have the same name recognition as Porto and the capital, Lisbon, but it is popular among holidaymakers and positively steeped in history.

The ancient settlement was founded by the Romans in 16 BC and boasts ancient ruins and superb architecture.

Celebrated landmarks include the iconic baroque stairway leading to the sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, a beautiful Catholic shrine built over 600 years ago and as a World Heritage Site.

Braga’s Cathedral is believed to be ‘s oldest. It dates back to the 12th century and was built by the parents of the country’s first king.

The city remains one of the southern country’s main religious centres.

It’s also home to Portugal’s oldest cathedral – the – which dates back to 1070. Inside the city is also a keep tower that can be visited, the last remnant of the castle which was demolished in 1905. 

You can even watch its history come alive every year when the Braga Romana festival sees the city transformed into Ancient Rome with re-enactments and locals in togas.

, an investment migration firm, says on its website that renting a house in the city is “comfortably more affordable than Lisbon, and even Porto”.

Meanwhile, student who visited the city two years ago said in a blog post it was by far one of the cheapest cities they had visited, and the most affordable in Portugal.

The city’s collective urban area extends to the Cávado River and is the third most populated urban area in the country.

Braga sees a .

But it also experiences cold winters, with frosts lasting between three and four months of the year and temperatures known to have dropped as low as -6.3C. 

The city can be accessed via , which is only around 45 minutes away by train, slightly less by car, and an hour by bus.