The Arcada is the central point of Braga. It is in this place, designed by Archbishop D. Diogo de Sousa in the Middle Ages, that visitors can feel the true aura of Braga. From 1715, built on the initiative of Archbishop D. Rodrigo de Moura Teles, this Arcade consists of eight arches on each side and three arches in the central part, a total of 19 arches. In keeping with its original purpose of socializing and meeting people, this is where two of the city s most renowned cafes are located: Café Vianna and Café Astoria.
The Vianna café was born in 1871 and the references that writers like Eça de Queirós and Camilo Castelo Branco made to the place are well known. Café Astória, next to Café Vianna, is from 1928 and in the Diário do Minho newspaper of July 15th of that year, it was presented as "a chic establishment, recommended to the most demanding, to those who seek, in comfort, a justification for spending their money".
Between 1994 and 1995, the last intervention in the square took place, with the definitive removal of automobile circulation. This step made the Arcada an even more interesting and inviting place, affirming it as one of the places to visit in Braga.
