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Noite Branca (White Night) is one of the hottest events in the city of Braga, welcoming thousands of tourists every year since its first edition in 2012. In 2016, Noite Branca returns in an XL format. There will be 48 hours of activities for kids, special visits, concerts, mingling, exhibitions and lots of entertainment.

And because we want you to live this event and the city intensely, we created an article that will definitely help you make some happy memories in the city that, during the first weekend of September, gets all dressed up in white. For an even complete experience, download our Braga Cool app - its two features (Guide and Nearby) will help you discover what the city has to offer you.

HOW TO GET HERE
Since this is an event that takes place in the city’s historic center and which brings together thousands of people, our first piece of advice is simple: use public transportation, especially during the night and dawn. You’ll avoid queues and a whole lot of hassle and arrive on time to all the concerts and activities.

TUB (Braga’s bus system) will have special routes for extended hours during this weekend, which means there’s no need to lose your cool in traffic jams. If you don’t live in the city, you can leave your car in one of the car parks indicated on the TUB website and make the roundtrip to the city center for only €1. The average waiting time for a bus between 7 PM and 5 AM is approximately 5 minutes.

If you’re coming to the event by train, you’ll also be entitled to a special rate. CP (Portuguese Railway Transportation) has special discounts for those visiting Braga during the first weekend of September: 25% discount for young people up to 25 years of age; and promotional tickets for €2 (round trip) on urban trains from Oporto to Braga for trips made between September 2nd and 4th. Braga's train station is a mere 900 meters from the city’s historic center, so there’s no need to use any other kind of transportation to get to the event.

WHERE TO STAY
In order to take advantage of everything that Noite Branca and the city have to offer, choose a cool spot to spend the night. If you don’t want to miss a thing during this special weekend, but favor privacy and comfort, along with a warm welcome in the city of the archbishops, choose Tea4Nine, a delicate and well located guesthouse that will give you the rest you need after so many activities. If you’re looking for more affordable accommodation, ideal for meeting people from all over the world without losing out on the city center’s prime location, choose the Just Go Hostel. On the other hand, if you want to relax away from all the Noite Branca animation, in a premium hotel in one of the city’s most beautiful and emblematic areas – Bom Jesus – choose the Hotel do Parque, which was recently remodeled. An elegant and comfortable stay is guaranteed.

WHAT TO SEE, DO AND VISIT
During this non-stop weekend, split your time between museums, monuments, galleries, squares and gardens – we’re certain that each and every moment will be special and designed to your liking. During Europe’s greatest Noite Branca, you can listen to great concerts, see innovative installations and performances, visit museums during the day or the night, participate in any one of the many activities designed for the entire family and stroll through the historic center, exploring and participating in the dozens of events that will enliven the first weekend in September.

Many streets and places will have animation – plays, exhibitions, DJs, theme parties in some establishments (...) – and various museums and monuments will have special activities on September 2nd, 3rd and 4th. During the entire weekend, and throughout the city streets, meet “Turistas Loucos e o Tosta Mista”: the Juggler (street entertainment); discover the light, sound and texture installations spread along Braga’s historic center and, on Saturday, between 10 AM and 6 PM, pass by Liberdade Avenue and discover some treasures at BUM – Braga Urban Market.

The 2016 Noite Branca will have two stages: the Main Stage – on the Município Square – and the gnration Stage – on Central Avenue. On Friday, the Main Stage will host the following concerts: Carminho (9:30 PM), Miguel Araújo (11:00 PM) and the Rádio Comercial DJs Nuno Luz and Catarina Miranda (12:30 AM); while on the gnration Stage, you can dance to Boogarins (12:00 AM) and Midnight (1:20 AM). On Saturday, the Main Stage welcomes HMB (9:00 PM), Jorge Palma and Sérgio Godinho (10:30 PM) and The Gift (12:30 AM); while the gnration Stage brings us concerts such as Linda Martini (12:00 AM), Branko (1:20 AM) and Matias Aguayo (3:00 AM). At 7:30 PM on Saturday, there’ll also be a bell concert in Braga’s historic center. Theatro Circo will also have a diverse program – our highlight goes to the shows by "The Legendary Tigerman – DJ Set" and "Marble".

The D. Diogo de Sousa Museum will have activities for children and families, including a free visit to the restoration laboratory (Saturday from 3 PM to 4 PM); the Nogueira da Silva Museum will have free admission during the night (from 6 PM to 10 PM); along with the Pio XII Museum, which will open its doors during the afternoon and evening on both days (Friday and Saturday from 2 PM to 12 AM, with guided tours – limited to 20 people per visit – during some of those hours). On Saturday, the Biscainhos Museum will have free admission to its wonderful gardens and the Tibães Monastery will be open for free visits during extended hours (from 9 AM to 12 AM), it will host two puppet shows (at 11 AM and 4 PM) and a night visit to the unknown areas of the monastery (at 9:30 PM).

For the little ones, there will be children's theater and storytelling, workshops and games scattered throughout the city during the day. The permanent activities will be on Liberdade Avenue (“Mahjong”), on the Barão de São Martinho Square (“Braga por um canudo”), at Pópulo Square (“Phonopentatube”), on the Paço Square/Castelo Street (“Anamorphosis”) and on the streets of the city’s historic centre (“Linha-Branco”).

WHERE TO EAT
In addition to several restaurants where you can enjoy a great meal with typical and semi-typical dishes, the 2016 Noite Branca event will also have its own food court. Near the Main Stage, on the Pópulo Square, there will be a spot dedicated exclusively to Street Food.

If you prefer the comfort of a restaurant in the historic center, try Bira dos Namorados, with their delicious hamburgers and beef sandwiches, along with their rustic decoration in an ode to Minho. If you’re looking for a more traditional meal, in honor of Minho’s cuisine, dine at the Félix taberna restaurant. If, on the other hand, you want to travel to Thailand or Italy without leaving the city of the archbishops, get a table at Lakkana or La Piola, respectively. Whatever you choose, we believe that every spot will provide you with an unforgettable experience.

Noite Branca 2016 promises to be a euphoric, fun-filled event that is suitable for people of all ages. On September 2, 3 and 4, discover the city’s cool side, which will be wearing all white!
For more information, check out the official Noite Branca 2016 program HERE.