Portugal’s first capital has been named European Capital of Culture
Lisbon hasn’t always been Portugal’s capital. The first city to have that role was Guimarães in the north of the country, followed by Coimbra, and finally Lisbon in the 13th century. Today Guimarães has one of the country’s most perfectly preserved medieval centers and has been declared a World Heritage Site. This week it has been honored with yet another title, that of Europe’s Culture Capital in 2012. The European Union decided that the candidacy Guimarães has presented for the past two years was a strong one, and has awarded it the right to host a number of cultural events that will finally put the city on the tourist map. Because it is located so far up north, it is often overlooked in the Portuguese tourist itinerary despite having one of the country’s most iconic castles and other cultural treasures. That has been changing in the last few years, and will certainly become one of Portugal’s main cultural attractions at least in 2012 when
Europe discovers it as a major capital of culture.
See GoLisbon’s Guimarães guide.
