A Portuguese city is gaining international prominence and being highlighted by a British entity as one of the destinations to visit in 2026. The distinction appears in BBC Travel’s “20 Best Places to Travel in 2026” list, from December 2025, which brings together just 20 places worldwide and where Guimarães appears.
The selection values destinations with a strong identity and a more sustainable approach to tourism. The list highlights places recognized not only for their landscape and heritage, but also for promoting authentic experiences and benefiting local communities.
According to EnVols, Air France’s official editorial platform and lifestyle and travel channel, citing the most recent list released by BBC Travel and referring to Guimarães, “Lisbon and Porto may be Portugal’s star cities, but there is another city that is finally becoming world famous: an iconic city, deeply rooted in Portuguese heritage”.
A choice that combines heritage and sustainability
Guimarães appears as an alternative outside the circuit of large tourist capitals, with a profile that combines history, cultural life and environmental commitment. The city is European Green Capital 2026, a title given to cities with consistent urban sustainability and environmental impact policies.
The Cradle of the Nation and the classified historic center
Guimarães is known as the Cradle of the Nation, because it is linked to the events that led to Portuguese sovereignty in the 12th century and because it is traditionally associated with D. Afonso Henriques. Its historic center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, a classification that recognizes the value of the urban complex and its good state of preservation.
Gastronomy and local identity
The Minho region is a gastronomic reference and the city benefits from this identity. The BBC highlights the experience of the historic center and the restaurant offer, with terraces, relaxed spaces and craft beer bars, alongside restaurants with a more demanding profile.
Heritage and contemporary culture
Despite its strong medieval heritage, Guimarães has consolidated its commitment to contemporary culture in recent years. The city was European Capital of Culture in 2012 and maintains an active agenda, with cultural spaces and projects that combine the past with the present.
A symbolic year for the city
In 2026, Guimarães marks 25 years since the classification of its historic center as a World Heritage Site and begins the year as a European Green Capital, reinforcing a trajectory that combines heritage and sustainability.
On the list, Guimarães appears alongside destinations such as Oulu, in Finland, Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, or the Komodo Islands, in Indonesia, consolidating itself as one of the international bets for those planning to travel in 2026.
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