Journey across Portugal’s 11 creative cities – from Idanha-a-Nova to Leiria and more
Creativity courses through Portugal like the waters of the Douro. From hotbeds of innovative gastronomy to contemporary craft capitals, these 11 UNESCO-designated Creative Cities are a celebration of passion, expertise and skill ripe for discovery.
1.
Idanha-a-Nova
Creative City of Music
Idanha-a-Nova is shaped by music. The adufe, a traditional square tambourine, is an enduring symbol of the region, passed down through generations, while the biennial Boom Festival Festival attracts more than 40,000 visitors from around the world. The 138-year-old Filarmónica Idanhense is an important part of community life, supporting music education, and a creative industries incubator supports new businesses.
2.
Óbidos
Creative City of Literature
The medieval town of Óbidos does things by the book. Thousands of them, in fact. Since 2015, it has hosted the International Literary Festival of Óbidos, bringing together fans, authors and publishers for talks, signings and more. The appetite for literature is apparent across the city, from the Livraria de Santiago, a bookshop in a 12th-century church, to the Literary Man Óbidos Hotel, a former convent filled with – you guessed it – books.
3.
Amarante
Creative City of Music
With Roman roots on the banks of the Tâmega, Amarante has beat to a different rhythm since the mid-19th century when the first of three philharmonic bands was founded here. Alongside amateur choirs, folk groups and bombos (percussion bands), they provide a rhythmic backdrop to life. Experience them at events such as August’s Há Fest! or venues like the newly-renovated 386-seat Cine-Teatro with its own intimate piano bar.
4.
Barcelos
Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art
A living tradition of making gives Barcelos its distinctive character. It is home to the fantastical ceramics of Rosa Ramalho, who transformed the figurado style, and Museu de Olaria, where generations of tiles, crockery and more reveal the sophistication of local craftsmanship. Across Barcelos, makers and studios are finding new applications for inherited techniques. The result is a rare folk art capital with an instinct for reinvention.
5.
Braga
Creative City of Media Arts
Braga earned a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts designation for its work at the intersection of art, technology and digital media. Institutions such as the University of Minho and gnration encourage a cross-disciplinary approach. The city’s philosophy is best expressed via the Semibreve festival, which mixes electronic music with audiovisual installations, while the Index biennial explores the social questions raised by tech.
6.
Caldas da Rainha
Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art
Ceramics have been produced in Caldas da Rainha for more than 500 years. What began as utilitarian production evolved into artistic ceramics by the 19th century, led by the humorous designs of Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro. The pretty spa city remains a hotbed today via a thriving ecosystem of ateliers. To understand the medium’s history, explore the Museu da Cerâmica; to buy contemporary pieces, head to the Mestra ceramics fair.
7.
Leiria
Creative City of Music
Home to composers for centuries, Leiria celebrates music in several stunning modern venues, including the cinema-focused m|i|mo and the Creative City of Music Museum, which reflects the medieval castle in its mirrored façade. The connections between musical and physical exploration are strengthened with the Leiria Musical Route, which connects 11 municipal spaces. At each stop, a QR code triggers a contemporary piece of music.
8.
Covilhã
Creative City of Design
Once Portugal’s great wool-making centre, Covilhã wears its industrial heritage lightly. The celebrated Wool Museum preserves the local textile industry’s ingenuity across three former factories. The old António Estrela mill has become the New Hand Lab, a lively creative hub for designers and makers, that also offers a stunning view of architect Carrilho da Graça’s slaloming Carpinteira Bridge.
9.
Santa Maria da Feira
Creative City of Gastronomy
The smell of Fogaça da Feira has to be experienced. Santa Maria da Feira’s signature sweet bread is a comforting blend of cinnamon, lemon and buttery goodness, snipped into four points to mimic the local castle’s towers. Tradition aside, the city is something of a food-and-culture lab, where agriculture, industrial expertise and tourism converge, built on a bounty of regional produce from Feirense hops to fresh Ria de Aveiro crab.
10.
Castelo Branco
Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art
Developed from the 17th century onwards, Castelo Branco embroidery sees heavy linen adorned with fine silk threads, with Chinese and Indian textile influences. The Castelo Branco Embroidery Interpretation Centre has a museum and school to inspire the next generation of artisans. Local artistry is celebrated in the striking, cantilevered Centro de Cultura Contemporânea de Castelo Branco, as well as the Cargaleiro Museum.
11.
Matosinhos
Creative City of Gastronomy
The Boa Nova Tea House was one of Álvaro Siza Vieira’s earliest built works, a 1963 restaurant on the rocks that has two Michelin stars today. It typifies the effortless panache of the city’s food scene, which not only draws on the Atlantic for produce but also flavours, via historic Portuguese maritime trade routes. Pick up fresh catches at the municipal market or visit the Roman Salting Tanks to learn early preservation methods.
