Wine lovers and investors take note: in less than a month, the Global Summit on Responsible Wine Tourism is coming to Europe for the first time and is due to be hosted by the southern central Portuguese city of Beja. The event is set to bring together experts and stakeholders from the wine sector over four heady days between 31 May and 3 June 2026 in the historic destination.
The capital of the Lower Alentejo region, Beja’s 14th-century castle possesses an imposing tower that is now a municipal symbol, as well as a square replete with Manueline-style architecture. The city also boasts a warm Mediterranean climate that plays a key role in the region’s increasingly towering reputation for respected, robust red and white wines, plus a growing name for ancient Talha (amphora) wine.
Welcoming the global wine summit, José Manuel Santos, president of the Alentejo Regional Tourism Entity (ERT), noted the event’s “significant interest” and said it will raise awareness of the Lower Alentejo region, helping “to better sustain and structure wine tourism products in the region.”
Scheduled to take place at the Pousada de Beja, a restored 13th-century Franciscan convent, located in the heart of the Alentejo town’s historic centre, the summit is an occasion expected to attract around 300 people participants, from wine producers, tour operators, and public bodies, to investors and academics from the sector.
The inaugural session, calendared for 1 June, will be attended by the Mayor of Beja, Nuno Palma Ferro, and the Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce and Services, Pedro Machado.
One of the leading international gatherings dedicated to wine and food tourism, the Global Summit on Responsible Wine Tourism is held annually in different wine regions around the world. Recent editions have taken place in destinations such as Uruguay and China.
This year’s edition, organised with the support of the Alentejo Regional Tourism Authority, forms part of the official programme of the European Wine City 2026, positioning the Baixo Alentejo at the centre of global attention for wine and food tourism, boosting the region’s visibility, creating a unique platform to showcase its heritage, landscapes and innovative practices, and fostering investment, partnerships and long-term socio-economic impact for the region.
The European City of Wine 2026 is promoted by the Regional Tourism Entity (ERT) of Alentejo and Ribatejo and by CIMBAL, with the support of the 13 municipalities that make up the organisation.
