For the 2021 “Best Destination in Europe” award, some of the cities competing are: Paris, Rome, Vienna, Florence, Braga, Capri and Cappadocia. The list of 20 finalists also includes the Canary Islands, Cavtat in Croatia, Kefalonia in Greece, Cornwall in England, and even Tahiti for being part of French Polynesia.
Created by European Best Destinations, an organization based in Brussels and promoter of tourism in Europe, this initiative stands out because the winner is chosen by the public through online voting. Having reached 600 thousand more votes in the last edition, Best Destination in Europe is considered the biggest e-tourism event in Europe. The voting started last January 20th and will end on Wednesday, February 10th, through the European Best Destinations webpage.
The choice of Braga being a finalist in 2021 is justified by Mayor Ricardo Rio because, “Besides being one of the European destinations with the highest tourism growth, it was a city that quickly implemented several public health measures to protect its population against the Covid-19 pandemic, and was even mentioned by the OECD as an example of good practice in this matter”.
“In addition to these factors, one can include the sustainable development of tourism in Braga and the distinction, by the European Commission, as one of the cities with the best quality of life and happiest people in Europe” Mayor Rio concludes.
Braga was recently recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the best destinations to live and invest in Europe, and is among the 10 most visited destinations by British, Brazilian, Spanish and American travelers.
2000 years, a Destination
‘2000 Years, A Destination’ is one of the phrases to promote Braga as a tourist destination marked by the richness of its heritage. This city is also known as the “Portuguese Rome” because of its connections to the Roman’s Empire, which are reflected in the numerous monuments and ancient ruins that are located throughout the entire city.
Still today, it is considered the religious center of Portugal because for centuries the archbishops were holders of both temporal and spiritual power. Here one of the oldest Sacred Mounts in Europe is located: Bom Jesus. A flagship of the Minhota region.
For all of these reasons, Braga is a strong candidate to be the European Best Destination in 2021.
