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European Cities of Culture 2012
Guimaraes in Portugal and Maribor in Slovenia have been named the European capitals of culture 2012. So, here's our guide to visiting these lesser-known but interesting cities...
About the European City of Culture
This title is given by the European Union each year to a different European city. During that year, a number of cultural events are organised with a European aspect.
The idea was conceived in 1983 by Melina Mercouri who was serving as Greek minister of culture at this time. He believed culture was not given the same attention as politics and and economics and that a programme to highlight culture should be developed. So, in 1985, the European City of Culture programme was launched, with Athens being the first to hold the title.
Guimaraes, Portugal
The historical city of Guimaraes in Minho, Portugal, is situated in the north west of Portugal, about 20 miles from the coast. The city is very close to the mountain 'Penha', from which you can enjoy amazing views across the city. The two other main attractions are the castle in the city centre, which is a great historical symbol and is classifed a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the palace of the Dukes of Braganza.
Have a drink in the Olive Square, where you can take in the spectacular ancient buildings and traditional houses.
How to get there:
The best way to reach Guimaraes is to fly into Porto aiport and then catch the train or bus to Guimaraes which takes between one hour and one hour and a half.
Ryanair and Easyjet both fly to Porto
Where to eat:
'Historico' is set in beautiful surroundings in the city centre, with an outdoor courtyard. It serves traditional Portguese dishes, including lots of fresh fish, for about 20 - 25 euros.
Where to Stay:
Rent a traditional farmhouse, villa or apartment in the city of Guimaraes or some of the surrounding cities in the Costa Verde region.
Maribor, Slovenia
Slovenia's second largest city, Maribor, is a pretty, riverside cultural hub. Playing host to numerous festivals, art galleries, music venues and bars, there is plenty to do and see all within easy walking distance.
Over-looking the city are the Pohorje Massif mountains, home to Slovenia's largest ski resort, and also surrounding the city are green hills, full of vineyards.
Maribor, along with some 5 other 'partner towns', have a thriving creative community, with a lot of young musicians and actors, which gives rise to a huge number of festivals and live music events.
How to get there:
EasyJet flies from Stanstead to Ljubljana, where you can catch a train or drive to Maribor in about 2 hours.
Where to eat:
You can find many restaurants in the city centre serving traditional Slovenian food, which is a mix of influences from Hungary, Italy and the Balkans. Often heavy on meat, popular dishes include sausage, goulash, as well as fish and varities of soup. Pasta and pizza dishes that have been brought over from neighbouring Italy are said to be just as good as they are in Italy itself. Try with a Slovenian beer and followed by a traditional Slovenian dessert such as Gibanica, a cake-like pastry with seeds, nuts, apples and raisins.
Where to Stay:
We have a selection of holiday homes available in and around Maribor within Slovenia.
Past Capital Cities of Culture
The title has been going since 1985, with Athens being the first city named European Capital of Culture. We've listed the cities from 2000 here for some city break inspiration:
| 2000: Reykjavík (Iceland), Bergen (Norway), Helsinki (Finland), Brussels (Belgium), Prague (Czech Republic), Krakow (Poland), Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain), Avignon (France), Bologna (Italy) | 2005: Cork (Ireland) | 2010: Essen (Germany), Istanbul (Turkey), Pécs (Hungary) |
| 2001: Rotterdam (Netherlands), Porto (Portugal) | 2006: Patras (Greece) | 2011: Turku (Finand), Tallinn (Estonia) |
| 2002: Bruges (Belgium), Salamanca (Spain) | 2007: Sibiu (Romania), Luxembourg | 2012: Guimaraes (Portugal), Maribor (Slovenia) |
| 2003: Graz (Austria) | 2008: Liverpool (UK), Stavanger (Norway) | |
| 2004: Genoa (Italy), Lille (France) | 2009: Vilnius (Lithuania), Linz (Austria) |