Looking beyond the usual tourist routes, Porto and the North of Portugal welcomed Columbus Travel, a leading Dutch travel magazine known for inspiring travellers to discover authentic destinations, local culture, and more sustainable ways of exploring the world.

From 9–16 May, journalist Gina Miroula and photographer Jeroen Cox travelled across the region by car, experiencing a diverse range of landscapes, heritage and local traditions. Their journey included Arouca, the Douro Valley, Peneda-Gerês National Park, Guimarães, Ponte de Lima, Viana do Castelo, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia and Matosinhos.

Organised by Filipa Mesquita, from the Marketing & Communications team at Porto and North of Portugal - Convention & Visitors Bureau, in collaboration with the Visit Portugal team in the Netherlands and partner Explore Iberia, this press trip aimed to increase awareness of the destination among Dutch travellers seeking meaningful and off-the-beaten-path experiences.

A special thank you to our members who contributed to the success of this initiative: Arouca Geopark, Animadurius, Axis Porto Club, Fundação Casa de Mateus, Matriarca restaurant, MS Collection Mosteiro de Arouca, Guimarães Municipality, Hotel Paço de Vitorino, Quinta do Panascal, Taste Porto, Tobogã, and WOW.