National Tourism Award: meet the finalists in the Authentic Tourism category

WHEAT VILLAGE
It was in the “Top 10” in the Sustainable Tourism category, in the 2024 edition of the PNT, and re-enters the awards radar this year as one of the five finalists in the Authentic Tourism category. With its doors open since March 2024, Gandum Village is a four-star rural hotel, located in Montemor-o-Novo, Alentejo, and is distinguished by the promotion of artisanal processes, right from the construction of the building, by construction in rammed earth and cork, with an ancient technique, erecting the largest modern building in structural rammed earth in the country. It also includes local stone and sustainable solutions that do not require artificial air conditioning. In addition to accommodation, the Wheat Village it also includes an Alentejo gastronomy restaurant, with signature cuisine based on seasonal ingredients, from its organic production; agroforestry, with the planting of more than 50 thousand trees; and coworking space with a cultural agenda, open to the entire community. The project values ​​what is local, ensuring that more than 60% of purchases are made from producers in the region. It has water self-sufficiency and almost energy self-sufficiency, with more than 170 solar panels powering the operation.

BOLHÃO MARKET
Historical and architectural heritage, with local cultural identity, this century-old market in Porto underwent a rehabilitation process that included the contribution of historic traders, 65% of whom returned to the space, when the doors reopened in 2022. Today, Bolhão has recovered its original function as a fresh market, authenticity in the sellers’ auctions and added to the tradition a leisure and gastronomic aspect, with a restaurant space, on the top floor, which brings together different concepts and which will fetching part of the ingredients from the market, promoting the circular economy and direct return to traders. Since reopening, the Bolhão Market It has already received more than 15 million visitors and, in addition to the fresco and flower stalls, it offers guided tours that explore history and heritage, as well as technical tours aimed at architects and engineers about the building’s rehabilitation. Cultural events are also organized, showcookingsschool activities and food literacy actions that reinforce the market’s role as a meeting point in the city.

NINE DOTS AZOREAN ART BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Result of the rehabilitation of two emblematic buildings in the historic center of Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel, in the Azores, this 36-room boutique hotel uses, in its furniture and decoration, pieces created by local artisans, materials, textures and colors that recreate the identity of the archipelago. Here, art occupies a central place, in a cultural agenda accessible to guests and visitors, and its location facilitates discovery of the city and the island, through guided tours, sightseeing tours and collaborations with institutions such as the Carlos Machado Museum. The staff also promotes daily guided tours of the hotel, transmitting knowledge about the artists and works of art on display. As a differentiating factor, the garden stands out, which aims to recreate the Azorean natural landscape and the Wellness Centerwhere the use of basalt stone refers to the volcanic landscape. THE Nine Dots Azorean Art Boutique Hotel diversifies the tourist offer with a focus on artistic and cultural heritage and directly supports Azorean artisans, producers and artists. It generates 57 jobs, contributes to reducing seasonality through cultural and gastronomic activities throughout the year and invests in what is Azorean through the rehabilitation of heritage, the promotion of culture, environmental sustainability, support for local producers and products and social impact projects.

PALÁCIO DO VISCONDE – THE COFFEE EXPERIENCE
Space open to the city, with restaurant, bar, brunchgarden and guided tours, for guests and visitors, this boutique hotel, located in Lisbon, was born from the rehabilitation of two 19th century palaces. Each of the 23 rooms Visconde Palace – The Coffee Experience pays homage to figures linked to the house, which, combined with original elements such as carved ceilings, tiles and wooden floors, transports the visitor on a journey through the history and memory of the place. Incorporated into the project, the oldest roasting facility in Lisbon, created by the viscounts who lived in the palaces, and which is still in operation, inspires the Coffee Experience, which introduces people to Portuguese coffee culture, with an immersion in the universe of artisanal roasting. Visitors are explained the origins, roasting profiles and extraction methods, and are offered a visit to the Negrita Factory and ends with a technical tasting led by specialized baristas. The restaurant’s cuisine features reinvented Portuguese recipes, accompanied by wines from small vineyards and cocktails created from local ingredients. The project also promotes solidarity concerts and cultural partnerships and adopts sustainable practices such as breakfast à la carteto avoid waste, and the reuse of coffee grounds in the garden.