Barcelos | Portugal – CREATIVE TOURISM NETWORK®

Barcelos is a notable city located in the northwest of Portugal, known for its rich cultural heritage and vibrant crafts and folk arts scene. As a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of Crafts and Folk Art, Barcelos cheers and encourages traditional crafts and folk art, contributing to the cultural diversity and vitality of the territory. The city is famous for its many arts with a strong prevalence of clay productions, with many ceramic utilitarian creations and numerous clay figurines, among which stand out its iconic symbol, the “Galo de Barcelos” or Rooster of Barcelos, a colorful ceramic rooster that symbolizes good luck, prosperity, and the Camino de Santiago in Portugal. Barcelos is also renowned for many other handicrafts, including embroidery, basketry, iron and derivatives works and woodcarving. Artisans in the city continue to preserve and pass down these ancient techniques, creating beautifully crafted objects that reflect the cultural heritage of the region. In addition to its rich craft traditions, Barcelos hosts a variety of cultural events like the Annual Craftsmanship Show, festivals like the outstanding “Festa das Cruzes” Festival of the Crosses”, and many other events, among which stand out the Thursday Weekly Market, an event that week after week attract visitors from around the world, providing an opportunity to experience the unique cultural features of Barcelos firsthand. Barcelos is a lively and creative city that embraces its cultural heritage and creativity as true premises for a tourism and sustainable development.