The morning began with a walkshop through some of Guimarães' most significant sites. Participants explored the historical gardens of Vila Flor Palace, the rich heritage of the Couros UNESCO World Heritage Centre (a key part of the District C project), and the flourishing urban grove of Alameda de S. Dâmaso. The group concluded the morning session at Latito Hill, a Green Flag award winner celebrated for its conservation efforts around the iconic Castle and Duke's Palace. These visits provided project partners with inspiring examples of how local and national solutions can work hand-in-hand to enhance urban biodiversity.
Following a vibrant morning of discovery, the group enjoyed a communal lunch at Restaurant Cor de Tangerina, sampling local flavors while discussing the insights gained throughout the day.
The afternoon sessions resumed with another walkshop, focusing on tangible examples of NbS within urban settings. Participants followed the City Park biodiversity route, visited the innovative Gymnastics Academy with its modern environmental protection architecture, and observed effective stormwater management strategies at designated retention basins. The highlight of the afternoon was a scenic trip via cable car to Penha Mountain, offering a closer look at how urban green spaces can integrate with natural landscapes to foster biodiversity.
Throughout the day, partners from across Europe exchanged insights and ideas, benefiting from Guimarães' successful strategies to protect and promote urban biodiversity. The meeting highlighted the potential of integrating cultural heritage with ecological initiatives, paving the way for cities to become more resilient and sustainable.
The BiodiverCity project continues to explore how cities can lead the way in enhancing biodiversity and creating greener, healthier urban environments, with Guimarães standing as a remarkable example of best practices in action.
We also hold and photo competition. Each cities can submit one picture about biodivesity. Congratulation for Veszprém, as they won!
