Historic Café Route: The ECTN award

7 Νοεμβρίου 2020 by georg gstrein

“Transnational Thematic Tourism Product” award to the Portuguese Association of Historic Cafes from the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN)

The Portuguese Association of Historic Cafes received a few days ago the “Transnational Thematic Tourism Product” award, given by the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN). This is the highlight of a historic café route that runs through Portugal and Spain including the most emblematic Historical Cafes of the two countries.

The award, a practical validation of the ongoing activities that characterize Historic Cafes, is also a very important aspect for the “Historic Cafes Route”.

The award was given to Vitor Marquez, President of the Association of Historical Cafes of Portugal and Fernando Franjo, journalist, head of the Association of Historical Cafes of Spain. Both are leading contributors to the “Historic Cafes Route” (former European Historic Cafes Association – EHICA), and “ambassadors” for the President of the International Cultural Organization ” Historic Cafes Routes”, Vassilis Stathakis. Vitor Marquez and Fernando Franjo have participated in co-organizations related to Historic Cafes. ( “Contribution of Historic Cafes to the Cultural Heritage of Europe”, held in Coimbra, Portugal (20 & 21/4/2018) and “Cultural Heritage of Historic Cafes in Time”, held in Santiago de Composte (Santiago de Compostela) 3.4 & 5/5/2018)

From the recently published book by Vitor Marquez, “Os Cafes Historicos, como Patrimonio Cultural”. At the photo: the pages of the book that refer to the Historic Cafe “Kipos” – and Vassilis Stathakis, from a snapshot of his speech at the Forum “The Contribution of the Historic Cafes to the Cultural Heritage of Europe”, held in Coimbra, Portugal.

The award recognizes the importance of the intangible and tangible cultural heritage of Historic Cafes internationally, as keepers of the history that each of the Cafe formed over time. It is a certification of the importance of Historic Cafes as alternative “museums”, vivid sites that promote cultural entrepreneurship and alternative tourism.

It is worth noting that the jury of the award is composed of representatives of: European Network for Cultural Tourism (ECTN), Europa Nostra, European Travel Commission, NECSTouR, as well as the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission and is supported by Council of Europe Cultural Routes “Phoenicians Route” and “Iter Vitis”.

The awards ceremony took place online, due to the measures for covid 19, on October 22, 2020.