Guarda and Setúbal launch bids for Portuguese Capital of Culture 2028

The cities of Guarda and Setúbal have launched their respective bids to become the Portuguese Capital of Culture in 2028.

Guarda is pursuing a candidacy that emphasizes transborder cooperation. The municipal government, led by Sérgio Fernando da Silva Costa, seeks to involve the Spanish city of Ciudad Rodrigo in the project. The initiative aims to use culture as a tool for shared development, bridging administrative boundaries through historical, social, and commercial ties between the two border territories.

Setúbal has presented its candidacy under the theme ‘Setúbal – Mar de Cultura’ (Setúbal – Sea of Culture). The project, which will be officially submitted by September 19, focuses on local memory, artistic creation, and supporting new talent. Executive commissioner João Filipe Abrantes stated that the strategy is designed to create a lasting legacy that extends well beyond the year 2028, integrating community, landscape, and environment into a broad definition of culture.