The Regional Tourism Entity of Central Portugal and the Regional Tourism Promotion Agency of Central Portugal launched in Covilhã the project "On the road to the stars", which includes eight gastronomic and cultural events in the sub-regions of the territory between September 2026 and March 2027, ending in the days before the Michelin Gala Portugal 2027, scheduled for March 9 in Coimbra. The project covers the Beiras and Serra da Estrela, Beira Baixa, Médio Tejo, Oeste, Região de Aveiro, Região de Leiria, Viseu, Dão Lafões and Região de Coimbra.
The global curation is in charge of chef Diogo Rocha, while chefs Diogo Caetano, Hélio Loureiro, Ricardo Ramos, Luís Lavrador, Maria Caldeira, Patrícia Borges and Sérgio Fernandes follow the work in the different sub-regions. The project is based on three dimensions — gastronomy, art and authenticity — and aims to promote differentiated experiences with capacity to reach national and international markets, working the recipe collection of each sub-region to transform each stage into an invitation to discover the territory.
The president of Turismo do Centro de Portugal, Rui Ventura, explained that the objective is to extend in the territory the promotion associated with the Michelin Gala and enhance gastronomy, culture and regional identity. Rui Ventura highlighted that the diversity of products and traditions of the Center, such as fish, suckling pig, rice, conventual sweets, maranho and bread, should work as an aggregating element of tourism promotion.
The president of Turismo de Portugal, Carlos Abade, highlighted that tourism has already generated about 13 billion euros in revenues this year and defended the investment in higher value-added products, such as gastronomy. In Beira Baixa, the initiative coincides on November 9 with the Sabores ao Centro Gala, in Castelo Branco, taking advantage of the existing structure and network in that project.
