European Event of the Year 2017

A team of eight people driving four MGs representing the MG Clube of northern Portugal attended the European Event of the Year 2016 at Le Touquet (Paris-Plage) to advertise their special event for 2017. Next year will be the 20th Anniversary of the Club, and celebrations have been planned.

The group was very excited to see such a concentration of so many MGs from all over Europe in France, and they had the opportunity to present and promote the 2017 event, to be held in the World Heritage Centres in Porto, the Douro Valley, and north of Portugal.

The dates for the event are August 3-6 2017, and more days can be booked if anyone would like you explore more that Portugal has to offer.

Originally born as ‘Maia MG Clube’ in 1997, it is now called ‘Porto MG Clube’ due to its recognition as a growing Club of MG fans.

The sunny days, the living culture, excellent food and fantastic table wines, and of course the Port Wine, medieval streets and monuments, the cathedral and the Cruise Terminal at Leixões harbour are just some of the reasons why Porto has been chosen as the destination for 2017.

Two five-star hotels that sit side-by-side have been booked in the modern region of the town, which is less than 4.5km from the City Park and the Atlantic Ocean. The locations is also just a ten minute drive from the old part of town, where you can visit symbolic places like Livraria Lello, one of the five most beautiful bookshops in the world, the Café Majestic, or even walk through the renovated Rua Das Flores, finishing the trip at Ribeira for a glass of wine or a typical Portuguese tapas facing the Port Wine cellars on the other bank of the River Douro.

The EEOTY 2017 Programme

Reception of participants officially starts on August 3 2017 at Exponor Congress Centre. Here, visitors will be given a warm welcome, and a drink to start the event. Following that will be a briefing for the weekend, with details and answers to your questions regarding the following days. Dinner will take place at the same premises, with a short drive back to the hotels afterwards.

Those participants who need to park trailers or trucks can do so at Exponor in a reserved location.

Friday will be a full day out of the town, with sights including the Douro Valley, and a UNESCO world heritage site. Here visitors can take in the vineyards, either by boat and return by train with lunch on board, or by driving your MG on the national roads, including part of the famous EN222 with lunch at a wine farm. Both options are available for your choice. The evening will be free to allow you to enjoy Porto by night relaxing or, if you feel a bit more energetic, at the Porto area of “la movida” at Galeria De Paris-Clerigos.

On Saturday August 5 there are several trips around Porto that have been prepared. This gives visitors the chance to drive their MGs, giving them the opportunity to get acquainted with the countryside, the Portuguese hospitality and gastronomy, with trips assisted by our volunteers, with lunch included.

The Gala Dinner will mark the weekend on the Saturday evening, taking place at Exponor Congress Hall. There will be live music, presentations by the MGCC and officials from the EEOTY 2018. So visitors can really relax, prearranged transport will take them to and from the hotels.

On Sunday, the event will come to a close. The plan is to drive to the City Park in town for an enjoyable time. It’s the biggest urban park in the country with 10km of walking routes, several lakes and is connected to the ocean side. There will be light snacks and a big farewell to the European Event of the Year.

Please visit www.portomgclube.pt for more information.