Gonçalo Castanho

Gonçalo Castanho

‍Founder & Managing Director of Cooltour Oporto
Tourism Entrepreneur | Sustainable Tourism Expert in Portugal
Based between Porto and Zurich

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Gonçalo Castanho is a Portuguese hospitality and tourism professional with over two decades of experience creating immersive and sustainable travel experiences in Porto, the Douro Valley, and across Portugal. He is the founder of Cooltour Oporto, a tour operator recognized for combining local culture, gastronomy, and responsible tourism practices.

Explore more about Gonçalo’s work and vision → Cooltour Oporto
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About Gonçalo Castanho

Gonçalo Castanho, born in 1983, is a hospitality and tourism professional with more than 20 years of experience. A graduate of Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (BSc in International Hospitality Management), he has dedicated his career to developing travel experiences that highlight the culture, heritage, and gastronomy of Porto and Northern Portugal, while aligning tourism with long-term sustainability and local impact.

In 2011, he launched Gallery Hostel, a luxury hostel located in Porto’s Art District. The concept combined high-quality accommodation with cultural programming, including local art exhibitions, live music, wine tastings, thematic dinners, and free walking tours. Gallery Hostel quickly gained international recognition, receiving awards such as Best Staff in the World and Top 10 Hostels Worldwide, and was featured in publications including The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Telegraph.

In 2012, driven by a passion for presenting Portugal to fellow travelers, Gonçalo co-founded Cooltour Oporto, a company specializing in small-group and immersive cultural experiences, including tours to the Douro Valley, Braga, and Guimarães. Under his leadership, Cooltour Oporto has received multiple industry recognitions, including several Viator Experience Awards and TripAdvisor’s Best of the Best, and has developed strong partnerships in international markets such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Northern Europe.

Beyond tourism operations, Gonçalo has been actively involved in cultural and social initiatives in Porto. His work includes collaboration with local associations supporting vulnerable communities, as well as participation incultural projects such as the Oporto Art District, reinforcing his belief that tourism should contribute positively to local communities and cultural life.

At the end of 2018, Gonçalo sold Gallery Hostel and relocated to Zurich, Switzerland, following a personal and professional decision with his wife, who is Swiss. Since then, he has worked between Porto and Zurich, maintaining close operational and strategic involvement in tourism projects in Portugal while gaining exposure to international entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology-driven business environments.

During this period, he co-founded Coolguide4you, a company focused on digital solutions for hotels and accommodations. The project developed customized mobile applications promoting hotel services and destinations, including local attractions, restaurants, cultural venues, and curated travel experiences. In parallel, he launched several travel guides in collaboration with national tourism entities, further strengthening his expertise in destination content and digital tourism tools.

While based in Switzerland, Gonçalo also completed the Founder Institute Switzerland program, part of the Founder Institute, a U.S.-based startup accelerator founded in California. The program focuses on entrepreneurship, company building and scalable business development, reinforcing his strategic approach to innovation, technology, and sustainable business growth within the tourism sector.

In 2023, Gonçalo acquired the remaining 50% of Cooltour Oporto and committed himself full-time to the company. Passionate about immersive travel, collaboration, technology, and sustainability, he is now leading Cooltour Oporto’s transition toward a more independent and differentiated model, focused on premium services, eco-friendly practices, and responsible tourism experiences across Portugal.
This transition prioritizes quality, authenticity, and long-termsustainability over volume-based tourism.