August is traditional vacation time for all of Europe, not just Portugal. So there’s also an influx of other Europeans. Cascais has been nuts, seemingly busier than last summer.
Tourism is a fact of life right now. You can't stop them. What is needed is much less ALs , but that goes against all tenets of capitalism, i.e. property rights. Fortunately for us, in our municipalidad, Aljezur, we only have 3 months of large tourist influx, mostly families vacationing at the beach. The rest of the year is pretty quiet.
Another informative and interesting post. Thanks. Like your hood, nuthin’ much to report tourist-wise from our hood. I hear the occasional wheelie pulled along our street. We hear languages other than Portuguese, too, but I think some of the speakers are residents. It seems like only intrepid tourists(?) go further than Jardim do Principe Real toward Largo do Rato. Closer to Saõ Roque it’s madness! I have learned from native Lisboetans less congested routes to Chiado and Baixa. I have yet to able use the funicular to go up from Restauradores to São Roque due to the number of tourists wanting to use it. But my calves are cuter and fuller courtesy of that inconvenience and awful hill.🤣 🍋=🍹
Two comments: First, the time-honored tradition of Europeans taking August vacation now strikes me as part of the problem. Second, we do nearly all of our travelling in spring/fall shoulder months. We'd much rather put on a sweater or carry the umbrella than be amidst stressful hordes.
We've always tried to do our travelling in the shoulder seasons. But, jobs got in the way with the only vacation offered being summer. You learn how to pick and choose where you'll go in part based on number of tourists.
I so look forward to your posts! August in our village is super quiet - everyone is on vacation. Our workers, neighbors. Thank goodness we have multiple options for pastelerias and churrasquerias - you can usually find *one* open in the last days of August/first week of September. We've sort of had to be here on our property for the last two Augusts, and next year as well, but the year after that I hope to act local by travelling global the month of August like everyone else. :)
I saw that your road is quiet now and it got me thinking about how our communities are impacted in so many different ways. Like traffic, and the pandemic.
I suspect you notice the decrease in open businesses even more where you are. In a tourist destination, more places stay open.
Will be interesting to see what it's like in early October when we're there. We'll be respectful tourists! :) I can see why locals wouldn't be thrilled by visitors who are just lining the pockets of big businesses and clogging up their towns. We see some of that now that we've moved near Las Vegas, but only if we're in The Strip area, which we don't visit often. 4th of July was shoulder to shoulder to watch the fireworks at Caesars Palace... was interesting to experience... ONCE.
Our first trip to Portugal was in September 2019 and our most recent was April 2024. During this last visit, we felt that Lisbon and Porto were more crowded.
Amazing! Life without money first. How do they live without income for weeks? Is there anything in tourist guides that give visitors a heads-up? They could plan ahead with peanut butter sandwiches and Tequila.
I didn't see anything in any of the tourist guides I looked at when preparing this post. If you're in a tourist destination, there will still be plenty of options for you. Just not too many mom and pop ones.
I was recently in Sweden I overheard another person complain about all the rude Americans in the Netherlands. The increased commercialization of travel has fueled the increase of tourists. That coupled with governments assisting the ease of entry by tourists has indeed overwhelmed some cities. Airbnb has not helped this issue but foresight and oversight from the ruling municipalities in these areas would help ease this problem. However, it's not a problem for the large companies that receive the benefits of this enterprise nor the politicians that support them.
Thinking about what it was like to travel before smartphones, it's not a surprise that there would be more tourism. Lots of people didn't want to deal with travelers cheques, mysterious train schedules, calling cards, being lost all the time, etc. You had to rely on travel agents to do a lot of the planning for you or show up at the tourist office and see what was available. The tourist office used to send me to people's homes, just like airbnb only I had no idea what I was getting myself into until I was already standing in their apartment :)
I think there was a recent news story that “revenge travel” (people who were travelling more, after the peak COVID years, as a means of revenge for being restricted from travelling during the peak COVID period) was starting to decline.
I can understand the anger at bad tourists! I can’t tell you how often we’ve seen graffiti on protected Petroglyph and hieroglyphics sites. And heavy land use is one of the reasons a really cool hike through Tent Rocks (wind and water carved rock formations) has been closed for the last four years.
I was surprised how quiet it was by our apt. in Alfama in May/June. It’s near the Teja Bar, but it wasn’t a loud boisterous crowd (except for the parade to kick off Saints Month, but that doesn’t count). Maybe if Madonna actually starts showing up to sing there, that would change. (Apparently, she did sing there once back when her son was going to some soccer camp … but we still overheard the tuk-tuk drivers and walking-tour guides still mention it.) The Airbnb next to us was a little louder in June … it seems to be a magnet for bachelorette party weekends.
We’ve always lived in a high tourist city. I always knew it was tourist season, in Chicago, the first time I’d accidentally bump into a tourist who’d stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to stare up at a building! But, except for special events, like the big Art shows in Santa Fe, Air Shows, Firework Shows, Sports team celebrations (well, Chicago didn’t have too many of those 🤣), I never really experienced the salmon-swimming-upstream type of crowds.
This year is definitely more tourists, according to statistics. Which really surprised me cuz I was exactly expecting what you were, that people newly freed from covid would be dashing out.
The first time I heard about tourist destruction I was in a national park and they had a petrified wood area closed off, because so much of it had already been destroyed absolutely boggled my mind.
Thinking about it, I think you did miss Taylor Swift. Wow. That was something. I accidentally ended up in the mall while the swifties were here. Packed cheek by jowl.
Oh We were there for the Swifties. So much GLITTER and SEQUINS! The morning after the first concert, I was taking the metro to yoga and the station had sequins scattered all over the ground. We’re so out of practice with planning for concert traffic that we ended up on the Metro with the early goers.
August is traditional vacation time for all of Europe, not just Portugal. So there’s also an influx of other Europeans. Cascais has been nuts, seemingly busier than last summer.
Good to know about Cascais. Visiting Sintra has been on our list, but I'm thinking we'll definitely hold off till fall.
Tourism is a fact of life right now. You can't stop them. What is needed is much less ALs , but that goes against all tenets of capitalism, i.e. property rights. Fortunately for us, in our municipalidad, Aljezur, we only have 3 months of large tourist influx, mostly families vacationing at the beach. The rest of the year is pretty quiet.
Honestly, where we live it's pretty fine. I wouldn't want to go to one of the major tourist destinations during summer, though.
Another informative and interesting post. Thanks. Like your hood, nuthin’ much to report tourist-wise from our hood. I hear the occasional wheelie pulled along our street. We hear languages other than Portuguese, too, but I think some of the speakers are residents. It seems like only intrepid tourists(?) go further than Jardim do Principe Real toward Largo do Rato. Closer to Saõ Roque it’s madness! I have learned from native Lisboetans less congested routes to Chiado and Baixa. I have yet to able use the funicular to go up from Restauradores to São Roque due to the number of tourists wanting to use it. But my calves are cuter and fuller courtesy of that inconvenience and awful hill.🤣 🍋=🍹
Ditto x 5!
Hi there, what's the name your locale? I am north of Lisbon, Alta de Lisboa, there are 0 tourists here! lol
Thanks,
My area doesn't have a name. *shrug* I'm near Jardim do Torel.
It does! Called the “Best part of Lisbon” 😁
More (should be) award-winning journalism!
Two comments: First, the time-honored tradition of Europeans taking August vacation now strikes me as part of the problem. Second, we do nearly all of our travelling in spring/fall shoulder months. We'd much rather put on a sweater or carry the umbrella than be amidst stressful hordes.
Aww, thanks!!!
We've always tried to do our travelling in the shoulder seasons. But, jobs got in the way with the only vacation offered being summer. You learn how to pick and choose where you'll go in part based on number of tourists.
I so look forward to your posts! August in our village is super quiet - everyone is on vacation. Our workers, neighbors. Thank goodness we have multiple options for pastelerias and churrasquerias - you can usually find *one* open in the last days of August/first week of September. We've sort of had to be here on our property for the last two Augusts, and next year as well, but the year after that I hope to act local by travelling global the month of August like everyone else. :)
Thank you so much!
I saw that your road is quiet now and it got me thinking about how our communities are impacted in so many different ways. Like traffic, and the pandemic.
I suspect you notice the decrease in open businesses even more where you are. In a tourist destination, more places stay open.
Will be interesting to see what it's like in early October when we're there. We'll be respectful tourists! :) I can see why locals wouldn't be thrilled by visitors who are just lining the pockets of big businesses and clogging up their towns. We see some of that now that we've moved near Las Vegas, but only if we're in The Strip area, which we don't visit often. 4th of July was shoulder to shoulder to watch the fireworks at Caesars Palace... was interesting to experience... ONCE.
I suspect it will be fine in October.
Exactly - ONCE.
Our first trip to Portugal was in September 2019 and our most recent was April 2024. During this last visit, we felt that Lisbon and Porto were more crowded.
Interesting! Thanks! It's harder to notice when it's your everyday.
Amazing! Life without money first. How do they live without income for weeks? Is there anything in tourist guides that give visitors a heads-up? They could plan ahead with peanut butter sandwiches and Tequila.
Careful planning?
I didn't see anything in any of the tourist guides I looked at when preparing this post. If you're in a tourist destination, there will still be plenty of options for you. Just not too many mom and pop ones.
I was recently in Sweden I overheard another person complain about all the rude Americans in the Netherlands. The increased commercialization of travel has fueled the increase of tourists. That coupled with governments assisting the ease of entry by tourists has indeed overwhelmed some cities. Airbnb has not helped this issue but foresight and oversight from the ruling municipalities in these areas would help ease this problem. However, it's not a problem for the large companies that receive the benefits of this enterprise nor the politicians that support them.
Exactly.
It's not always the Americans - apparently the Chinese have a worse reputation. I t hink we come in 2nd. *sigh*
Thinking about what it was like to travel before smartphones, it's not a surprise that there would be more tourism. Lots of people didn't want to deal with travelers cheques, mysterious train schedules, calling cards, being lost all the time, etc. You had to rely on travel agents to do a lot of the planning for you or show up at the tourist office and see what was available. The tourist office used to send me to people's homes, just like airbnb only I had no idea what I was getting myself into until I was already standing in their apartment :)
I think there was a recent news story that “revenge travel” (people who were travelling more, after the peak COVID years, as a means of revenge for being restricted from travelling during the peak COVID period) was starting to decline.
I can understand the anger at bad tourists! I can’t tell you how often we’ve seen graffiti on protected Petroglyph and hieroglyphics sites. And heavy land use is one of the reasons a really cool hike through Tent Rocks (wind and water carved rock formations) has been closed for the last four years.
I was surprised how quiet it was by our apt. in Alfama in May/June. It’s near the Teja Bar, but it wasn’t a loud boisterous crowd (except for the parade to kick off Saints Month, but that doesn’t count). Maybe if Madonna actually starts showing up to sing there, that would change. (Apparently, she did sing there once back when her son was going to some soccer camp … but we still overheard the tuk-tuk drivers and walking-tour guides still mention it.) The Airbnb next to us was a little louder in June … it seems to be a magnet for bachelorette party weekends.
We’ve always lived in a high tourist city. I always knew it was tourist season, in Chicago, the first time I’d accidentally bump into a tourist who’d stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to stare up at a building! But, except for special events, like the big Art shows in Santa Fe, Air Shows, Firework Shows, Sports team celebrations (well, Chicago didn’t have too many of those 🤣), I never really experienced the salmon-swimming-upstream type of crowds.
I do love your posts!!
Aww! Thanks! That means a lot!
This year is definitely more tourists, according to statistics. Which really surprised me cuz I was exactly expecting what you were, that people newly freed from covid would be dashing out.
The first time I heard about tourist destruction I was in a national park and they had a petrified wood area closed off, because so much of it had already been destroyed absolutely boggled my mind.
Thinking about it, I think you did miss Taylor Swift. Wow. That was something. I accidentally ended up in the mall while the swifties were here. Packed cheek by jowl.
Oh We were there for the Swifties. So much GLITTER and SEQUINS! The morning after the first concert, I was taking the metro to yoga and the station had sequins scattered all over the ground. We’re so out of practice with planning for concert traffic that we ended up on the Metro with the early goers.
I (thankfully) missed out on the glitter bombs!