Centro works because the experience is still set by the place, not by visitor expectations. The risk is when popularity grows and small adjustments start creeping in to “meet demand.” That’s usually how places lose the rhythm people came for in the first place. The opportunity here isn’t just slower travel. It’s being intentional early.
This is such a thoughtful way of putting it, Kay, especially the idea that the experience is still being set by the place itself rather than by visitor expectations.
I think you’re exactly right that the real shift often happens through those small adjustments that seem harmless in the moment but gradually begin to change the rhythm of a place.
And yes, being intentional early is really the key. Once that balance starts to tip, it becomes much harder to recover what made a place feel distinct in the first place.
Thank you for adding this — it captures an important part of the conversation so well. - CW
Very nice to read your essay Carol. I am a tourism professor and my lab and small company are called People-first Tourism. :-)
I am Portuguese, from Chaves in Tras-os-Montes. So your post really warmed my heart and my mind. I’ll begin following your writing as I am curious know about your travels and your work. Cheers.
Duarte, thank you so much for this — your comment truly means a lot.
The fact that your lab and company are called People-first Tourism made me smile. It tells me this is a conversation that clearly needs to be happening in more places and in more thoughtful ways.
And knowing you’re from Chaves in Trás-os-Montes makes your response feel especially meaningful, since regions like that are very much part of what I had in mind while writing.
I’m so glad the piece resonated with you, and I truly appreciate you following along. I look forward to staying connected through the writing. - CW
See? There is that Portuguese kindness shining through Carol! You have it as well!
I will NEVER forget the kind lady at the airport in Lisbon who realized how ill I was and found me a wheelchair and got me through passport control. She was a saint. And the driver who came to collect us was patient and kind and so thoughtful. He gave me water and waited for me to collect myself (a challenge for sure as I really felt dreadful). I tipped him very generously and he tried to refuse my tip, but I insisted and I think he was as appreciative of my generosity as I was of his thoughtful kindness. And the woman at Casa do Barão where we stayed for three nights ( and where we will stay again next February when we hope to see you!) was so caring and thoughtful and got me to my room quickly and efficiently so I could rest and recover) was an angel. The warmth and kindness continued throughout my stay and I tried to reciprocate with gratitude. I don’t forget such things. I really needed help and they offered it without question. The depth of my gratitude is immeasurable. That will stick with me forever. Wonderful, kind, generous, caring and lovely Portuguese people were my first introduction to that part of the world which was brand new to me. It was just after COVID and it had been a difficult time for the whole world. I still think about it and am still in awe! I will always love that place because of that kindness.
I see lots of similarities with what we are seeing (and contributing to) with ITS ITALY in rural Italy. Rural Europe has to benefit from slow and longer tourism which well integrates with its communities.
Matteo - Thanks for your comment. This is really interesting and it makes sense that you’re seeing similar patterns in rural Italy.
That idea of slower, longer stays feels especially important. It allows visitors to become part of the rhythm of a place, rather than just passing through it.
I’d imagine the balance is just as delicate there as it is here but when it works, it seems to benefit both the communities and the people experiencing them.
Hi Carol. As I read your wonderful post, I kept thinking "What are the smaller villages that I and others may want to visit yet maybe shouldn't since it could potentially negatively impact these communities." I am a respectful tourist who also observes the changes happening in Lisbon. A Catch 22....
Molly - I really appreciate this reflection because it gets at the heart of the tension many thoughtful travelers are feeling right now.
I don’t think the answer is to avoid smaller places altogether. In many cases, those communities actually benefit from visitors - just not in ways that overwhelm or reshape what’s already there.
It often comes down to how we travel rather than whether we travel. Choosing locally owned places, spending time rather than rushing through, being mindful of rhythms and spaces - those quieter choices tend to support a place rather than strain it.
Lisbon makes the contrast more visible because the scale is so different. In smaller villages, even a little change can feel more immediate, but it also means that respectful, intentional tourism can have a very positive impact.
You’re right. It can feel like a Catch-22. But I think the fact that you’re asking the question is already part of the answer. - CW
Great post :) That shift you describe from attracting visitors to actually serving the place feels small on paper but changes everything in practice.
What stood out to me is how you anchor it in smaller communities. Those places don’t have the buffer big cities do. When tourism scales even slightly in the wrong direction, it shows up immediately in pricing, in rhythm, in who the place is really for.
I’ve seen similar dynamics in a few places where the “people-first” model only works as long as it stays intentional. The moment it becomes a label rather than a constraint, it drifts back to extraction pretty quickly.
Your piece captures that balance well especially the idea that tourism only works when it reinforces what was already there, not when it tries to optimize it.
Curious how you think Centro can hold that line if it gets more attention.
Mats, I really appreciate this, especially your point about the difference between something being a genuine constraint versus becoming a label. That feels like exactly where things tend to drift.
I don’t know that Centro can “hold the line” in any fixed way if it gains more attention. What seems more realistic is that it will always be in a kind of negotiation between visibility and preservation, between economic opportunity and the character of the place itself.
What gives me some optimism, at least from what I’ve seen so far, is that many of these smaller communities still have a very strong sense of identity. Life there isn’t built around tourism; tourism is something that fits into an already existing rhythm. That’s very different from places where the local structure has already shifted to serve visitors first.
But as you said, it depends on intention and on whether growth is allowed to remain somewhat constrained rather than optimized. Once a place starts reshaping itself primarily for outside demand, it becomes much harder to return to that earlier balance.
I think part of what draws people to Centro right now is precisely that it hasn’t been overly shaped yet. The challenge, of course, is that attention itself can begin to change that.
It will be interesting and important to watch how that balance evolves over time. - CW
That idea of tourism “fitting into an existing rhythm” vs reshaping it is the real line. Once places start adapting themselves to be consumed, it’s almost impossible to reverse.
I’ve been writing through a few places where that shift already happened and a few where it hasn’t yet. What surprised me is how similar the trajectory is, even across completely different regions. I’m finishing a piece on this right now. It goes straight at that tipping point you’re describing - I think you’d have a strong take on it.
Mats - That’s really interesting, especially the idea that the trajectory tends to look similar across very different places.
I think that tipping point is exactly what’s hard to see while it’s happening. From the inside, it often just feels like small changes, but over time they start to reshape the character of a place in ways that are difficult to reverse.
I’d be very interested to read your piece when it’s ready. It sounds like you’re looking at this from a broader perspective than I can see from within Portugal. - CW
I’ll publish it in the next days, I write these as part of a series looking at how places shift once incentives change (travel is just the surface layer).
I’ll drop it here once it’s live or feel free to follow along if you want to catch it when it comes out.
Thank you for this. While I really appreciate Lisbon and Porto, it is the smaller villages that made me fall in love with Portugal. They have their own rhythms and festivals and the countryside is beautiful. We chose a small village for our home away from home. Some don’t understand this until they visit and realize how lovely it is. And you are right, we can enjoy this without encroaching too much on the villagers since few foreigners reside in the village.
Steph, thank you for this. I loved reading your perspective.
There’s something about those smaller villages that’s hard to fully understand until you’ve experienced it: the rhythms, the festivals, the way daily life unfolds a bit more quietly.
It sounds like you’ve found a very special place for your home away from home. And I agree it’s possible to enjoy these places in a way that feels respectful, especially when the focus is on being present rather than changing what’s already there.
Terrific post! As a courteous and culturally appreciative tourist I think that I have a responsibility to be polite, respectful and nonintrusive as I explore and travel. My brief but very positive experiences in Portugal were wonderful! I remember Portugal for its warm people, its kindness to me when I arrived there feeling quite ill, and its incredible beauty. I am eager to return so I can explore a bit more and learn further about the history and culture and I will continue to be courteous and appreciative as I travel as I have encountered those who are otherwise it is not a pleasant experience!
I especially loved reading about your experience arriving in Portugal and being met with kindness. Those are the moments that tend to stay with us, and they say so much about the character of a place.
Your approach to travel - being respectful, observant, and appreciative - really comes through in the experiences you’ve shared with me over time. It’s exactly what helps keep those places and moments intact for others as well.
I know you’re planning to return next year, and I have no doubt you’ll discover even more to love as you continue exploring Portugal’s history, culture, and landscapes.
Thank you, as always, for being part of this community. I truly appreciate it. -CW
This is a wonderful reminder of how we, as tourists, should behave and appreciate those who welcome us. For another example, a group of us from Setúbal visited Marvão (and several surrounding towns) for five days this past fall for their annual chestnut festival. The atmosphere was just as welcoming as you described, with one different note. This walled village seemed well-designed for an influx of tourists but it seemed that they were mostly either Portuguese tourists or from across the nearby Spanish border. It was very refreshing to be somewhere the Portuguese still flock for their getaways and we felt like we blended pretty well, even with our varied and imperfect Portuguese language skills.
Jeff, thank you for sharing this. Marvão during the chestnut festival sounds like a wonderful experience.
I love your observation about it being a place where Portuguese visitors still gather. That often creates a very different atmosphere, where it feels less like a destination built for tourism and more like stepping into something that already exists and simply welcoming others in.
And I agree. When you can blend in, even imperfectly, it changes the experience entirely. It becomes less about visiting and more about participating, even in small ways.
I appreciate you adding this example. It really brings the idea to life. - CW
Tourism is a double edged sword in Portugal. I am grateful to have lived, traveled for work and especially in our van during the years before tourism hit hard. For the past thirty years we have been doing the small towns south and north, east and west. I still close my eyes in Lisboa and Porto and take myself back to the late 80's. Ahhhhhhhh
Margaret, I really appreciate this perspective and I can imagine how meaningful those earlier experiences must feel looking back.
That sense of remembering a place as it once was is something many people carry, especially in places like Lisboa and Porto that have changed so much over time. I have similar memories of an early Bermuda with their cottage colonies and also a coastal Maine town before the summer residence of a president made it overloaded with tourists.
I think what you describe about traveling through the smaller towns over the years is part of what still makes Portugal so special. There are layers to it, and different rhythms that continue alongside the changes.
Thank you for sharing this. It adds an important dimension to the conversation. - CW
Centro works because the experience is still set by the place, not by visitor expectations. The risk is when popularity grows and small adjustments start creeping in to “meet demand.” That’s usually how places lose the rhythm people came for in the first place. The opportunity here isn’t just slower travel. It’s being intentional early.
This is such a thoughtful way of putting it, Kay, especially the idea that the experience is still being set by the place itself rather than by visitor expectations.
I think you’re exactly right that the real shift often happens through those small adjustments that seem harmless in the moment but gradually begin to change the rhythm of a place.
And yes, being intentional early is really the key. Once that balance starts to tip, it becomes much harder to recover what made a place feel distinct in the first place.
Thank you for adding this — it captures an important part of the conversation so well. - CW
Thanks Carol, loved the post.
Very nice to read your essay Carol. I am a tourism professor and my lab and small company are called People-first Tourism. :-)
I am Portuguese, from Chaves in Tras-os-Montes. So your post really warmed my heart and my mind. I’ll begin following your writing as I am curious know about your travels and your work. Cheers.
Duarte, thank you so much for this — your comment truly means a lot.
The fact that your lab and company are called People-first Tourism made me smile. It tells me this is a conversation that clearly needs to be happening in more places and in more thoughtful ways.
And knowing you’re from Chaves in Trás-os-Montes makes your response feel especially meaningful, since regions like that are very much part of what I had in mind while writing.
I’m so glad the piece resonated with you, and I truly appreciate you following along. I look forward to staying connected through the writing. - CW
See? There is that Portuguese kindness shining through Carol! You have it as well!
I will NEVER forget the kind lady at the airport in Lisbon who realized how ill I was and found me a wheelchair and got me through passport control. She was a saint. And the driver who came to collect us was patient and kind and so thoughtful. He gave me water and waited for me to collect myself (a challenge for sure as I really felt dreadful). I tipped him very generously and he tried to refuse my tip, but I insisted and I think he was as appreciative of my generosity as I was of his thoughtful kindness. And the woman at Casa do Barão where we stayed for three nights ( and where we will stay again next February when we hope to see you!) was so caring and thoughtful and got me to my room quickly and efficiently so I could rest and recover) was an angel. The warmth and kindness continued throughout my stay and I tried to reciprocate with gratitude. I don’t forget such things. I really needed help and they offered it without question. The depth of my gratitude is immeasurable. That will stick with me forever. Wonderful, kind, generous, caring and lovely Portuguese people were my first introduction to that part of the world which was brand new to me. It was just after COVID and it had been a difficult time for the whole world. I still think about it and am still in awe! I will always love that place because of that kindness.
I see lots of similarities with what we are seeing (and contributing to) with ITS ITALY in rural Italy. Rural Europe has to benefit from slow and longer tourism which well integrates with its communities.
Matteo - Thanks for your comment. This is really interesting and it makes sense that you’re seeing similar patterns in rural Italy.
That idea of slower, longer stays feels especially important. It allows visitors to become part of the rhythm of a place, rather than just passing through it.
I’d imagine the balance is just as delicate there as it is here but when it works, it seems to benefit both the communities and the people experiencing them.
Thank you for sharing that perspective. - CW
Hi Carol. As I read your wonderful post, I kept thinking "What are the smaller villages that I and others may want to visit yet maybe shouldn't since it could potentially negatively impact these communities." I am a respectful tourist who also observes the changes happening in Lisbon. A Catch 22....
Molly - I really appreciate this reflection because it gets at the heart of the tension many thoughtful travelers are feeling right now.
I don’t think the answer is to avoid smaller places altogether. In many cases, those communities actually benefit from visitors - just not in ways that overwhelm or reshape what’s already there.
It often comes down to how we travel rather than whether we travel. Choosing locally owned places, spending time rather than rushing through, being mindful of rhythms and spaces - those quieter choices tend to support a place rather than strain it.
Lisbon makes the contrast more visible because the scale is so different. In smaller villages, even a little change can feel more immediate, but it also means that respectful, intentional tourism can have a very positive impact.
You’re right. It can feel like a Catch-22. But I think the fact that you’re asking the question is already part of the answer. - CW
Great post :) That shift you describe from attracting visitors to actually serving the place feels small on paper but changes everything in practice.
What stood out to me is how you anchor it in smaller communities. Those places don’t have the buffer big cities do. When tourism scales even slightly in the wrong direction, it shows up immediately in pricing, in rhythm, in who the place is really for.
I’ve seen similar dynamics in a few places where the “people-first” model only works as long as it stays intentional. The moment it becomes a label rather than a constraint, it drifts back to extraction pretty quickly.
Your piece captures that balance well especially the idea that tourism only works when it reinforces what was already there, not when it tries to optimize it.
Curious how you think Centro can hold that line if it gets more attention.
Mats, I really appreciate this, especially your point about the difference between something being a genuine constraint versus becoming a label. That feels like exactly where things tend to drift.
I don’t know that Centro can “hold the line” in any fixed way if it gains more attention. What seems more realistic is that it will always be in a kind of negotiation between visibility and preservation, between economic opportunity and the character of the place itself.
What gives me some optimism, at least from what I’ve seen so far, is that many of these smaller communities still have a very strong sense of identity. Life there isn’t built around tourism; tourism is something that fits into an already existing rhythm. That’s very different from places where the local structure has already shifted to serve visitors first.
But as you said, it depends on intention and on whether growth is allowed to remain somewhat constrained rather than optimized. Once a place starts reshaping itself primarily for outside demand, it becomes much harder to return to that earlier balance.
I think part of what draws people to Centro right now is precisely that it hasn’t been overly shaped yet. The challenge, of course, is that attention itself can begin to change that.
It will be interesting and important to watch how that balance evolves over time. - CW
That idea of tourism “fitting into an existing rhythm” vs reshaping it is the real line. Once places start adapting themselves to be consumed, it’s almost impossible to reverse.
I’ve been writing through a few places where that shift already happened and a few where it hasn’t yet. What surprised me is how similar the trajectory is, even across completely different regions. I’m finishing a piece on this right now. It goes straight at that tipping point you’re describing - I think you’d have a strong take on it.
Mats - That’s really interesting, especially the idea that the trajectory tends to look similar across very different places.
I think that tipping point is exactly what’s hard to see while it’s happening. From the inside, it often just feels like small changes, but over time they start to reshape the character of a place in ways that are difficult to reverse.
I’d be very interested to read your piece when it’s ready. It sounds like you’re looking at this from a broader perspective than I can see from within Portugal. - CW
I’ll publish it in the next days, I write these as part of a series looking at how places shift once incentives change (travel is just the surface layer).
I’ll drop it here once it’s live or feel free to follow along if you want to catch it when it comes out.
Thank you for this. While I really appreciate Lisbon and Porto, it is the smaller villages that made me fall in love with Portugal. They have their own rhythms and festivals and the countryside is beautiful. We chose a small village for our home away from home. Some don’t understand this until they visit and realize how lovely it is. And you are right, we can enjoy this without encroaching too much on the villagers since few foreigners reside in the village.
Steph, thank you for this. I loved reading your perspective.
There’s something about those smaller villages that’s hard to fully understand until you’ve experienced it: the rhythms, the festivals, the way daily life unfolds a bit more quietly.
It sounds like you’ve found a very special place for your home away from home. And I agree it’s possible to enjoy these places in a way that feels respectful, especially when the focus is on being present rather than changing what’s already there.
I appreciate you sharing this. - CW
Terrific post! As a courteous and culturally appreciative tourist I think that I have a responsibility to be polite, respectful and nonintrusive as I explore and travel. My brief but very positive experiences in Portugal were wonderful! I remember Portugal for its warm people, its kindness to me when I arrived there feeling quite ill, and its incredible beauty. I am eager to return so I can explore a bit more and learn further about the history and culture and I will continue to be courteous and appreciative as I travel as I have encountered those who are otherwise it is not a pleasant experience!
Barb, this means so much. Thank you.
I especially loved reading about your experience arriving in Portugal and being met with kindness. Those are the moments that tend to stay with us, and they say so much about the character of a place.
Your approach to travel - being respectful, observant, and appreciative - really comes through in the experiences you’ve shared with me over time. It’s exactly what helps keep those places and moments intact for others as well.
I know you’re planning to return next year, and I have no doubt you’ll discover even more to love as you continue exploring Portugal’s history, culture, and landscapes.
Thank you, as always, for being part of this community. I truly appreciate it. -CW
This is a wonderful reminder of how we, as tourists, should behave and appreciate those who welcome us. For another example, a group of us from Setúbal visited Marvão (and several surrounding towns) for five days this past fall for their annual chestnut festival. The atmosphere was just as welcoming as you described, with one different note. This walled village seemed well-designed for an influx of tourists but it seemed that they were mostly either Portuguese tourists or from across the nearby Spanish border. It was very refreshing to be somewhere the Portuguese still flock for their getaways and we felt like we blended pretty well, even with our varied and imperfect Portuguese language skills.
Jeff, thank you for sharing this. Marvão during the chestnut festival sounds like a wonderful experience.
I love your observation about it being a place where Portuguese visitors still gather. That often creates a very different atmosphere, where it feels less like a destination built for tourism and more like stepping into something that already exists and simply welcoming others in.
And I agree. When you can blend in, even imperfectly, it changes the experience entirely. It becomes less about visiting and more about participating, even in small ways.
I appreciate you adding this example. It really brings the idea to life. - CW
Tourism is a double edged sword in Portugal. I am grateful to have lived, traveled for work and especially in our van during the years before tourism hit hard. For the past thirty years we have been doing the small towns south and north, east and west. I still close my eyes in Lisboa and Porto and take myself back to the late 80's. Ahhhhhhhh
Great article. 💜
Margaret, I really appreciate this perspective and I can imagine how meaningful those earlier experiences must feel looking back.
That sense of remembering a place as it once was is something many people carry, especially in places like Lisboa and Porto that have changed so much over time. I have similar memories of an early Bermuda with their cottage colonies and also a coastal Maine town before the summer residence of a president made it overloaded with tourists.
I think what you describe about traveling through the smaller towns over the years is part of what still makes Portugal so special. There are layers to it, and different rhythms that continue alongside the changes.
Thank you for sharing this. It adds an important dimension to the conversation. - CW
Thank you 🙏! I really enjoyed your article. It brought up a lot of great thoughts to ponder. ♥️ And, memories.
Would love to cross-post. 😃
Hello Rui - Feel free to cross-post. Obrigada! - CW