It is weird in cities like Lisbon or Barcelona or Madrid or Seville or San Sebastian, or I guess Paris also, and other places, using Google maps and having to ignore all the highest reviewed things because they're all like tourist-centric versions of the local thing.
Then you find a place or return to an old place you know is really great and it has a lower mark because they probably serve more... 'authentic' food, or don't cater to the more demanding and rude tourists, or whatever, but you know it'll be fine if you go along and are polite and calm.
And I mean ALL of those feelings are weird and that entire process is weird, feeling like "am I the good tourist because I ordered the offal" or whatever, or because I didn't insist on having things my own way, or because I tried to speak the language.
Still rather be that than obliviously rude but I guess the feeling of guilt you mention is what I mean, as I've definitely felt the same, and it is strange trying to travel and not be a problem.
And it's also true that there's always a worse tourist than you in earshot, someone pointing at things or refusing to even try a please or thank you in the local language or whatever, but then there's that same neurosis of feeling as if judging them is exonerating yourself, etc!
Yes, exactly, there are so many conflicting feelings involved. Also, "Am I the good tourist because I ordered the offal" is an incredible phrase, that should be on t shirts!
Great choices! Hope you had a good time in my city (Almada). Peripheries could act as a centre of counter-power to touristification. Instead, they imitate Lisbon's downtown worst vices. Thanks for the reading
10 hrs ago·edited 10 hrs agoLiked by Philip Sherburne
Spent a week in Lisbon a year ago for my husband's birthday, my 3rd time there, and it's the worst I've ever seen it with tourism. Of course we were tourists so the hypocrisy abounded, but I still loved it. The most disorienting part was an incredible amount of Russian spoken on streets and Russian cafes popping up, the result of Lisbon being is the main destination of Russian tech elites escaping to the West.
11 hrs ago·edited 7 hrs agoLiked by Philip Sherburne
Thanks for these observations.
I used to go to Barcelona or Lisbon on weekend trips. I used to fly into Stockholm, Amsterdam or Paris for same-day meetings. I used to frequent the hip hotels, the trendy coffeeshops and the fancy restaurants (on business expense, of course).
Still, I hated what mass tourism did to Berlin, the city I live in and you have lived in as well.
But I was part of the problem, and it took me a while to realize that.
Bruce Chatwin said: While traveling is a necessity, tourism is a cardinal sin.
The Gulbenkian! Maybe the coolest museum I've ever been to—there's something about the clinical modernism of the interior (those long, low glass cabinets...) that is just extremely sick.
Re: overtourism, I tend to think that if you take the time to speak a few phrases in the local language and using something other than an iPad to take photos then you're doing The Work.
I really enjoyed reading this, and seeing the great photos. Lisbon is one of my favourite places (I'm there once or twice every year for family reasons, and occasionally research) and it has been alarming as you and other commenters mention to see what's happened over the past decade plus. As you note, a lot of this has come about through official policies to artificially boost tourist income - one major driver being the economic fallout of the 2008 banking fiasco.
There are still many amazing places to find, and the peripheries are where it's at in many ways. Great to hear about the cultural events, too (I'm a fan of Toral and Lobo - sounds like a fascinating gig) and to hear what Marfox is up to.
Great post. I was in Lisbon over the weekend as well. Always astounded, angered, and saddened by the massification. Big changes in Lisbon and Porto over the last 11 years of my residence in Portugal. Thankfully, I escaped the big cities and tourist magnets and reside in the Minho region.
Yeah, we don't really go south of a certain point toward the centre any time between Easter and maybe November but since the pandemic lifted even in winter, the centre is just a mess. There's an entire line of the tram no-one can use as the queue to use it like a sightseeing tour is over 40 mins. I really love living here but it definitely feels like there's three cities occupying the same space: one for tourists; one for foreigners who live here but have no real interest in integrating; and the Portuguese. And yeah, house prices are absolutely disgraceful (even more-so when you actually look at the construction and level of disrepair. Next time you are planning a trip get in touch, I'll drop you a few tips
It is weird in cities like Lisbon or Barcelona or Madrid or Seville or San Sebastian, or I guess Paris also, and other places, using Google maps and having to ignore all the highest reviewed things because they're all like tourist-centric versions of the local thing.
Then you find a place or return to an old place you know is really great and it has a lower mark because they probably serve more... 'authentic' food, or don't cater to the more demanding and rude tourists, or whatever, but you know it'll be fine if you go along and are polite and calm.
And I mean ALL of those feelings are weird and that entire process is weird, feeling like "am I the good tourist because I ordered the offal" or whatever, or because I didn't insist on having things my own way, or because I tried to speak the language.
Still rather be that than obliviously rude but I guess the feeling of guilt you mention is what I mean, as I've definitely felt the same, and it is strange trying to travel and not be a problem.
And it's also true that there's always a worse tourist than you in earshot, someone pointing at things or refusing to even try a please or thank you in the local language or whatever, but then there's that same neurosis of feeling as if judging them is exonerating yourself, etc!
Yes, exactly, there are so many conflicting feelings involved. Also, "Am I the good tourist because I ordered the offal" is an incredible phrase, that should be on t shirts!
Haha - I've genuinely been thinking The Good Tourist is a short story that needs to be written. This is Ronan btw!
Great choices! Hope you had a good time in my city (Almada). Peripheries could act as a centre of counter-power to touristification. Instead, they imitate Lisbon's downtown worst vices. Thanks for the reading
Almada! Lucky you, really loved it there, want to spend more time there next trip.
Spent a week in Lisbon a year ago for my husband's birthday, my 3rd time there, and it's the worst I've ever seen it with tourism. Of course we were tourists so the hypocrisy abounded, but I still loved it. The most disorienting part was an incredible amount of Russian spoken on streets and Russian cafes popping up, the result of Lisbon being is the main destination of Russian tech elites escaping to the West.
Great insights, and equally wonderful photography 📷❤️
Thanks for these observations.
I used to go to Barcelona or Lisbon on weekend trips. I used to fly into Stockholm, Amsterdam or Paris for same-day meetings. I used to frequent the hip hotels, the trendy coffeeshops and the fancy restaurants (on business expense, of course).
Still, I hated what mass tourism did to Berlin, the city I live in and you have lived in as well.
But I was part of the problem, and it took me a while to realize that.
Bruce Chatwin said: While traveling is a necessity, tourism is a cardinal sin.
Let's travel more, instead of being tourists.
The Gulbenkian! Maybe the coolest museum I've ever been to—there's something about the clinical modernism of the interior (those long, low glass cabinets...) that is just extremely sick.
Re: overtourism, I tend to think that if you take the time to speak a few phrases in the local language and using something other than an iPad to take photos then you're doing The Work.
I really enjoyed reading this, and seeing the great photos. Lisbon is one of my favourite places (I'm there once or twice every year for family reasons, and occasionally research) and it has been alarming as you and other commenters mention to see what's happened over the past decade plus. As you note, a lot of this has come about through official policies to artificially boost tourist income - one major driver being the economic fallout of the 2008 banking fiasco.
There are still many amazing places to find, and the peripheries are where it's at in many ways. Great to hear about the cultural events, too (I'm a fan of Toral and Lobo - sounds like a fascinating gig) and to hear what Marfox is up to.
I second the 'offal' t-shirt suggestion!
Great post. I was in Lisbon over the weekend as well. Always astounded, angered, and saddened by the massification. Big changes in Lisbon and Porto over the last 11 years of my residence in Portugal. Thankfully, I escaped the big cities and tourist magnets and reside in the Minho region.
Yeah, we don't really go south of a certain point toward the centre any time between Easter and maybe November but since the pandemic lifted even in winter, the centre is just a mess. There's an entire line of the tram no-one can use as the queue to use it like a sightseeing tour is over 40 mins. I really love living here but it definitely feels like there's three cities occupying the same space: one for tourists; one for foreigners who live here but have no real interest in integrating; and the Portuguese. And yeah, house prices are absolutely disgraceful (even more-so when you actually look at the construction and level of disrepair. Next time you are planning a trip get in touch, I'll drop you a few tips
Worth mentioning that the Miguel Soares is on YouTube - and well worth checking out!
Ah, very cool, I wasn't aware of that! I'd done some rudimentary googling but hadn't turned it up.