Whether you live here, or will be visiting Portugal later this year, it’s my pleasure this week to share the advice of one Colleen Showalter, she of Portugal The Place, the Alcobaça-based consultancy company that has supported countless people in discovering, and moving to, the land of ‘A Boa Vida’ that I spoke of last week.
Just back from Scotland, and declaring to me her love of Highland cattle and haggis, if not the bagpipes (clearly the marmite instrument!), Colleen shared some great tips ahead of Portugal’s summer season, when millions will visit during the tourism peak time, and natives will themselves be partying throughout – from now until Christmas – in what I believe is the world’s party capital.
Colleen and husband Clyde, both absolute Lusophiles themselves, and heads of an organisation that has grown rapidly to include many new staff and associates since they fell in love with this country only a couple of years ago, are some of the greatest unofficial Portuguese ambassadors you’ll find.
“We are driven by a singular mission,” says Colleen, “to provide exceptional and empathetic customer service throughout your relocation process.
“With our unwavering commitment to excellence and a passion for our community, we are confident that we can help you find your place in Portugal,” they promise.
Their vision, incidentally, is “to create opportunities for both those relocating to Portugal and for the Portuguese economy by building a sustainable business that invests in the country we call home”, which is a nice touch, and something they are evidently delivering on.
Whenever I speak with Colleen or Clyde on my breakfast show, I am invariably impressed by their genuine passion for our mutual home here, and equally admiring of their comprehensive knowledge of all things Portuguese.
One example is what I’ll share with you now: ‘Colleen’s guide to enjoying the imminent Portuguese Summer’ is something I thought I knew about, yet a topic where she was able to add her customary value and thoughtful insight.
“You know, summer is upon us. You’re starting to feel the ramp up of everybody arriving,” she began, adding: “I think there’s a couple of pieces that can trip you up if you’re not prepared.”
“One of the things that I like to make sure everyone is ready for is the varying hours of operation,” said Colleen, recalling the recent Leiria Day which, for anyone who’s been there will know, changes the city beyond daily recognition as do all such days across the entire nation.
“All the businesses were closed. The hospital, the clinics,” she revealed. “If you don’t keep tabs on all the different holidays, it can trip you up if you think you’re going to just ‘pop in’ and get some business done at a government office.”
This is great advice as while there are national holidays, there are also regional holidays and local holidays, which, of course, can, as Colleen puts it, “be a little tricky” if you are thinking you can go, literally, about your ‘business’. “There are days where you’ll just go and there’s a sign in the window saying ‘we’re closed’,” she adds.
When asked about where she finds out about the more obscure public holidays, Colleen refers to her “fantastic Portuguese team”, a facility many of us didn’t have access to, we realise, when encountering that “Fechado” sign. Checking websites and social media, whilst not always 100% reliable, may well, therefore, be a useful piece of reconnaissance.
“No matter how big or small your town is, there’s bound to be some extra layer beyond the national holidays,” she warns, recalling a visit to Peso da Régua in the Douro, when on arrival in early August, “we couldn’t drive anywhere, we couldn’t do anything.”
Her solution was to let go of any plans and join in with the local fun, making proverbial lemonade when confronted by this citrusy Portuguese situation, adding however: “If you’re planning your travels for the summer across Portugal, checking locations for local festivals is really, really important.”
Another helpful heads-up is to be sensitive to the considerable seasonal changes that Colleen grew up with herself on the Oregon coast in the US. “It’s a very similar experience to Portugal, where it’s kind of quiet and pretty dead in the winter. And then in the summer, the population would double or triple and the beaches are full,” she recalls by way of warning here.
“If you are used to going to your favourite café, or you think that you’re going to just take a stroll on the praia or do something that you’ve been doing in the winter, it’s going to be different,” says Colleen suggesting we plan ahead and pace ourselves to avoid frustration.
With Nazaré in mind as an example, she lets us know: “You’re going to fight to get into restaurants. People are walking in the street, just not paying attention. And it can take some of the fun out of living in or visiting those areas.
“If you’ve got guests coming in the summer and you want to show them all these great places, you need to plan and allow for that. Nazaré is very, very busy, but if you go to (nearby) Salgado beach, there’s a beautiful beach that has a little cafe.”
She’s also keen to point out that it’s not just American (or British) tourists filling the streets, beaches and other attractions. Many Europeans are simultaneously taking their month-long summer holiday and they come to Portugal in their droves, alongside the Portuguese enjoying that same month off, in their own paradise.
On this note, her ‘hack’ is to head to the beach early given that, in her experience, “the Portuguese don’t really start hitting the beaches till around 11am”. After taking in the sea air for breakfast, why not head inland to a cool monastery or castle? And if it’s water you like, consider Portugal’s river beaches, which can be equally refreshing and a lot less busy, if carefully researched and chosen.
“Summertime is a great time to get into the mountains, into nature,” she suggests. “It’s still going to be busy, but not at the scale of the beaches.”
Finally, spare a thought for the people running the tourism-focused businesses in your community and beyond, who, as Colleen thoughtfully points out, are “swamped” at this time.
“People are coming in and pushing them hard for everything, and they need to make their income during the summer. Smile and wave, be patient. Allowing for some space with the folks you support all year round is going to go a long, long way because it hits them really hard, and they have long days.”
So, as Colleen says, be helpful, kind and patient, especially in these busiest times of the year. If you’re a local, you’ll get your favourite table back when the tourists have gone home. And if you are joining us as a tourist, we hope and trust you’ll have a great time here, especially if you expect the unexpected, plan ahead and show some kindness and understanding. This, after all, is the Portuguese way.
Introduce yourself to Colleen and Clyde at https://portugaltheplace.com and hear my conversation with her in the Portugal Resident exclusive video clip
By Carl Munson
Carl Munson is host of the Good Morning Portugal! show every weekday on YouTube and creator of www.learnaboutportugal.com, where you can learn something new about Portugal every day!
