The Portuguese are comfortable with sadness. Saudade, which loosely translates to a longing for something absent, is woven into the country’s national fabric.
On September 3, 2025, 16 people were killed when one of Lisbon’s most popular funiculars crashed. Three weeks after the incident, the city continued to mourn. Funiculars remained closed. Trams, however, were operating across the city.
Portugal has experienced a recent boom in tourism. According to the country’s National Statistics Institute, Portugal experienced a 5.2 percent increase in visitors in 2024. The growing presence of tourists can be felt across Lisbon.
Left: Visitors enjoy a sunny day on a beach outside of Lisbon.
Right: Tourists gather around the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) in the the Belém area of Lisbon.
Above: As the sun begins to set, friends enjoy the last minutes of daylight on a remote beach.
Above: Worshippers gather at the Sanctuary of Fátima. Approximately 80 per cent of Portugal’s population identify as Catholic.
Nazaré has become a world-class surfing spot since big wave surfer Garrett McNamara introduced a unique tow surfing system in 2011. Since then, surfers, fans, and tourists have flocked to the community in the hopes to witness record-breaking waves. The rise of big wave surfing in the town has been captured in the Emmy award-winning HBO series, 100 Foot Wave.
kaitlyn simpson 