Tourism in Portugal has reached record numbers over the past two years, with over 31 million visitors in 2024.
Although the coastal wonders of the Algarve region and the historic castles of Sintra are often a selling point for tourists, I took the seven-hour trip for reasons unrelated to wanderlust.
Portimão, Portugal, is the home of Afro Nation, the biggest annual Afrobeats festival in the world — and this summer, I was one of the 40,000 festival-goers in attendance.
Though dancing on the stunning beaches of Portugal to the sounds of Burna Boy and Tems live was definitely a bucket-list experience that I wouldn’t have traded for the world, I’m not sure it’s one I would repeat.
Don’t get me wrong: This realization had nothing to do with a lackluster experience. There is nothing dull about being serenaded by a shirtless Damini, and there was nothing disappointing about Portugal, either.
Instead, I left feeling like I hadn’t visited Portugal at all, but rather that I attended an event that just happened to be there.
I feel like I missed an opportunity to actually explore a new country
Somewhere between day two and day three, it hit me: I was in Portugal, but I wasn’t really seeing the country.
My days weren’t spent wandering tiled alleyways or eating salted cod by the water. Instead, I spent all my downtime resting at my resort, ordering food, getting dressed, and then heading back onto the beach — not for a swim, but for another 12 hours of music.
The experience wasn’t exactly cheap, either. Aside from the nearly $600 I spent on the festival tickets, food and drinks were expensive at the venue, and rideshare trips cost more than I’d planned on spending, probably due to the crowds.
I don’t regret what I spent on the experience, but I did find myself thinking about what it would have been like to spend that money at a Lisbon flea market or on a cooking class, learning how to make pastel de nata from a local.
By the last day of the festival, I had a realization: This wasn’t the trip I thought I signed up for. I was in Portugal, sure, but I could’ve been anywhere.
The beach could’ve been in Miami. The resort could’ve been in Cancún. The only Portuguese thing about my trip was the exchange rate.
I did have two days after the festival ended to explore Lisbon, but it wasn’t nearly enough time. I was exhausted after three days of standing on my feet and singing along, and after all of the rideshares we had purchased, both my feet and my wallet needed a break.
Once I got home, I noticed that my Instagram feed was flooded with other people’s Portugal trips: sunsets on sailboats in Portimão, wine in Porto, mist hanging over Sintra’s castles.
I felt like they’d gotten to see Portugal. I’d gotten to see a festival that happened to be hosted there.
The experience taught me a lesson about how I’ll travel in the future
I don’t regret my trip — Afro Nation itself was unforgettable. I loved the music, the chaos, the feeling of being surrounded by a global community all singing Burna Boy under the same sky.
In an ideal world, I’d be able to go back to Afro Nation with an extra three or four days to actually roam. However, extra days meant extra costs for food, accommodations, and the experiences I was so desperate to have — and unfortunately, I didn’t have unlimited PTO.
I learned that my idea of a perfect trip doesn’t center on an international festival or specific experience. I don’t want to cross an ocean just to stand in a crowd.
My version of travel definitely includes sun, sand, and bottomless drinks, but also curiosity. I want to wander, learn, and actually see where I am.
I’d say that Portugal is still on my travel bucket list — though I went, I barely touched it. Next time, I’m not going for a stage on the beach. I’m going for the country.
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