Emigrating To Portugal #6: Our First High Season Is Behind Us | Campsite Quinta Da Cerejeira | Tomar

Our first high season is behind us. What are our findings?

Just over six months ago, we emigrated to Portugal, and since then, we’ve experienced many “firsts.” We could easily write a whole book about them, but in this blog post, we’ll focus on our first high season.

What exceeded our expectations, and what was more challenging than we anticipated? What will we do exactly the same next year, and what will we change completely?

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Last updated on 16 March 2025

Every month is different

August is the holiday month for the Portuguese

We kept hearing that August is “the” holiday month for the Portuguese, but we couldn’t quite picture what that would mean—until now. In August, it is busy *everywhere.* The campsite, the supermarket, the river beaches—everything is packed.

We had already noticed an increase in reservations, but by the end of July, the phone was ringing non-stop. On average, we received 30–40 calls a day asking about availability.

We also noticed a shift in the atmosphere at the campsite. During the early season, guests often stayed in pairs on a pitch, but the Portuguese prefer to camp together. Their rhythm is different—long, sociable evenings with good food. The pool was well-used, and children played happily on the field. It felt like a true lively camping experience.

August in numbers

Toilet paper rolls

Unique guests

Portuguese

0 %

What did we learn?

We have especially learned how the Portuguese spend their holidays:

– Together! They prefer to come with a group of friends or family and camp close to each other.
– They love barbecuing We had already installed a second BBQ, and it turned out to be a necessity. We were invited several times to enjoy delicious lunches.
– Surprisingly many people forget their tent poles.
– They spend their days at river beaches (Praia Fluvial), unlike foreign tourists, who tend to explore towns and cultural sites.
– Everyone uses the communal fridge.

We have some amazing news to share… We’ve been

😍#camping #campingandcaravanclub #volkswagen #v

Feliz Páscoa! The campsite is almost full 🐣 #p

Our new apartment is ready, and honestly… Emile

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Next year

We will keep some things the same, but we are definitely making a few changes as well. We’ve realized that managing the high season with just the two of us and no additional help is quite challenging. That’s why we’ve decided to bring in extra support next year, particularly for cleaning.

We receive a lot of positive feedback about how peaceful and calm the campsite feels, even when fully booked. We had already chosen to keep the pitches spacious, and we will continue to do so.

This winter, we have several projects planned that will add value to the next season! We are converting our chlorinated pool into a saltwater pool, my yoga studio will be built, the sanitary building will get an upgrade, dedicated workspaces for digital nomads will be created, and we will complete our fourth family apartment.

In addition, we have plenty of smaller ideas to brainstorm over the winter, such as expanding our bread selection.