Évora’s New €1.50 Nightly Levy: What It Means for Hosts and Guests

Visitors to Évora will now leave behind more than memories. From today, anyone over 16 spending a night in the UNESCO-listed city will be charged an extra €1.50, capped at three nights. City hall expects the new fee to generate at least €600,000 a year—money it says will be reinvested in protecting Évora’s cobbled charm and easing tourism’s growing footprint. For foreign residents who host friends, run alojamento local properties or simply care about the future of the Alentejo’s capital, the move signals a shift in how Portugal’s heartland plans to balance welcome and preservation.

Évora steps onto a widening stage

Portugal’s best-known cities—Lisbon, Porto, Sintra and Cascais—have been collecting tourist taxes for years, but Évora is the first in the Alentejo to do so. The decision carries weight because the region has long prided itself on slower tourism and lower prices. Yet visitor numbers are rising: national data show more than 30 M travellers in 2023, up double-digits on the previous year, and Évora’s medieval lanes now feel the pressure on waste services, heritage upkeep and housing stock. By introducing a modest levy of €1.50 per night, the municipality hopes to stay ahead of the curve while keeping the Alentejo’s reputation for affordability intact.

The nuts and bolts of the new charge

The fee applies to hotels, hostels and registered short-stay rentals inside the municipality. Operators will collect the money and report it through a newly built online portal, forwarding funds to city hall every month. August and September have been declared a “soft-launch” period; managers have until mid-October to file their first two returns, giving them breathing space to adjust booking systems. Exemptions mirror the national norm: travellers undergoing medical treatment (plus one caregiver), people with a recognised disability of 60 % or more, and students enrolled locally will not pay.

Why expat homeowners should pay attention

Foreigners running alojamento local properties—still popular side projects for retirees and digital nomads—will shoulder the administrative load. Failing to register guests or transfer the collected sum could invite fines that dwarf the nightly rate. Even residents who host friends in a spare room need to remember: if the stay is monetised through Airbnb or similar platforms, the tax must be itemised separately on invoices or rental agreements. On the positive side, accommodation owners can pass the entire cost to guests, and a dedicated helpdesk in Portuguese and English is live on the municipality’s website.

Where the money will land

Évora has promised that every euro raised will remain local. A five-member Investment Committee—two city officials, two industry representatives and one independent heritage expert—will review projects quarterly. Early priorities include reinforcing litter crews during summer, restoring the deteriorating Roman Temple façade, extending pedestrian signage in English and improving nighttime lighting along the aqueduct. The committee must publish an annual report, an accountability clause many larger cities adopted only after public pressure.

Lessons from Lisbon and beyond

Skeptics worry the levy could scare off budget travellers, yet the national record tells another story. Since Lisboa doubled its surcharge to €4 in 2024, overnight stays have risen and revenues topped €49.5 M last year. Porto’s 2025 hike to €3 per night delivered a 42 % jump in takings during the first four months alone, while Sintra quadrupled receipts between 2022 and 2024. Analysts at Turismo de Portugal attribute the resilience to pent-up global demand, diversified flight connections and a perception that even the highest Portuguese tax still trails the €5-€10 charged in many European capitals.

Will other Alentejo towns follow?

Mayors in Beja, Elvas and Reguengos de Monsaraz have publicly praised Évora’s move, hinting at similar debates in their municipal chambers. Under Portuguese law, each council must hold a 30-day public consultation before adopting a fee, making early 2026 the earliest realistic start for neighbours. Hoteliers in coastal Grândola, where summer rentals proliferate around Comporta, say they are bracing for a proposal by year-end.

Practical takeaways for the foreign community

For residents, the new tax will be mostly invisible day-to-day—until you book a room for guests. Factor the extra €4.50 on a three-night stay into travel budgets, advise friends to keep receipts if they qualify for an exemption, and update any property listings to show the charge separately. If you run an AL unit, register immediately on Évora’s portal to avoid penalties and to benefit from the bilingual support desk. Finally, keep an eye on where the money flows; the municipality’s annual spending report will be one of the best indicators yet of whether tourist levies in Portugal’s interior can truly deliver on their promise of sustainable growth.