UK tourists heading to Portugal have been warned to avoid two specific areas.
The warning comes after an American expat - who has made Portugal her home - shared her insights on YouTube via the International Living channel. Terry Coles is cautioning against moving to Alentejo and Monsanto, describing them as the worst places in Portugal due to their lack of amenities, reports the Mirror
She explained it's unlikely to go down well with those living in the area saying: " There's nothing there as far as hospitals, grocery stores or expats so it's a place you only want to go visit and not live."
Despite its rural charm, Alentejo also received a thumbs down. She said: "Alentejo is very rural, there's really not much there. The city of Evora receives a lot of tourists but other than that, Alentejo in itself is farmland."
However, it's not all bad with Terry highlighting its popularity among retirees. She continued: "Portugal is one of the most popular destinations among retirees and for a good reason; the visa process is easy, we boast over 300 days of sunshine a year depending on where you settle in the country.
"There's a large expat network, excellent healthcare, in both the public and the private system, beautiful scenery, medieval villages and gorgeous coastline and English is widely spoken depending on where you live."
She also had high praise for Lagos and Lisbon adding: "Lisbon combines old-world charm with all the modern conveniences needed to feel at home, with some of the best weather in Europe," said Terry. On Porto adding: "It's rich in culture and history and this is another part of Portugal where English is commonly spoken. A few hours south of Lisbon is the Algarve region, with some of the warmest weather in the country."
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Like many sunny destinations, Portugal is trying to strike a balance between welcoming tourists and their money into the country as well as ensuing they are looking after locals. Last October, a digital nomad visa scheme came into force in Portugal offering cheap tax rates to move there. This has led to frustration among locals - particularly those priced out of increasingly expensive cities.
"Local people are really fired up. They aren't happy at all," Guya Accornero, a sociology researcher at the University Institute of Lisbon, told Euro News.
In recent years, several Portuguese holiday hotspots have introduced tourist taxes to manage the influx of visitors. The popular town of Olhao implemented a €2 charge for overnight stays between April and October, which is halved for the rest of the year.
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This fee however does not apply to children under 16 or those who pay a maximum of €10 during their stay.
Visitors to Faro will be charged around €1.50 per person during the summer season, with children under 12 exempt from this fee. Meanwhile, tourists in Figueira da Foz will face a municipal tourist tax that varies depending on the duration of their stay and the time of year. Overnight stays from October to March will cost €1.50 per night.
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