Portugal's Esposende sets €2 nightly tourist tax for nomads from late Nov

The new rates and when they start

Esposende will charge guests €2 a night from April 1 to Sept. 30 and €1.50 a night from Oct. 1 to March 31. The municipality's final tourist tax regulation appeared in the Diário da República on Oct. 23 and collection starts within 30 days of publication, which puts the first charges in late November, during the €1.50 low season.

The levy applies per night to guests aged 16 and older, up to a maximum of five consecutive nights. It covers every type of tourist accommodation in the municipality, including hotels and campsites and caravan parks. The council can raise the amount each year through its budget in line with positive consumer price inflation.

Exemptions cover:

• Local residents: people living in the municipality of Esposende, in Braga district.
• Health trips: a guest plus one companion visiting for medical treatment, exams or appointments, with supporting documents.
• Public placements: guests housed by public bodies under a social or civil protection emergency.
• Displaced people: guests temporarily living in Portugal after fleeing conflict or forced displacement, with proof from the asylum services.

What visiting nomads will pay in Esposende

Because of the five-night cap, one stay can never cost more than €7.50 per person in the low season or €10 in the high season. That means a nomad booking a full month in a single tourist rental pays the same as someone staying five nights. Nomads who move between several short bookings pay again at each new stay, so frequent switching costs more than staying put.

Nomads who live in the municipality fall under the resident exemption. The regulation as reported doesn't spell out what proof of residence guests must show, so long-stay residents booking local tourist lodging should keep documents showing their address. For broader cost and residency context, see our Portugal guide.

Visitor numbers explain the move. Esposende recorded 102,568 guests and 186,194 overnight stays in 2025, up from 26,325 guests and 57,028 stays in 2020. Revenue goes mainly to maintaining public spaces, beaches, infrastructure and municipal services used by visitors.