Portugal launches €1 million competition to build climate refuges in municipalities

Tourism Portugal has opened a competition, funded with €1 million from the “Growing with Tourism” programme, to help municipalities create a national network of climate refuges. The “Stay Cool” initiative targets public spaces that can protect residents and visitors during extreme heat, aiming to preserve comfort, mobility and health while maintaining the attractiveness of tourist destinations.

The competition offers several funding categories, including high‑efficiency HVAC and ventilation systems, interior shading, artificial and nature‑based exterior shading, hydration points and active‑cooling structures, furniture for prolonged stays, accessibility improvements such as ramps and handrails, and signage or information panels. Eligible applicants are municipal councils and parish councils, either individually or in partnership.

The programme seeks to integrate these solutions across Portugal’s territory, creating safe, thermally comfortable areas that mitigate the direct impacts of heat waves on tourism and public health.