Towards a geography of tourism and agrarian initiatives. The case of Lamego and Távora

Abstract

The agrarian change constitutes for many rural territories an alternative to the existing and traditional forms of production. This fact is particularly evident in areas of less social and economic dynamism, as is the case of Lamego and Távora in the Douro region ‑ north of Portugal. In general terms, this region has witnessed a demographic decline and a reconfiguration of its agrarian economic structure, which used to be highly dependent on wine and fruit (apple) productions. Rural transformation has been supported by local producers and their initiatives, as well as by European and Portuguese agricultural policies. Its main consequences will be presented in this article as a case study.