Lisbon, Portugal. Traditional shops and commerce as a distinctive feature of cultural heritage cities.
To keep the distinctive character of Lisbon, preserve its commercial and trade heritage and revitalise the urban fabric, in 2015 the municipality set up the programme Lojas com História (Shops with a history). This pioneering programme aims to safeguard the remaining retail stores with unique commercial activities and whose history is intertwined with the city. Awarding traditional shops and their owners allows at the same time to fight property speculation and prevent the unrestrained increase of the retail rents.
