A LITTLE quick "Google" research informed me that the first known Umbrella Street was (probably) in Portugal (Águeda, specifically for the Ágitagueda Art Festival). Whether truly the first or not, the idea has caught on around the world.
Douglas Street Umbrellas - Dunedin, Florida
Copyright Andy Richards 2024
THE UMBRELLA Sky Project, was first conceived as part of an art fair in 2011. Part of the Ágitagueda Art Festival, the project is - as is so much art throughout history - a practical architechtural application evidenced by a striking and colorful visual display. In addition to the artful and photo-friendly presentation, the design is to shade for pedestrians during the hot summer months. The concept has been adopted now world - wide and has grown into a popular tourist attraction in many cities.
Pink Street; Lison, Portugal
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved
Umbrellas lit at night on The Pink Street - Lisbon, Portugal
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved
MY OWN introduction to the concept was in Lisbon, Portugal a few years back. Now a center of nightlife in Lisbon, the Pink Street was once a "red light" district, due to its proximity to the harbor. As part of an urban renewal project, the short, pedestrian street was painted pink - and colorful umbrellas hung, sometime in the early 2000's. Today the street is lined with bars and trendy restaurants.
The Pink Street - Open for Business - Lisbon, Portugal
Copyright Andy Richards 2022
AS A photographer, the Lisbon Pink Street provides two very different photo-ops. The first (and perhaps my preferred) is the early morning visit before things open up. As is my custom, I am often up and out on the streets at dawn, exploring and shooting. One of my planned activities was to find the Pink Street, and that I did, early one morning. It was just a few blocks from our hotel and thankfully in the valley in Lisbon, so I was able to avoid the steep, hilly walks a few of the other days had served up.
Douglas Avenue Umbrellas - Dunedin, Florida
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved
THE SECOND opportunity, though, which "street photographers" will certainly appreciate, is at night, after things have ramped up. I was fortunate to do both.
Douglas Avenue Umbrellas - Dunedin, Florida
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved
WHEN WE left Portugal, I thought of the umbrellas as a decorative addition to the main attraction, the Pink Street. Kind of a one-off in my mind. Some time later, I discovered a "mini" version of the hanging umbrellas motif on Douglas Street in Dunedin, Florida, kind of by coincidence. I knew I had to return early one morning to photograph them. I was still thinking of this motif as a unique event. But it wasn't.
Thomas Angel's Gate - Trondheim, Norway
Copyright Andy Richards 2025 - All Rights Reserved
LAST FALL, on our Norway cruise, our final port stop was in Trondheim, Norway. It was probably my favorite city that we have visited in Norway (though in reality, we haven't visited very many of them). There, once again we encountered the Umbrella Street phenomena, on a popular retail shopping street: Thomas Angel's Gate. It was probably the first time it really ocurred to me that this motif was not at all a one-off, but had become a widespread ocurrence.
Thomas Angel's Gate - Trondheim, Norway
Copyright Andy Richards 2025 - All Rights Reserved
AGAIN, MORE recently, we visited yet another Umbrella Street; this time during our first ever visit to Dominican Republic, on a Celebrity Apex Caribbean cruise.
Umbrella Street - Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2026 - All Rights Reserved
I HAVE since learned that there are various versions of this motif in many other places around the world. Some I have visited and apparently missed - Like Camden Market in London, Dublin and San Juan - you can be sure I will seek them out next time. Others are in places I haven't been to, and some of those are already on the travel itinerary, like Istanbul, Thessalononiki, and Paris. I will be looking for them.
Umbrellas - Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2026 - All Rights Reserved
I HAVE found this subject interesting enough to me that it has become a "project" to photograph as many of them as I can, and I even have a new gallery, dedicated to Umbrella Streets now on my website. With only 4 locations so far, you can see I have my work cut out for me. I don't know when, but there will be more of this. :-)
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