Menu
Sign In Search Podcasts Libraries Charts People & Topics Add Podcast API Blog Pricing
Podcast Image

The Claire Byrne Show

Noctourism – Should u do as the locals do on your holidays ?

11 Jun 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

1.853 - 6.565 Claire Byrne

The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk. With Aviva Insurance.

0

10.021 - 29.628 Unknown

With high temperatures across Europe and potential heat waves on the way, is NOC tourism the way to get the most out of your holiday this summer? NOC tourism is where you head out once the sun has set, along with the rest of the locals, to see what your destination has to offer. I'm joined by travel writer Nicola Brady now to tell us more about this.

0

29.668 - 40.444 Unknown

This is a trend which sounds appealing, actually, because I think a lot of people now are worried about going abroad. particularly to the Mediterranean, to some spots in Europe where it is really, really hot during the day.

0

40.585 - 54.469 Nicola Brady

For sure. When you're seeing those temperatures climb into the 40s, the thought of doing anything in the middle of the day is just horrendous. I remember being at the Coliseum years and years ago when it was nudging 40 and we went in the middle of the day and you just don't care.

0

Chapter 2: What is Noctourism and why is it relevant this summer?

54.629 - 72.097 Nicola Brady

You're like, I just want to be anywhere but here. Whereas if you're going out in the evening, like you say, it's mimicking the sort of local patterns and you're seeing the bars and restaurants come to life, people out for their evening stroll, like kids playing in the street up until sort of 10 or 11, where it's just cool enough to go outside. It's a lovely way to see a city, I think.

0

72.238 - 78.688 Unknown

And are the cities adapting to this or were they just doing it all the time, you know, being open a little bit later and welcoming later?

0

78.871 - 98.845 Nicola Brady

I think there were some elements like the bars and restaurants where the locals would have gone. But now they're really adapting to it in some cities like Seville. They're putting up canopies. They're going to be planting trees. And they have those misters for the outdoor dining that I really love. You see them in American desert cities like Palm Springs, Scottsdale. And it's just beautiful.

0

98.885 - 101.79 Nicola Brady

So you can sit out and you're getting gently misted by water.

0

101.77 - 127.575 Nicola Brady

and so how does this work then in practice so you would leave your accommodation at what nine o'clock at night that's what some people are doing i mean i my personal preference i would want to go out at sort of sunrise see a lot of places then and then you've also like sunset as well you've got that beautiful light you can see those those sort of famous sites where there's no one around and then the idea is those sort of

127.555 - 143.577 Nicola Brady

midday hours that are getting longer and longer now. You know, it used to be avoid the sun between 12 and 2, and now it's sort of 10 and 4. You go back, enjoy some air conditioning, if you've got a pool or something like that, and then head out in the evening, have a later dinner, see some of the sights then.

143.857 - 166.154 Nicola Brady

And I mean, speaking of cities adapting, now more and more places are doing specialised nighttime tours. So I think the Acropolis is in the summer opens a little bit later. But you can also go in after nine o'clock with a private tour group that show you by night and they're doing opera performances in the Roman Forum as well. People doing night biking, night photography tours in Lisbon.

166.174 - 171.163 Nicola Brady

So people are really set up for it now in a way that I don't think they were 10, 15 years ago.

171.143 - 185.007 Unknown

You're also getting great bang for your day because you're getting two days in one. You're getting up at five. Maybe you're doing your morning business. Then you're having your little siesta or your break time during the day and heading out again and having a whole other experience in the evening time.

Chapter 3: How can exploring cities at night enhance your travel experience?

263.143 - 270.491 Unknown

The whole switcheroo of your body clock and your... It actually makes you feel a little more like you're on holiday because everything is changing, right?

0

270.651 - 276.438 Nicola Brady

Yeah, that's true. And you'd almost have a little bit of jet lag coming home. You'd feel like you were somewhere... Super exotic.

0

276.618 - 284.172 Unknown

And you say then that some of these cities around Europe, they really are adapting to this. So they see that there's a demand for this now and they're changing the offering.

0

284.653 - 298.976 Nicola Brady

Yeah, because I think as well, when you're looking at certain sites, like the Eiffel Tower closes at a certain temperature. Other places do as well, where it's sort of nudging the high 30s. They're realising that they're not going to get the tourists, so they have to adapt and do evening openings.

0

299.036 - 309.471 Nicola Brady

If they're going to be closing at between 12 and 6, and it's one of the most pivotal tourism sites in the city, they're going to have to adapt and be more creative in the way they facilitate it.

309.637 - 311.259 Unknown

It's raining here again today.

311.359 - 323.413 Nicola Brady

It feels particularly cruel to be talking about this when my feet are wet. This morning, it was so horrible coming in. I was thinking like, are we going to have to do rain tourism? The equivalent for tourists coming here.

Chapter 4: What adaptations are cities making to accommodate Noctourism?

323.433 - 338.411 Unknown

We're going to have to find something, right? We're going to have to capitalise this. It's gone on too long. But I just wonder, because we are such heat seekers, you know, when we go on holidays, can we resist the 10am to 4pm Irish people? We're seeking it out.

0

338.431 - 352.554 Nicola Brady

That's so hard, isn't it? I mean, because I'm the same. I remember being in Vegas years ago and it was maybe mid 30s and I was walking through and I don't gamble anyway. I was walking through the casinos and you just want to be like, guys, get outside. The sky is so blue. It's so sunny. You've got to get outside.

0

352.934 - 360.366 Nicola Brady

But I mean, spend two minutes in a 40 degree sunshine day and you'll quickly be seeking the shade, you know.

0

360.346 - 369.748 Unknown

Yeah, it's not pleasant, but we still go to find it and we feel like, oh, I'm not getting the value out of my holiday unless I've spent some time out in the sun.

0

369.998 - 385.595 Nicola Brady

I have to admit, I would kind of feel the same way. Now, not in those peak sunshine hours, but I think then you can, going out in the morning as well is when I think you can get that compromise. I don't think you want to flip it completely so that you're inside the whole time when it's sunny.

385.936 - 397.288 Nicola Brady

But if you're going out in the morning when it's a little bit, a little bit cooler, you've got the shade and then going out when the sun starts setting as well. But I know what you mean is that if you're somewhere sunny, you really want to make the most of it and

397.268 - 403.056 Unknown

But make the most of it in the morning time might be the advice. Nicola, thank you so much for telling us about it.

403.076 - 415.513 Claire Byrne

That's travel journalist Nicola Brady.

Comments

There are no comments yet.

Please log in to write the first comment.