Photography from Praia do Amado wins «Algarve, natural secrets» competition

The photo of an evening on Amado beach, in Aljezur, guaranteed Diogo Candeias' first place in the «Algarve, natural secrets» hobby. With a total score that exceeded 16 values, the image was ahead of the remaining 152 in the competition. The awards were handed out this Friday, in the auditorium of Turismo do Algarve.

More than 70 people participated in this Algarve Tourism initiative, which wanted to raise awareness of the importance of the region's natural heritage.

After a vote by the public and the jury in February, it was time to announce the ten winners who took home a Canon reflex camera (1st place), entries to a water park, golf clinics and boat trips this afternoon. along the Ria Formosa.

The awarded images portray the beauty of the Algarve beaches and nature in Barranco dos Pisões (Monchique) and Quatro Águas (Tavira). They were chosen by the public through the VisitAlgarve page on Facebook and also by a jury composed by the photographer Hélio Ramos, the vice-president of Algarve Tourism Nuno Aires and the director of Jumbo de Portimão, Nuno Brito.

But there was still room for the unforeseen. Because the works presented were of high quality, Turismo do Algarve decided to award two special extra-regulation distinctions: the «Special Jury Prize» for the photography «Albandeira» by João Costa, and the «Facebook Prize» for the photography «A look at the horizon » by Diogo Candeias, who thus received two diplomas in the same competition.

“We have great landscape diversity: Mediterranean scrub and thickets or oak woods and riparian flowers in the mountainous areas, karst landscapes and dryland orchards in the barrocal, cliffs and dune and lagoon systems in the coastal zone. This was all that we sought to enhance in this initiative, through the eyes of the participants», explains the president of Turismo do Algarve, António Pina.

The competition «Algarve, natural secrets» was part of the «Promotion, Dissemination and Information» action of the Via Algarviana 2 application, led by the Almargem association and supported by the Algarve Regional Operational Program – PO Algarve 21, under the QREN. It also had the partnership of Box de Portimão and the support of Natura Algarve, Lands, Aquashow, Oceânico Victoria Golf Course, Le Meridien Penina Golf & Resort, Benamor Golf, Formosamar and Vale do Lobo.

(See all award-winning photos here )

«Bird Watching Guide» was presented

The «Bird Watching Guide», published by Turismo do Algarve, was also presented during the awards ceremony. The new publication of 32 itineraries, inserted in ten zones, intends to be the guide for those who like to appreciate birds in their natural environment.

The small-collared plover, the pink flamingo, the long leg, the owl, the small hawthorn, the spoonbill, the osprey, the red heron and the griffin will be some of the birdwatchers' companions in their visits to the areas identified in the guide.

Each location is accompanied by a map, the most interesting species that occur there and several useful tips, such as the best times of the year to practice observation.

The publication can be downloaded from the Algarve promotional website (www.visitalgarve.pt).