Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo, in the municipality of Loulé, were two of the Portuguese beaches awarded the International Certificate of Excellence – Blue Flag 25 years, in an official ceremony promoted by the Blue Flag Association of Europe/FEE Portugal, which took place last day December 4, at the Almada Negreiros Auditorium, at Gare Marítima de Alcântara, in Lisbon.
This delivery of the International Blue Flag Program certificates was directed by José Archer, Chairman of the Board of ABAE/FEE Portugal, and was attended by the Secretary of State for Maritime Affairs Manuel Pinto de Abreu, and representatives of other entities involved, such as APA, DGAM, ICNF, Vodafone Portugal Foundation, various municipalities and tour operators.
The international coordination of the Blue Flag has been awarding beaches that have high quality standards, particularly with regard to bathing water quality, environmental education, environmental management and safety, awarding certificates when they reach 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of excellence.
Thus, the beaches of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo were distinguished for reaching a history of 25 years of excellence, the crowning of a great effort developed over a quarter of a century by the Municipality in conjunction with various regional entities and with the respective tourist developments.
Quinta do Lago Beach is located in the heart of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, in an area of great ecological balance and scenic sensitivity and has unique characteristics because it is connected to the development that gives it its name by a wooden bridge (das most extensive in Europe), which rises in harmony over the estuaries of the estuary. The beach has several concession areas with a wide and complete offer of awnings and water sports, services managed by the development itself and by different local hotels.
The Gigi Restaurant, with a privileged location in the middle of the dune area characterized by a rich and very diversified aromatic flora, is an excellent place for bird watching and offers a highly qualified offer, making it a national and international reference.
Associated with a high-quality tourist resort with excellent infrastructure, particularly in the golf area, and inserted in an area of great biodiversity and variety of habitats, it is important to note that Quinta do Lago Beach is also recognized for its quality and environmental certifications. (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards).
Praia de Vale do Lobo is surrounded by the Tourist Development and has as its image the high ocher and red cliffs that give it an added beauty.
At the top of one of these cliffs is the famous 16th hole of the Royal Golf Course, a demanding par 3 on the cliff, a symbol of golf in the Algarve and one of the most emblematic scenarios of the sport in Europe. Along with the two magnificent golf courses, the Royal and the Ocean, the beach is certainly one of the main tourist attractions in this excellent resort.
The Praça de Vale do Lobo, right next to the beach, is the place where residents and tourists gather at the end of the day and socialize well into the night, enjoying a wide range of gastronomic and entertainment options. The Beach Concessions, which provide a wide range of services and facilities, are managed by the Enterprise itself and by the Hotel Dona Filipa, a 5-star facility of reference in the Algarve, which is located in the immediate surroundings of the beach.
The Municipality of Loulé has been investing heavily in the environmental quality of its coastline, and in 2012 the Blue Flag Award was flown on all beaches in the municipality: Quinta do Lago, Ancão, Garrão Nascente, Garrão Poente, Vale do Lobo, Loulé Velho, Almargem, Fort Novo, Quarteira and Vilamoura.
It is also very important to highlight the logistical and economic effort of the beach concessionaires, who ensure, in addition to essential and mandatory services such as the surveillance of bathers, support for people with reduced mobility. Thus, in the Municipality of Loulé, the beaches of Garrão Poente, Vale do Lobo, Loulé Velho, Forte Novo, Quarteira and Vilamoura have privileged conditions of accessibility and mobility for everyone.
With 100% of its beaches awarded the Blue Flag, the Municipality of Loulé contributed decisively to the Algarve being recently distinguished as the best beach destination in Europe.
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