Vilamoura Beach is the most accessible beach in the country. This bathing area in the municipality of Loulé was awarded yesterday with the “Beach + Accessible 2015” award, which was presented at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento, in Lisbon.
The ceremony was attended by, in addition to Vítor Aleixo, mayor of Loulé, who received the distinction, the Secretary of State for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities Ana Sofia Antunes and the Secretary of State for Tourism Ana Mendes Godinho.
This bathing area in the Municipality of Loulé reached first place, while Fraga da Pegada (Macedo de Cavaleiros) was ranked second.
According to the Municipality of Loulé, «Vilamoura Beach is one of the most accessible among the accessible, mainly because it is very complete and convenient for the user in terms of the services it offers and because it enjoys the proximity of an excellent tourist offer in the surrounding area. ».
Among the features of the beach, there are «handicapped parking with intercom with the beach reception, access to wooden walkways near the main entrance to the beach, ramp connecting to the sand, changing rooms (with WC and shower for the disabled), post doctor, bar/restaurant and beach reception with level access, access ramps bordering an easily accessible walkway to the huts/stalks (free for the disabled and an accompanying person), Mobi-Mat type crosswalk that extends practically to to water, as well as the assisted bathing service, which is carried out with the help of two full-time lifeguards and a tyrolean».
In the Municipality of Loulé, in 2015, there were six beaches where the Accessible Beach Flag was hoisted: Vilamoura, Quarteira, Vale de Lobo, Garrão Poente, Loulé Velho and Forte Novo, the first three having an amphibious chair.
For the mayor of Loulé, «it is an enormous honor and a fair recognition that this award was given to the Municipality of Loulé, which has been so committed in recent years to social inclusion practices and policies. It is also a great stimulus for all of us in Loulé City Council to continue and deepen this path».
This initiative, which aims to recognize the beach which, during the bathing season, distinguished itself in terms of good practices established in the area of accessibility, involving coastal and inland bathing areas, is promoted by the National Institute for Rehabilitation, IP, with the involvement the Portuguese Environment Agency, Turismo de Portugal, the Instituto de Socorros Náufragos and the Blue Flag Association of Europe.
Among the various criteria for classifying an accessible bathing area, easy pedestrian access and orderly and reserved parking must be guaranteed, allowing access to the beach by foot, ensuring that if there are sidewalks, they are lowered or that the street floor is raised to the level of the sidewalks.
On the other hand, there must be organized parking and the car park must provide reserved spaces for private vehicles that transport people with reduced mobility.
It is also essential to ensure level access to the beach/bathing area through ramps, with the least possible inclination, the existence of walkways to the area with awnings and other equipment and as close to the water as possible. Crosswalks must allow access to beach services (bar, restaurants, aid station, restrooms) and also to the awning area. The base material to be used must be adherent and whenever possible it is necessary to provide wider areas for rest or inversion.
On the other hand, accessible bathing areas must provide adapted sanitary facilities located in an easily accessible location, and guarantee access to the first-aid service.
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