The Lighthouses of Santa Maria, on the island of Culatra (Faro), and Alfanzina, in Lagoa, will be open to the public, during the months of July and August, so that tourists have «one more offer».
This is the third consecutive year of the initiative that was born from the will of the National Maritime Authority. In the first year, only the Farol of Santa Maria was open to visitors during the summer.
In 2018, given the success of the initiative, the Farol from Alfanzina to the equation. For this year, the formula is repeated.
Thus, from Tuesday to Sunday, from 14:30 pm to 19:30 pm, both spaces will be open to visitors, free of charge. The protocol that makes this possible was signed this Monday, July 1st.
“Lighthouses are part of our imagination and this also becomes another tourist offer. Having them open is appealing for those who visit us," he said to the Sul Informação, Cortes Lopes, commander of the Southern Maritime Zone and captain of the Port of Faro.
For this project to exist, it is essential the support of two entities: Lagoa Académico Clube and Associação Designers do Sul.
Custódio Moreno, regional director of the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ), said, in this regard, that "it is proof" of the vitality of the Algarve's associations.
What is certain is that, since this initiative took off, the numbers “already speak for themselves”, as Custódio Moreno also said.
No Farol Santa Maria, the increase in visitors during the months of July and August was 300% (from 1739 visitors in the same months of 2016 to 5519 and 5763 in 2017 and 2018, respectively)
With regard to the Farol of Alfanzina, the growth in the number of visitors was also quite significant, having increased from 122 visitors in 2017 to 1454 in 2018.
Rogério Bacalhau, president of the Chamber of Faro, and Francisco Martins, mayor of Lagoa.
The Farense mayor made a point of stressing the «tourist arguments and affirmation of identity and culture» of this initiative, as well as the importance of involving volunteers. "That way, values of responsibility are learned and this project has that added value," he said.
Francisco Martins, on the other hand, alluded to the fact that the initiative is a «demonstration that successes have to do with everyone joining synergies». In this case: the Chambers of Faro and Lagoa, the National Maritime Authority (AMN) and the IPDJ.
The project of opening the lighthouses to visitors is also a way of giving another idea of an institution like the Maritime Authority.
“Traditionally, institutions where people are wearing uniforms are very isolated and, by opening the lights, within this project, we are welcoming and getting closer to people. It is a very important and maturity sign», said Vice Admiral Sousa Pereira, AMN General Director.
And for the future?
According to Cortes Lopes, commander of the Southern Maritime Zone, "extending the initiative to other lighthouses is something to be studied."
«I think that, next year, we can try to at least include a third faroXNUMX of the six in the Algarve', he concluded, in statements to the Sul Informação.
Photos: Rodrigo Damascene | Sul Informação
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