Lagoa is known for it’s beautiful beaches and great routes to walk along the coast line. “One of the most popular walking routes is the “sete vales suspensos” (Seven Hanging Valleys hiking route), the oldest and the most famous in the local area that was also recently distinguished as one of the best hiking routes in Europe”, said the mayor.

“One of the factors that makes Lagoa an attractive destination is the beauty of our coast, our beaches, the river, the riverside areas, but we are also know for the quality of the accommodation we have here and the harmony between the two”, said the mayor, exemplifying with the fact that in Lagoa we don’t see big buildings near to the beaches and oblitertating the natural beauty of the area as happens in other destinations.

Many other projects to create more spaces to go for a walk in nature are also taking place. “We are already working on another route that will be called “percurso dos Algares”, which will connect the beach of Marinha to Senhora da Rocha, allowing us to cover our entire coastline, with almost 17km of walking paths along the cliffs”, announced the mayor.

New Arade river walkway

Although the beach coast is famous for several reasons, Luís Encarnação recognises the potential of the entire river coast that exists in the municipality of Lagoa and announced a new project: “We have a project that we still wanted to launch this year, if we receive favourable opinion from competent entities, which is to create walkways around the river”.

“The first one will connect Parchal to the riverside area of ​​Mexilhoeira da Carregação and then, in a more ambitious project for the future, it is our goal to connect Mexilhoeira da Carregação to the Sítio das Fontes de Estômbar. A walkway along the river, promoting bird watching and contact with nature”, he told The Portugal News.

In addition to this, the County action has been promoting green sustainability guides, which the mayor considers “fundamental because it is an obligation that we all have, to leave our future generations a habitable planet”.

The mayor mentions some examples: “The replacement of the lights with LED lights that already represents almost 30 percent savings in our annual energy bill”, and electric mobility, “with the replacement of diesel vehicles by vehicles powered by electric energy and creating more electric car charging stations”.

Only 600 residents are registered to vote

While there are exciting plans for the future of Lagoa, the mayor has also highlighted the iomportance of the foreign community in the municiaplity.

Although foreign residents account for 21 percent of the total number of people living in the municipality, the mayor regrets their low political participation.

Of these “almost 5,000 lagoenses (residents in Lagoa), only about 600 are registered to vote”. The mayor believes that everyone has “a word to say, but to have a participation, they must obviously be registered”.

Any citizen, from the European Union, United Kingdom - among others that you can check on the website (https://www.cne.pt/faq2/95/5) - with an address in Portugal has the right to vote for municipal elections as long as they are listed.

What does it take to register?

Citizens have to go to the parish council in their area of residence and complete their registration, which has to be done until the 60th day before the day of the election, which is, foreseen for September / October, although without definitive data at the moment.

All the residents are very welcomed in Lagoa, said the mayor. “Lagoa is a cosmopolitan municipality, all those who were born here and everyone who chose Lagoa to live are Lagoenses, but to have active participation they must be properly registered”, he reiterated.


Author

Paula Martins is a fully qualified journalist, who finds writing a means of self-expression. She studied Journalism and Communication at University of Coimbra and recently Law in the Algarve. Press card: 8252

Paula Martins