Loulé has been named the Algarve’s ‘Municipality of the Year 2016’ thanks to the success of its ‘Loulé Criativo’ project, which supports creative work carried out by locals.
The town was also in the running to be named Portugal’s top municipality – as well as Lagos, Lagoa and Albufeira – but the accolade went to Fundão in the Castelo Branco district.
The distinctions are attributed by the University of Minho and designed to “acknowledge and award” successful projects implemented by councils.
This year’s winners were announced on Friday (June 3) at Forte do Beliche in Sagres, Vila do Bispo – the town that won the award last year.
Apart from Loulé and Fundão, other top municipalities included Arouca (Porto Metropolitan Area), Lisbon (Lisbon Metropolitan Area), Vila Nova de Famalicão (north region), Santarém (Alentejo) and Praia da Vitória (Madeira and Azores).
Alfândega da Fé and Batalha were also named the top municipalities with a population below 20,000 people in the Portugal’s north and centre regions.
