Dear Editor,
For a place that wants to be one of Europe’s most popular tourism destinations, the Algarve sure does have its fair share of dilapidated monuments.
Your article about Silves’ walls is only an example of how ancient landmarks are being abandoned; either because “there isn’t enough money to fix them” or because no one is capable of establishing who should be managing them.
For example, whatever happened to Lagos’ Forte de São Roque? Has anyone seen how rundown Praia da Rocha’s Santa Catarina fort is?
These are all monuments that could become important attractions if only authorities worked together to restore them to their former glory.
We already have enough hotels, bars, and golf courses… The Algarve needs to offer something different if it really wants to fight ‘seasonality’!
I know that not everyone who visits the Algarve wants to spend their whole holiday at the beach.
Landmarks like Silves’ castle or Sagres’ fortress have registered huge visitor numbers recently and proved that there is more to do in the region than just sun bathing and playing golf.
Just a bit more effort to restore and promote these kinds of monuments (maybe by creating a strategic plan like the one announced for walking and cycling?) could create a wealth of new tourism opportunities for the Algarve.
C. Jones
By email
