The Algarve municipality of Lagoa has been named one of the safest destinations to visit in Europe in 2021, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to online portal European Best Destinations (EBD).
Carvoeiro Beach, Lagoa
Photo: INÊS LOPES/OPEN MEDIA GROUP
Destinations were selected based on criteria such as “the number of active cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 inhabitants, the number of deaths, health measures, recommendations put in place by the authorities to welcome you in hotels, tourist accommodations, shops and restaurants in compliance with health standards”.
“Almost untouched by Covid-19 in recent months, the Algarve is one of the safest destinations in Europe with 10 times fewer severe cases per million inhabitants than hard-hit countries like Belgium,” says the online travel portal.
“If we take the population of the Algarve and the number of serious cases (deaths), the region is even half as affected by Covid-19 than certain regions of Greece, which are already seen as a safe destination.”
The website also stresses that the municipality put measures in place “very early” to protect the local population and reduce the spread of Covid-19.
“Bringing together some of the most beautiful jewels of the Algarve such as the beaches of Cova Redonda or the beach of Praia Nova and its famous chapel, the beach of Marinha, the villages of Carvoeiro, Ferragudo, Porches … Lagoa is probably one of the most beautiful Algarve destinations and one of the safest,” it also says.
Albandeira beach, Lagoa
Lagoa Mayor Luís Encarnação has celebrated the borough’s inclusion on the list.
“It is with great pride and satisfaction that I see Lagoa picked as one of the safest destinations in Europe by the prestigious European Best Destinations. This distinction brings us even more responsibility, but it is a sign of the work we have all carried out since the start of the pandemic,” he said in a press statement.
Other Portuguese destinations on the list are Madeira and Azores islands, and the Alentejo region.
Other European destinations include Martinique (Lesser Antilles), Tahiti (French Polynesia) and several regions in Greece.
Click here to see the full list.
