Amieira Marina - a Starlight Destination

In December 2011, Alqueva in Portugal was the first place in the world to receive the “Starlight Tourism Destination Certification", awarded by Starlight Foundation, with the support of UNESCO, OMT e IAC.

Starlight Destinations are visitable places characterized by excellent quality for the contemplation of starry skies and the practice of tourist activities based on this resource.

The Alqueva territory has 3.000 km2 around the Great Lake Alqueva, fulfills largely with the tight criteria that define Dark Sky Reserves ®. Thus, those are required conditions, to have more than 50% of cloudless nights, a magnitude or darkness greater than 21 mag.arc-2-1.sec, a night vision below 2 " and a transparency of mag 6 of 7.

The region low population density and consequently reduced light pollution and high environmental quality, gives the Great Lake Alqueva and its surrounding territory characteristics unlikely to find elsewhere in the world.

The Alqueva territory presents as a night sky with unique features for the development of a Dark Sky Reserve ® and therefore represents a unique attraction for the enjoyment of a starry skyfree of light pollution that allows offering to the tourist evening activities, particularly a star gazing simply spectacular.

Imagine yourself, late night, lying on the deck or in the solariumof your Houseboat anchored in a place previously elected, enjoying an unique sky, identifying the center of the "Milky Way" the "Big Dipper", the "Ursa Minor "and" Cassiopeia ", perhaps in the company of who you want the most and why not... of your favorite drink. This is our challenge! What else will you want?