The municipality of São Brás de Alportel has taken over the management of one of its most emblematic yet abandoned buildings – the former Casa dos Cantoneiros das Bicas da Serra, located along Portugal’s iconic EN2 national road.
The local council plans to transform the former road workers’ house into the Casa das Bicas, a new community-focused space aimed at providing a welcoming stop for visitors and locals in the heart of the Caldeirão mountains. The project is expected to include a small accommodation unit, a tourist information point, a multi-purpose space for activities and a space for tasting local products.
The transfer of management was made official on Wednesday, December 10 during a ceremony at the National Palace of Queluz in Sintra, where São Brás de Alportel was among 20 municipalities nationwide to sign agreements allowing local authorities to manage unused public buildings. The council was represented at the event by councillor Mónica Inácio.
Under the new agreement, councils gain control of state-owned properties that have fallen into disuse, opening the door to their rehabilitation. For São Brás de Alportel, the deal creates the opportunity to revive the historic building, “strategically located” at the northern entrance to the town, on a key stretch of the EN2, and turn it into a “space that benefits the community and local tourism.”
To make the transformation possible, the municipality intends to apply for funding under the Portugal 2030 community programme. The project also fits into the wider strategy to enhance the EN2 Route, complementing the Casa da Memória da EN2 (EN2 Memory House), which this year marks its fifth anniversary.
The signing ceremony was promoted by the Ministry of Finance and attended by Ricardo de Oliveira e Sousa, chairman of public real estate asset company ESTAMO, João Silva Lopes, Secretary of State for the Treasury and Finance, and Miguel Pinto Luz, Minister for Infrastructure and Housing.
“With this initiative, São Brás de Alportel strengthens its commitment to safeguard local heritage, dynamising the economy and creating infrastructures that benefit the community and visitors,” the local council says in a statement.
