Algarve “can celebrate addition of a new city and town,” says PS MP
Portugal’s Parliament has unanimously approved the elevation of Almancil to city status and Boliqueime to ‘vila’ (town) status, marking a new chapter in the history of these two communities in the Algarve municipality of Loulé.
The proposals were made by Socialist Party (PS) deputies from Faro, including Jamila Madeira, Luís Graça, and Jorge Botelho, and received overwhelming support from all parliamentary parties, having been forwarded to the Committee for Local Power and Territorial Cohesion for final checks.
According to PS deputy Jorge Botelho, the remaining steps are formalities: “It’s now just a matter of verifying compliance with the law before a final global vote.” He confidently added that “the Algarve can already safely celebrate the addition of a new city and town.”
Almancil – home to the Algarve’s luxurious resorts of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo which comprise a significant part of the area’s Golden Triangle and boasting a population of 10,677, according to the 2021 census – has experienced rapid growth in recent decades. With its proximity to Faro International Airport (14 km) and the tourist destinations of Loulé and Quarteira, the town has evolved into an economically vibrant hub. Known for having the highest ratio of banks per capita in the country, Almancil meets all legal criteria for city status, which includes a population of over 8,000 voters and essential public services like healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and a cultural centre, as well as a fire department, pharmacies, museums and a library and much more.
Boliqueime also ticks all the boxes to be elevated to ‘vila’ status, with a population of around 6,000 – double the minimum requirement of 3,000. The community is also home to the required essential services, such as a bank, medical post, public transportation and more.
The news has been celebrated by the municipal council of Loulé, which attributes the new statuses of Almancil and Boliqueime to the “social and economic dynamics” that they boast and the “urban development” that has been carried out in recent years.
The local council also stresses that these new statuses will give Almancil and Boliqueime a stronger capacity to advocate for improvements to their life quality and well-being.
As a result, the municipality of Loulé now boasts three cities – Loulé, Quarteira, and Almancil – and two ‘vilas’ – Boliqueime and Salir.
