{"id":25941,"date":"2025-04-02T07:48:45","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T07:48:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/darkskyalqueva.com\/starlight-certification\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T20:31:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T20:31:54","slug":"starlight-certification","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/darkskyalqueva.com\/en\/starlight-certification\/","title":{"rendered":"Starlight Certification"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Starlight Certification<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Dark Sky\u00ae Alqueva – The World\u2019s First Starlight Tourism Destination<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Dark Sky\u00ae Alqueva was the first site in the world to receive the official certification as a Starlight Tourism Destination, awarded by the Starlight Foundation. This international certification is institutionally supported by UNESCO, UN Tourism (formerly the World Tourism Organization \u2013 UNWTO), and the Instituto de Astrof\u00edsica de Canarias, globally recognized authorities in science, culture, and sustainable tourism.<\/p>\n

Today, the Dark Sky\u00ae Alqueva territory includes municipalities in both Portugal and Spain, making it the world\u2019s first Transboundary Starlight Destination, symbolically reinforcing that the night sky knows no administrative borders.<\/p>


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What Is a Starlight Tourism Destination?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

A Starlight Tourism Destination is a region characterized by extremely low levels of light pollution, high atmospheric quality, and an active commitment to protecting the night sky. These locations provide exceptional conditions for astronomical observation and for the development of sustainable astrotourism.<\/p>\n

In a European context where increasing light pollution prevents millions of people from clearly observing the Milky Way, Alqueva preserves high-quality night skies, allowing visitors to see our galaxy with the naked eye for much of the year.<\/p>


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A Territory of Environmental and Cultural Excellence<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

The certified area covers more than 10,000 km\u00b2 around the Great Lake of Alqueva, including eleven Portuguese municipalities \u2014 Alandroal, Barrancos, Estremoz, Moura, Mour\u00e3o, Redondo, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portel, \u00c9vora, M\u00e9rtola, and Serpa \u2014 as well as adjacent Spanish municipalities.<\/p>\n

Beyond its outstanding sky quality, the region is distinguished by its rich natural and cultural heritage. Millennia-old megalithic monuments testify to the ancestral relationship between human communities and celestial cycles, creating a symbolic continuity between past and present in the contemplation of the cosmos.<\/p>\n

The Official Dark Sky\u00ae Alqueva Partner Network includes rural tourism units and specialized operators who have adapted their services to meet the specific needs of astrotourism visitors, offering:<\/p>\n