The intervention, carried out along around six kilometres of shoreline in the municipality of Loulé, has significantly widened beaches that had been severely affected by the sea in recent years. Just a few months ago, high tides were reaching beach infrastructure and eroding the base of cliffs in several locations.

According to coastal experts, the project is expected to improve safety for beach users while helping to slow the ongoing retreat of the coastline. The works involved depositing large quantities of sand in areas most affected by erosion, creating wider beaches and restoring conditions for the summer tourism season.

Óscar Ferreira, a researcher at the University of Algarve, said the difference compared to earlier this year is considerable, with beaches now extending several dozen metres further inland. However, he warned that beach nourishment is not a permanent solution and that similar interventions will likely be required again in the future.

The project, overseen by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), is regarded as one of the most significant coastal protection measures currently underway in the Algarve. Besides benefiting the Quarteira-Garrão area, the added sand is expected to gradually contribute to neighbouring coastal zones through natural sediment movement.

Experts note that alternatives such as seawalls can protect buildings and infrastructure from wave action, but do not address the loss of beach area itself. For this reason, sand replenishment continues to be considered the most practical short- to medium-term response in heavily developed coastal regions.

Loulé Mayor Telmo Pinto welcomed the results, describing the transformation as particularly important for a municipality where tourism remains a key economic sector.

"Seeing people able to use the beach again is deeply gratifying and extremely important for our economy," he said.

The mayor recalled that some sections of coastline had lost tens of metres of beach due to erosion, raising concerns about the future of an area that attracts thousands of visitors each year.

While the replenishment project has restored the beaches for now, specialists agree that long-term coastal management strategies will continue to be necessary as erosion and rising sea levels place increasing pressure on the Algarve coastline.