Tuesday, 2/2/2010

Almost 3,600 people visited the lighthouse in January 2010, compared to 1,900 in the same period last year

Tower of Hercules starts year by doubling visitor figures from 2009

The Tower of Hercules was the main player in tourism promotion in 2009. The results of this effort are now becoming visible in the number of visits since the lighthouse was declared a world heritage site. In January 2010 there were 3,565 visitors, compared to 1,882 in the same month last year. The day with most visits was 2 January, with 363 visits, followed by Saturday 30, with 439 visits, Monday 4 and Sunday 31, with around 330 people.

Vice Mayor and Councillor for Tourism Henrique Tello expressed his satisfaction at the good results obtained in January, with a record number of visits, an excellent start to the Santiago Holy Year and the first time the monument starts the year as a world heritage site. The results are also due to an intense campaign and a multitude of projects carried out at the Tower and its surroundings, and which will continue this year. The projects include improved visitor attention, renovated lighting, the implementation of technological formats, new sanitation systems and direct treatment for the stone. Investment for this year is foreseen at over 500,000 Euros.

Programme for schoolchildren

The Tourist Office of A Coruña has plenty of actions organised to make people aware of the city's artistic and historical heritage, not only for adults but also for schoolchildren. Hence the Vagalume da Torre (Tower Firefly) programme, started up in January with great success among the educational community. Using magic as the linking thread, and Rober Bodegas as Master of Ceremonies, the Tower disappears. 

There is also a painting workshop run by Raúl Velloso, the Vagalume da Torre blog, haberdashery and legend workshops. In February there will be dramatised visits to the Tower.