In Caramulo, Portugal, lies a hidden gem with roots dating back over a century. Visionary doctor Jerónimo de Lacerda spearheaded the creation of the Iberian Peninsula’s largest sanatorium resort until the 1960s, leaving a lasting impact on the social and economic landscape of the region. At its peak, there were 22 sanatoria, but the invention of penicillin brought changes, and now only 5 remain.
But that’s not all; this quaint mountain village, just one hour away from Porto, has more to offer. In the 1950s, a museum was established, housing three captivating collections: art, classical cars, and miniature toys. Since 2002, the museum has been organizing seven exhibitions annually, adding to the cultural richness of the area. All these historical assets add an enormous value to the village that complement the natural assets like all types of trails for walking and mountain biking and the water from the Caramulo mountains which is one of the most famous in Portugal. But unfortunately like many villages, Caramulo has lost most of its citizens and without a new economic model the future is not looking bright for its existence. Now, how would you envision this village for the next 100 years? How can we build upon the existing treasures ánd attract new visitors and re-grow the population? How to regenerate the local economy? These are typical questions Rural Radicals is working with. We don’t have the holy grail solution, but we are building experience that can help cases like this. For this we take a ‘building base’ approach. In Caramulo’s case we provide advice on the development of the empty sanatoria and other potentials in the village. This includes the development of a co-working space, the design of an architect in residence project and matchmaking with EU funding and private investors.