Above it all hangs the area"s star-filled canopy. It"s a draw by itself, but Apolónia Rodrigues, the founder of Dark Sky Alqueva, has been working to bring more to the table in terms of tourism offerings. "The Alqueva Dark Sky Route is a network of local accommodation owners who support stargazing," she explained. "Many now stay open outside of peak season, offer late check-in times and receive guests all though the night, off the back of nocturnal excursions. They also have more flexible catering options and packed meals to take out into the field."