Ruins of drowned village reappear at Vilarinho da Furna reservoir

Low water levels at the Vilarinho da Furna reservoir in Terras de Bouro, Gerês, are exposing the stone ruins of a communal village flooded 55 years ago for a hydroelectric dam, displacing 57 families. Tourists, including groups from Madrid, are flocking to the site's river beaches to swim near the emerging ruins. Entry to the beaches is now charged to manage the crowds, with proceeds going to the association of former residents, who also run a nearby ethnographic museum built from the village's original stones.