Tourists flock to Smurf village

Previously, the houses were white, typical of the pueblos blancos of the
Andalucia region.

Júzcar’s initial transformation came when it was selected as a set for the
film Smurfs 3D, which featured the singer Katy Perry and came out last
summer.

Mr Fernández Tirado also reported that businesses were thriving as a result of
the intense interest in the village, including souvenir shops and
restaurants.

A ‘Mercapitufo’, or ‘Smurf market’, is still being held each weekend and on
holidays, with up to 20 stall holders selling Smurf-related artefacts, and
souvenirs, and culinary delicacies.

According to the newspaper, Júzcar now has an average of 2,000 visitors every
weekend, about ten times its own population.

This number was even higher for the busy extended holiday celebrations of
Easter Holy Week earlier this month.

The paint job has, according to the mayor, “boosted the local economy… the
happiness, the business and employment prospects… and the popularity” of the
village.

However, he also stressed that the blue makeover was not necessarily permanent.

If his neighbours wanted to change the colour of their houses back to
traditional white, then another vote would be held, he told the newspaper.

“We’ll see how everything is going in a while,” he said.

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes