Vilamoura

Vilamoura is a modern, self-contained resort, adjacent to Quarteira/Vila Sol, that is quite different from most other Portuguese towns. It was designed and developed with private capital within the last 50 years, and is considered one of Europe’s premier resorts. Popular with tourists and ex-pats, there are luxury hotels, stylish villas and condos to rent, lots of restaurants and shops, hike & bike trails, five or six top-notch golf courses, as well as tennis and padel courts, horse-riding, water sports, and other outdoor activities. There is even an archaeological site and museum where you can view vestiges of Roman, Visigoth, and Moorish civilizations. We try to avoid its crowds during the height of the summer season, but we must pass through it to get to Praia da Falésia for our daily walk/run/swim.

The heart of Vilamoura is the marina, one of the largest in Europe. It is a very popular tourist destination because of the many restaurants, bars, clubs, and casino that overlook the thousands of fancy watercraft. We took a boat trip to see dolphins, and enjoyed wonderful views of the cliffs, caves, and sandy beaches along the coastline east and west of the marina.[Scroll left/right to view gallery]

Away from the marina, inland a bit, is 'old town' Vilamoura (although it's not that old). It is quite charming and much quieter than the touristy marina. [Scroll left/right to view gallery]