Quarteira is a town and a community (about 21,600 inhabitants) in the county of Loulé.
Coordinates: 37° 4′ N, 8° 6′ W
For centuries the place was a small and modest fishing village by the Atlantic that was surrounded by a pine wood. At the behest of King John I. in the 15th century was cultivated here the first sugar cane in Portugal.
In the second half of the 20th century has begun a real construction boom, the consequences of which can still be seen today. During the last years more and more sordid apartment houses have been modernised and embellished .
Due to the direct vicinity to the so-called Golden Triangle (Almancil – Vale do Lobo – Quinta do Lago) of the Algarve and to Vilamoura, the place puts itself forward for a cheap family vacation in luxurious surroundings.
The western part of the promenade is accessible by car. Parking places cannot be found easily.
The width of the beach in front of the city is about 3 km. The beach descends slightly into the Atlantic. A paradise also for untrained swimmers and kids.
The eastern part of the promenade has become a pedestrian zone.
There are diverse banks, the post office, shops and a large number of gastronomic establishments.
Only about 200 meters north of the beach is the old town center of Quarteira.
Here the atmosphere is clearly cosier and calmer than it is near the beach.
Blooming bushes and trees embellish the townscape.
The alleys are partly very narrow and the houses are lined up side by side.
The main street runs with four lanes about 100 meters north of the beach through the town.