Vilamoura belongs to the urban area and to the community of Quarteira in the county of Loulé.
Coordinates: 37°04’29.5″N 8°07’08.0″W
The place is well signposted on the N125 and there are sufficient parking places at the harbour and near the beaches (partly for a fee).
Already during antiquity the area was settled. Finds document a Roman settlement from the 2nd century on before Christ. Here the Romans produced “Garum”, a fish sauce fermented in the sun and made of various fishes like tuna, anchovy, mackerel and eel. It was meant to be the most important condiment for sweet and savoury dishes in the realm.
Today Vilamoura is one of the biggest touristic sites in Europe with the biggest marina of Portugal.
On more than 2.000 ha you find a casino, night clubs, six different golf courses, a sports club, a riding club, a bowling alley, tennis courts and much more.
The complete locality ressembles a neat garden. Some 4 and 5 star hotels are situated by the marina or in direct vicinity of it.
Many apartments, townhouses, and villas are rented privately for vacation.
Apart from the gambling that uses to be in line with the international practice (Portuguese dice, American roulette, Black Jack, Poker Texas Hold’em, gaming machines) the casino of Vilamoura organises also glamourous shows.
Cerro da Vila
Roman site
The finding area was employed for agriculture until the years of 1960. According to folk memory cartfuls of stones and scree were removed thereby. When a mosaic became visible during such earth processing, a local archaeologist became aware of it in 1963.
From approximately this moment on, the area has been protected and thus further destruction was prevented. It is impressive how much the art of architecture had been developed more than 2,000 years ago. Every house had a bathroom with warm water, and even an underfloor heating was operated therewith.
In the museum findings of daily use are exhibited and explained comprehensibly. The information is topped off with exhibition items from the Bronze Age on and from the era of the Moorish dominion.
Opening hours: 9:30 – 12:30 h and 14 – 18 h
Closed on Mondays.
Entrance fees:
Adults: 3 €
Students and seniors: 50% reduction
Children up to 13 years: free
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Alegria
The church was built in 1972.