Vilamoura:
Beautiful town situated around the modern marina. There is a great selection of restaurants and bars looking out onto the harbour itself. Vilamoura is the name given to an area rather than to any actual town. It is outstanding in that it is one of the largest single tourist complexes in Europe and covers some 2000 hectares of land. The land is variable in its vegetation, some parts covered in pine forests whilst others open onto recovered marshland. The company that owns this complex is extremely environmentally conscious and has made every effort to protect nature within its continued planned development. Due to the size of the resort area it offers the visitor nearly every form of sport and entertainment. On the southern border is a long sandy beach swept by the Atlantic Ocean.
Quarteria:
Its possible to walk the beach from Vilamoura to Quarteria and then on to Vale da Lobo. Quarteria was an old Portuguese fishing village and there is plenty of evidence of this period along the coast. Don't miss out on the huge daily market specialising in fresh produce and clothes.
Faro:
Faro is the administrative centre for the whole of the Algarve region with a population in excess ofr 55,000 people. The city has both Arab and Roman ruins but most of the present attractive older buildings were constructed after the disastrous earthquakes of both 1755 and 1532. There is a large modern shopping centre on the way into Faro alled the Forum which contains many stores including a huge hypermarket. Alternatively one can park around the port area and wander into the narrow little streets of the old part of Faro where there are lots of lovely shops and restaurants.
Other Activities:
Nearby Spa, Waterpark, Casino, Bowling Green