The weather in Vilamoura is very amenable for a tourist holiday. All year round Vilamoura has hot dry summers and enjoyable winters which makes the area the getaway for sun worshippers and beach lovers.
Vilamoura is located in the municipality of Loule in Algarve, Portugal. The boundaries of the Vilamoura lie within the parish of Quarteira. Vilamoura means “Village of the Moors” but this description is very far from the reality of the area. Vilamoura is a resort area founded by a wealthy banker from Lisbon. The area was developed as a tourist resort area in 1974 and the sprawling complex is still continuously being developed as of today. Located 14.3 miles along the western coast of Faro, this resort town is 266 kilometers from the country’s capital of Lisbon. The nearest international airport is in Faro. The name Vilamoura does not actually point to a particular town or district but is the given name for a given area, which in this case is the purpose built tourist destination. This is essentially private land developed for tourist destination purposes and its owners have taken great effort in preserving the natural environment, where parts are covered in pine forests while others open recovered marshland. The land is both an architectural masterpiece and an environmental preserve.
Vilamoura has been acclaimed as the largest tourist beach resorts in all of Europe. The land area is 20 square kilometers and its sprawling growth has continued over the past few years to cover Quarteira to the east. These 20 square kilometers consists of well planned roads, gardens, public spaces and tourist areas. The tourist areas include six world-class golf courses, luxury hotels, privately owned villas and apartments. The heart of the purpose built town is the marina that is able to berth over a thousand marine vessels at any given time. The marina is the main attraction for the rich and famous, with their toys and their expensive tastes and games. The large area provides its visitors and guests every form and opportunity for sport and entertainment.
During the day, the marina is a food lover’s paradise, with many cafes and restaurants catering to both traditional Portuguese and other cuisines. You can even see many of the luxurious boats berthed in the marina through the Condor de Vilamoura which runs an excursion trip in and around the coast of Lagos. You can even rent a boat during the day to visit the pristine beaches of Vilamoura. Foremost among them is the Praia de Falesia. Aside from the beautiful beach, the beach has red colored cliffs framing the beach. Aside from the boat trip to the beach, you can get to the beach by the Olhos de Agua trail through the pine tree filled cliff face making it a Blue Flag awardee. Another beachfront, this one with its Blue Flag award is the Praia da Marina. Aside from the beach, there are many other amenities right on the beach front such as big luxury hotels. Villamoura beach is the nearest one to the town center and provides the sun and the sand for many tourists to the area.
Another fun in the sun activity is hitting the range in the famed Vilamoura golf courses. The area has six championship level courses and each require handicap certificates before you are able to be on the fairways. The most famous links is the Millennium, the course was designed by famed architects from the United Kingdom, Hawtree and Sons. The most recent addition is the Laguna providing three loops of nine holes each for the challenge course. Pinhal is the course straddling a beautiful pine wood with great views of the sea. The oldest course is called the Old Course which is a Par 73 course that lies within the luxury resort and has the beach as the backdrop. There is also a lawn bowling club, with two grass rinks for use. You can also pick up your racquet to play tennis at the nearby Tennis Center and its accommodating Sports Club. If you want to sharpen your senses, there is also a Shooting Club for your firearms needs.
When nightfall arrives, the marina begins to burst in life and lights. The large hotels and luxury holiday homes open their doors to the many restaurants and bars. The casino lights also begin to flicker to those seeking luck to get ahead. One of the many famous night spots in the area is the footballer Luis Figo’s Bar Sete on the marina. The biggest night club in the area is Kadoc which straddles the Vilamoura and Albufeira roads. Another favorite hotspot in the area is the Vilamoura casino, with its twenty tables and over 500 slot machines.
The biggest hotel on the marina is the Hotel Tivoli Marina Vilamoura, a five star hotel with many amenities such as leisure and sports facilities. Located nearby is the Quarteira Sol, a hotel is but a five minute walk through the main avenue to Quarteira beach. If you want accommodations that are steeped in history, you can check into Estalagem de Cegonha. The estate was the former home of the Morgado of Vilamoura dating back to the 16th century. There is a one of a kind horse riding center attached to the inn. Other accommodations nearby is the Monte Laguna which lets bedroom townhouses overlooking the marina, the Sunset Villas which are golf course front apartments and townhouses. There are also gated communities namely Victoria Gardens and the L’Orangerie which offers both apartments and townhouses situated near the famed golf courses of Vilamoura.
These are not the only offerings that Vilamoura has to showcase. You can go back in time to the Roman Site and Museum as the Vilamoura was originally a fishing town. The ruins on the site include baths for the mariners stopping at the nearby port. Originally known as Cerro da Vila, the conquering hordes of the Visigoths and Moors left indelible marks on the development of the civilization in the region. You can also easily access Loule and its infamous Saturday gypsy market and Brazilian inspired carnivals.
There are many reasons why Vilamoura is the getaway to go to in Portugal. There are things to do and places to go to from sun up to sundown. It not only relaxes the body and satisfies the senses, it also enriches the soul.