Things to do in Quarteira, Algarve

Leisure activities in the Quarteira area

• Atlantic Park (Parque Atlantico): Quatro Estradas, Quarteira - has slides, water rides, pools, gardens and daily variety show. Tel: 289 397 282

• Aquashow water park on EN396. Tel: 289 389 390

• Aqualand (The Big One):  Water park near Alcantarilha. Open from 26th May to 12th September (2008) 10.00h to 18.00h.

• Almancil Karting:  A leisure and competition karting complex. The circuit is a replica of the Jacarepagua Formula 1 circuit in Brazil.
  Tel: 289 399 899

• Boat trips and fishing: There are plenty of boat trips and fishing excursions to choose from at Vilamoura Marina, at the kiosks at the western end of the marina (the side nearest to Praia da Falésia). Algarve Seafaris is at the Marina and you can book fantastic full or half day cruises or fishing trips with a professional skipper! The trips are great value and really are the best way to see the natural beauty of the Algarve! Click here for more information about Algarve Seafaris!

• Casino Vilamoura: A daily show, dinner and dancing and maybe try your luck! Tel: 289 310 000

• Golf: 'Vila Sol', 'Pinhal', 'Old Course', 'Laguna' and 'Millenium' are the nearest courses

• Tennis: Vilamoura Tennis Centre with 12 courts and coaching available.

• Roma mini golf park in the centre of Vilamoura with 18 hole mini golf courses and also a miniature golf course and play area for the children.

• Zoomarine at Guia (10km from Albufeira): It's open all year round and is a great day out for the family with dolphin and sealion shows, birds of prey demonstrations and tropical birds show. It's both educational and fun. There are places to eat and drink, and also some fun rides like the pirate ship and water flume and pools to cool off in!
  Opening hours are 10.00h to 17.00h in the winter (closed Mondays in January and February); 10.00h to 18.00h mid March to end of June and 10.00h to 19.30h during the summer. 
  
  
   

Areas of interest in and around Quarteira

• Fonte Santa between Quarteira and Almancil: A spring which is reputed to have curative powers!

• Vilamoura marina: Just along the beach from Quarteira. Watch the boats/ small ocean liners(!) while you have some refreshments at one of the many restaurants or cafés around the marina.
  
  

• Loulé - is always worth a visit. It has a very good daily (except Sundays) market in the new Arabian style market hall (you can't miss it!), a big gypsy market on Saturday mornings and a very interestingly shaped modern Church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade on the hill to the west of the town. You can also walk a section of the 13th/14th century castle walls.
  
  

• Faro - take the opportunity to visit the city of Faro, whether for shopping in the centre or at the Forum Algarve mall, or to see the 'cidade velha' (the old walled inner city with the Cathedral and Bishop's palace in the central Largo de Sé) or to take a boat trip through the Ria Formosa natural reserve to one of the Ilhas. So many visitors miss the delights of Faro but it really is a great day out.
  
  

Churches in the Quarteira area

• Church of Our Lady of Conception
  
   

• Church of São Pedro do Mar

• Igreja Matriz de São Lourenço - just to the east of Almancil, was built at the beginning of the 18th century by, so the story goes, thankful locals who had suffered a drought and discovered a spring when they were digging for water. The blue and white azulejos (glazed tiles) that cover the interior of the church and also the very intricate woodwork were supplied by the top craftsmen of the day.  It survived the 1755 earthquake intact and is now probably the best known church in the Algarve.

• Igreja Matriz (Loulé): The bell tower remains from the Mosque which once occupied the site, it was built in the 12th century and then modified in the 16th century.
  
  

• Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Loulé): A modern dome shaped building reminiscent of a space ship - can easily be seen on a hill, just to the west of the town, from the A22 motorway.
  
  

Galleries and Museums in and around Quarteira

• Praça do Mar Art Gallery:
  
  Visit the Art Gallery in the Praça do Mar, where a range of displays and exhibitions are on offer throughout the year.
  
  Situated next to the tourist information office in Quarteira. 
  Opening hours: 09.30h to 18.00h. 
  
  

• Museum of Cerro da Villa in Vilamoura: Mosaic and ceramic remains from a large Roman villa and some vestiges of the house and the salting tanks.
  Opening hours: 9.30am to 12.30 and 2pm to 6pm.

• Galeria da ASCA: Rua do Centro Comunitário, Almancil. Hosts temporary art exhibitions. Opening hours: 09.00to 13.00h and 14.00h to 18.00h. Closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

• Galeria de Arte Barringtons in Vale do Lobo: Fine arts exhibition. 
  Opening hours: 09.00h to 22.00h.

• Cultural Centre of São Lourenço in Almancil: Hosts art exhibitions and concerts of classical music and jazz . Pieces of sculpture are displayed on the terraces and in the gardens.
  Opening hours: 10.00h to 19.00h. Closed Mondays.

• Galeria de Arte in Vale do Lobo: Located in the Auditorium complex. 
  Opening hours: 09.00h to 18.00h.

• Galeria de Arte Convento Espírito Santo in Loulé (Rua Vice Almirante Cândido Reis): There are 3 rooms with regular exhibitions of painting and sculpture by national and foreign artists.
  Opening hours: 09.00h to 17.30h (Monday to Friday); 10.00h to 14.00h (Saturday). Closed Sundays and holidays.
  
  

• Panda Art Gallery (Barros de Almancil - Escanxinas): Art exhibitions where you can buy the works of art as well as view them.
  Opening hours: 10.00h to 13.00h and 14.00h to 18.00h. Closed Saturday afternoons, Sundays and holidays.

Historical remains in the Quarteira area

• Forte Novo (New Fort) at the eastern end of the Marginal in Quarteira.

• Cerro da Vila archeological site - ruins of a large Roman villa just to the north of Vilamoura marina.

• Loulé Castle: 13th/14th century fortress, of Arab origin, with three towers, a turret and a stretch of ramparts with a walkway along the top.