Tips for your holidays in Vilamoura
The best holiday in Vilamoura must include a boat tour. Travelers seeking a rather exclusive resort in the central
Algarve will be pleased to find the exquisite taste and a touch of luxury in this town
. Golfers have probably heard about this spot before since it's one of the most beautiful spots for a golfing holiday.
The beaches are clean and the ocean is calm, inviting the
whole family for a relaxing and refreshing dip. The Marina is the heart of this town, which is also why there are plenty of boat tours to choose from.
Head aboard of one of the sailing boat tours or go for a BBQ tour on the ocean. If you are looking for some sport fishing, Shark fishing, Big Game fishing, or reef fishing, we promise to be a great experience on your holiday in the Algarve.
The calm waters are also perfect for a SUP Tour. Cruise along the coastline on a caves trip, to discover the famous Benagil Caves and Algarve coastline. The choice is yours!
We will help you find the best boat tour in Vilamoura.
- Our favorite beach: Praia da Falésia
- Our favorite restaurant: Chilly Lounge
- Our favorite boat tour: BBQ cruise during sunset
- Our favorite water sport: Jet Ski rental
Getting around in Vilamoura & the Algarve
The best way to get around the Algarve during your journey, is definitely with a rental car. With a car, you can go to all the attractions of the Algarve but also drive to the authentic and cute villages. Of course, not to forget, the beautiful beaches.
However, if you are not renting a car, there’s a train line all the way from Lagos to Vila Real de Santo António and busses are a good alternative too.
The frequency of public transport might not be ideal. Just be patient and go with the easy Algarve-flow. The nearest train station is called Loulé.
From the Loulé train station, you can catch a bus, taxi or walk to Vilamoura. There are bus stops in the town for regional or long distance transport.
Best things to do during your holidays
Vilamoura is a city in the Algarve, South Portugal. The city is known for its large and modern marina, luxury resorts, high-quality golf courses, nightlife, casino, and its beautiful beaches.
In the Algarve, we have a warm and mild climate. Summer months are hot and dry, perfect for the watersports and boat tours. The winter is a bit colder, and some rainy days can be expected.
The watersports and boat tours depart from the Vilamoura marina. The marina is a nice place to walk around, drink a coffee or a beer. The Marina de Vilamoura is the biggest marina in the Algarve and holds many luxury yachts.
Across the city, you will find many luxury resorts, including services as spa, swimming pool, bar, restaurants and a view over the ocean or golf circuits. The most well-known luxury resorts are:
The city is the perfect golf holiday destination. There are a wide variety and choice in golf courses.
The most popular golf courses are: Vale do Lobo Ocean and Royal Golf Courses, Dom Pedro Golf Courses and Salgados Golf Courses.
If you are on holiday with your family, your children will love one of the theme parks in the Algarve. There are many different attractions, including Aquashow Park (water fun park), Krazy World (interactive zoo), Karting in Almancil and Parque Aventura in Albufeira (adventure park), for example.
For a more educational holiday event with the family, visit the “Centro de Ciência Viva do Algarve”, a science center in Faro.
For a break of all excitement, you can relax and walk around in the beautiful garden attached to the city. The garden is called Jardim da Alameda João de Deus. Vilamoura’s city center is the Marina.
Besides the Marina, you will find many residential areas. The city merges with the city of Quarteira, which is at walking distance, and has an old town that’s worth a visit.
Vilamoura has many historical attractions in the area, including churches, roman and Moorish ruins, castles and an Archaeological Museum (Museu Arqueológico, also known as Museu Municipal de Faro).
Some monuments and historical landmarks you might want to visit are Capela dos Ossos. the Roman ruins of Cerro da Vila, the Roman ruins of Milreu, the ruins of Castelo de Paderne and Castelo de Loulé.
In Faro itself, you might want to visit Sé de Faro, Igreja do Carmo, Arco da Vila and Igreja de São Lourenço de Almancil.
Regarding nightlife, you can find many clubs, discos and bars in the surroundings. The Vilamoura casino is the biggest Casino in the Algarve.
And of course, there are many Booze Cruise boat parties, they’re the best option to have fun and enjoy the sunset.
In Portugal, Portuguese is the official language.
Almost everybody in the Algarve speaks English, especially in most touristic places. The local currency is the Euro. At most places, you can pay by card, and there are many ATMs (multibancos) around.
The best boat tours
Vilamoura boat tours are mostly yacht charters, BBQ cruises, fishing tours, caves tours, sunset tours, and boat parties. Cruise along the coast, as the Algarve coastline is a must-see.
- Yacht charters - The Marina is full of luxury yachts, being the best place to charter your own private yacht. The yacht charters, are very popular. You can rent a smaller boat for only 150€ each hour including a local skipper. Or you can charter a luxury yacht during sunset from 750€.
- BBQ cruises - The BBQ boat tours are on the TOP things to do with your family. It’s great fun, to spend the day, on a boat tour and having a BBQ lunch.
- Fishing tours - Many different fishing tours depart from the marina.
- Galé cave tours - Discover the caves of Galé around Albufeira on a boat tour.
- Sunset cruises - No better way than to enjoy the sunset over the Atlantic.
- Boat parties - The best boat parties are in Vilamoura. Great DJ and great fun.
- Benagil cave tours - And of course, Benagil. The best way to go from this city to the Benagil cave is on a boat tour. We offer you the best boat tours to Benagil.
The best watersports in Vilamoura
Our favorite watersport are the SUP and kayak cave tours. Both tours are a sporty and fun way to discover some caves. There are many other exciting watersports.
Have fun on the banana, crazy sofa or aquatwister. Do some parasailing, to enjoy the adrenaline and have an amazing view over the city.
For the true watersports fan, we even have an Action Pack. This pack is the best way to enjoy almost all the watersports with a group of friends.
What & where to eat
For a luxury destination, probably you are also for a fine dining restaurant. "Salmora Live Kitchen & Bar", serves delicious dishes.
Restaurante “O Marisco”, is the place to eat fish or seafood. For vegan and vegetarian option we recommend Cafe del Arte and Chilly Lounge.
Enjoy the gorgeous beaches
Vilamoura is surrounded with white-sanded beaches with, in many cases, golden cliffs and caves. Hereby, some of the best beaches in and around are Praia de Vilamoura, Praia da Falésia, Praia da Rocha Baixinha and Praia de Quarteira.
Other beaches like Praia do Trafal, Praia do Almargem Praia do Forte Novo, Praia do Poço Velho, Praia dos Tomates and Praia do Garrão Nascente is less know and maybe a nice bet if you're looking for a quieter beach day.
Praia de Vale do Lobo is surrounded by a reddish top, on top of which is one of the most famous golf courses in the Algarve. This beach is located next to the tourist resort of the same name, is one of the most well-known beaches internationally.
Whatever you decide to do during your holiday, we promise you will love the boat tours & Watersports! Sunshine and a lot of fun are guaranteed! For any further tips or requests, feel free to contact us anytime.