Between all the beaches, marina complex and outdoor markets, there are plenty of things to do in Vilamoura and Quarteira in the Algarve. They are the perfect day trip destinations if you are searching for an excursion from Albufeira or Faro.
First of all, Vilamoura is a modern resort town along the central Algarve coastline. It is relatively new as it was constructed in the 1980s when many golf courses were built.
And while you are in Vilamoura, you must visit Quarteira, a small fishing village adjacent to Vilamoura. The small town is charming and has a popular gypsy market.
For solo travellers, it is possible to visit both towns on the same day by taking public transportation. Keep reading and learn about all the best attractions and how you can see both towns on your own.
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Travel tips for taking day trip to Vilamoura and Quarteira
Before you start your Vilamoura and Quarteira day trip, take a look at some of these useful travel tips first:
- The best day to visit Vilamoura and Quarteira is on Wednesday. The Gypsy Market in Quarteira and Mercado do Fazendeiro in Vilamoura are only open on Wednesdays.
- Arrive in Quarteira by 9am so you can comfortable follow my 1-day itinerary below.
- Bring cash if you plan on doing a bit of shopping at the Gypsy market.
- Install and set up the Uber app on your phone just in case you you don’t want to wait for the bus at the end of the day.
- Time your visit to Vilamoura and Quarteira with these festivals and events:
- Carnival in Vilamoura (second week of February) – similar to the Brazilian carnival, this carnival in Quarteira has massive floats, parties and lots of celebration.
- Fisherman’s Festival (end of May) – seafood lovers can enjoy a vast array of seafood in Quarteira.
- Festas dos Santos Populares (June) – honouring the three Catholic saints, St Anthony, St John and St Peter, with big parades and street barbecues. Portimão, Ferreiras and Castro Marim have similar celebrations at the same time.
How to get to Vilamoura and Quarteira
Vilamoura and Quarteira are small coastal towns between Faro and Albufeira. Independent travellers can easily take a day trip to both places from neighbouring towns like Albufeira or Faro.
From Albufeira or Faro, the easiest way and cheapest way to Vilamoura and Quarteira is to take Vamus Bus 9. This bus travels between Albufeira and Faro and stops in Vilamoura and Quarteira in both direction. Just make sure to check the bus timetable because they run on a specific schedule (see below)
FYI – this itinerary starts at the Gypsy Market just north of Quarteira. The bus stop name is Fonte Santa (Rotunda), which is north of Quarteira town centre.
Albufeira to Vilamoura and Quarteira Bus
Vamus Bus 9: from Terminal Rodoviário de Albufeira to Fonte Santa (Rotunda)
- Time: 60 minutes
- Cost: €5.60 (pay bus driver or buy at bus station)
Faro to Vilamoura and Quarteira Bus
Vamus Bus 9: from Terminal Rodoviário Faro to Fonte Santa (Rotunda)
- Time: 40 minutes
- Cost: €5.40 (pay bus driver or buy at bus station)
Best of Vilamoura and Quarteira: 1-Day Itinerary
The day trip itinerary starts in Quarteira, continues to Vilamoura and ends at one of the best beaches in the Algarves. I pinned all the attractions on the interactive map below. Red pins are all the must-see attractions on the day trip, blue pins are other things to do if you have more time.
Here is a quick summary of the day trip:
- Mercado da Fonte Santa
- Praia de Quarteira
- Quarteira Town Centre – Mercado do Fazendeiro
- Feira de Velharias de Quarteira
- Mercado do Peixe
- Mercado da Fruta
- Praia de Vilamoura
- Marina de Vilamoura
- Cerro da Vila
- Praia de Falésia
- Praia do Barranco das Belharucas
- Olhos de Água
Things to do in Quarteira: best of the small fishing village
1. Mercado da Fonte Santa
One of the best activities in Quarteira is to visit Mercado da Fonte Santa (Quarteira Gypsy Market) on Wednesdays. Many vendors set up temporary stalls at the edge of town in a dusty parking lot and sell many items like clothing, shoes, accessories, household items, toys, Portuguese souvenirs, etc. The quality is just okay but everything is pretty cheap.
I didn’t find too many things but it is still worth visiting. Also, this flea market has several food trucks. You can get donuts or bifana sandwich for breakfast.
Address: EM527-2 621A, Quarteira | Hours: 8am-2pm Wednesdays only
2. Praia de Quarteira
From the Gypsy Market, walk down the Av. da Fonte Santa (main road) to Praia de Quarteira. It’s a bit of a walk – about 25 minutes. But the good news is it is all downhill.
This is your first opportunity to spend a bit of time at the beach. At Praia de Quarteira, there is a cute swing for an Instagram photo, several cafes on the boardwalk if you want a snack or coffee, and of course, a beautiful golden sandy beach.
You can even rent a standup paddle board or a kayak from Decathlon on Avenida Infante de Sagres if you want to spend some time here. Or simply walk across the boardwalk towards Vilamoura and enjoy the scenery.
3, 4, 5 & 6. Town of Quarteira
Continue walking on the boardwalk or the beach towards the town of Quarteira as there are several attractions worth checking out.
First, visit Mercado do Fazendeiro, a local farmer’s market opens on 8am to 2pm on Wednesdays only. Vendors sell vegetables, fruits, and locally made products like honey. It might be a good time to pick up some snacks and fruits here.
If you are in Quarteira on the first Saturday of each month between 8am to 1pm, check out Feira de Velharias de Quarteira, an antiques fair held at the exact location as Mercado do Fazendeiro. If you like old vintage items, this might be a good place for you to rummage through.
And because there is a fishing heritage in Quarteira, there is a thriving Mercado do Peixe (Fish Market) near the beach. It is worth checking out. And also take a look at Mercado da Fruta (Fruit Market) next door too. They are open from 7am-3pm and are closed on Sundays.
Vilamoura: things to do in a modern resort town
7. Quarteira to Vilamoura Walk and Praia de Vilamoura
The walk from Quarteira to Vilamoura is very easy. After seeing all the attractions in the town of Quarteira, walk towards the water and continue walking west. And very soon, you will arrive at Praia de Vilamoura.
This is one of several beaches of Vilamoura. It is quite nice and it has several beachfront cafes. It is the perfect spot for suntanning, relaxing on the beach or perhaps have lunch at one of the cafes. (Or you could wait until the next attractions to have lunch).
8. Marina de Vilamoura
At the end of Praia de Vilamoura, turn right and you’ll arrive at Marina de Vilamoura.
The modern marina is the first marina built in Portugal. Since its construction in 1974, Vilamoura marina has earned many awards and recognition including the “Best Portuguese Marina” for the past 13 years.
Follow the pedestrian walkway and see all the luxury yachts docked around the marina. And you can find an array of international cuisine lining the perimeter. I wasn’t particularly hungry the day I visited the marina so I opted for pancakes and ice cream at Gran Sorvete. Yum!
Address: R. do Oceano Atlântico, Quarteira | Hours: 9am-6pm
9. Cerro da Vila
Cerro da Vila is a museum and an archeological site near Vilamoura marina.
The museum area has Roman and Islamic artefacts related to architecture, sculpture, and etc. And you can see a typical Roman maritime villa, including some of the typical “rooms” like bedrooms, peristylium, warm/cold water pools, water cistern and much more.
Plus, there is a small archeological site at the back, which showcases ruins of a Roman village.
Address: Av. Cerro da Vila, Quarteira | Hours: 9:30am-12:30pm & 2-6pm; closed Saturdays & Sundays | Admission: €4
10. Praia de Falésia
From Cerro da Vila, walk west on the main road for about 14 minutes. Cross the Ponte Pedonal da Praia da Rocha Baixinha (bridge) and arrive at Praia de Falésia, the best attraction in Vilamoura.
Most beaches on the Algarve are absolutely stunning. But Praia de Falésia is something else! It is a 8km picturesque beach with the most mesmerizing reddish-orange cliffs along the entire length of the beach.
I saw Praia de Falésia from sea level and at the top of the cliffs. It is possible to hike the top parts of the cliff but be careful. FYI – there are three sets of staircases to the top of the cliff throughout the entire length of the beach.
For this itinerary, walk the entire coastal beach walk from Vilamoura to Olhos de Água (east to west). It will take about 2 hours or so depending how often you stop for photos or breaks.
If walking the entire length is too much for you, you can backtrack part way and return to Albufeira or Faro with Vamus Bus 9 from Vilamoura.
11 & 12. Praia do Barranco das Belharucas and Olhos de Água
Walk to the west end of Praia de Falésia and you’ll arrive at Praia do Barranco das Belharucas. There is a road behind the cafe and a set of stairs on the left which will lead you to the small roads in Olhos de Água.
Keep walking west until you arrive at the main road, Estrada de Albufeira.
Continue on the road until you reach Torre da Medronheira bus stop in Olhos de Água. And this is where you can wait for Vamus Bus 9 to take you back to Albufeira or Faro.
Time-saving tip: if you don’t want to wait for Vamus Bus 9 (it runs on a set schedule, so you may end up waiting a long time), order a car through Uber. It is not expensive to use Uber in the Algarve. It costs about €6 from Olhos de Água to Albufeira.
Address: Torre da Medronheira bus stop, Olhos de Água
Other Activities in Vilamoura and Quarteira
There are other attractions and activities in Quarteira and Vilamoura other than the places already mentioned in the day trip itinerary. If you are spending another day in the area, here are a few more things to check out (see blue pins on the map):
- Golfing – some of the best golf courses in the world are in Vilamoura.
- Casino de Vilamoura – try your luck at the casino. But if you are not into gambling, there are restaurants, bars and shows at the casino.
- Aquashow Park – spend the day at the wave pool and slide down the 32m free fall slide at the largest waterpark in Portugal.
Is Vilamoura and Quarteira worth visiting as solo travellers
At first I wasn’t sure if I should take the day trip myself. I spent quite a bit of time in Albufeira and wanted to explore other towns. So I did some research and wanted to see the red cliffs of Praia de Falésia. Then I found out about the neighbouring towns, Vilamoura and Quarteira. And that’s how I planned my day trip.
And having done this itinerary myself, I definitely think both Vilamoura and Quarteira are worth visiting. Especially when there is sufficient public transportation around the Algarve. So it is entirely possible for independent travellers to see these places on their own.
So I hope you will also consider visiting both towns. Let me know in the comments below if you will take a solo day trip to Vilamoura and Quarteira or have any questions about either town.
Ready to plan your trip to the Algarve? Here are some of my go-to travel planning resources:
* Book your flight: find flight deals on Skyscanner
* Book accommodation: find the best Algarve accommodations on Agoda or Booking
* Buy insurance: Safetywing is my go-to provider for travel insurance, as it covers many things. I will never travel without the Nomad Insurance Package because it protects me against unforeseen events. Get a quote today.
* Order a SIM card: order a SIM card in advance and set up your mobile phone before arriving at your destination.
* Join tours: check Klook and Get Your Guide for the best tours around the Algarve.
Thank you for reading my solo Vilamoura and Quarteira itinerary
I have many posts on Portugal, and you might also like these other posts on solo travel in Portugal:
Lisbon region posts
- Lisbon solo travel guide for first-timers
- Is the Lisboa Card worth it?
- Best day trips from Lisbon Portugal
Northern Portugal posts
- 2 days in Porto: things to do alone in Porto
- 17 best Porto food: what and where to eat in Porto
- 7 excellent day trips from Porto
- Day trip to Guimarães from Porto: 1-day itinerary
- Day trip from Porto to Espinho: 1-day itinerary
Central Portugal posts
Algarve posts
- Algarve solo travel guide: 13 best places
- 20 best things to do in Albufeira for solo travellers
- Loule itinerary: best things to do in one day
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Hi, my name is Queenie, and I’ve been a solo traveller for 20+ years and currently based in Hong Kong. Follow me on my adventures through Instagram and my blog!
